Meet Henry Eilers

A Botanist by Love and Horticulturist by Trade

We’ve carried his namesake sweet coneflower for years—you know it by its quintessential quilled petals and playful yet prevailing floral display—the Rudbeckia that catches your eye as it peeks in and out of the perennial border. The name behind a plant is oft times layered and unique, and we’d like to introduce you to our friend, Henry Eilers.

A German native, Henry Eilers was born a son of agriculture on his parents’ dairy farm on August 17, 1934, in Juebberde, East Friesland. Upon completing high school, young Henry attended the Horticultural Trade School in Oldenburg and apprenticed at a greenhouse firm in nearby Bad Zwischenahn.

“Even my earliest childhood memories include those of the natural world, as my interest in this area was derived from both the love of my mother and her love and knowledge for wildflowers—nurture and nature—as she shared them with me.”

—Henry Eilers

After immigrating to America in 1955, Henry set down roots in Litchfield, Illinois and began his first job at Litchfield Floral Gardens, a subsidiary of a nursery in nearby St. Louis, Missouri.

He then took a position with H. F. Henrichs Publications in developing Sunshine Park. During that time, he met his future wife, Ursula Garbe. A man of duty, Henry was called into service in 1957 by the US Army where he served as Artillery Survey Computer in the 4th Armored Division—a human computer—calculating logarithms, triangulations, and measurements by hand.

Discoverer and creator, Henry is a lover of natural areas, gardens and of family through and through. A man dedicated to his craft and passion for horticulture, together with Ursula, Henry founded H E Nursery in the fall of 1960. His fascination with and eagerness to learn about the native flora of the Midwest was the start of a lifelong journey.

Today, nearly 70 years later we have his namesake Rudbeckia in honor of this road travelled—and an exciting new introduction on the way.

Keep an eye on availability, as we’ll be adding yet another Eilers selection to our offering–this time a white flowered form of skullcap, Scutellaria incana ‘Prairie Snow’. Limited offering to start—if you have a soft spot for skullcap, consider the achromatic impact of ‘Prairie Snow’.

A lifelong learner, contributor, and industry supporter, Mr. Eilers has lent service and expertise to an assortment of associations and industry organizations to nurture the nature we create together. It is a privilege to carry his plants and call him our friend.