Hall Of Fame Inductees

John Armstrong  *

 

When John Samuel Armstrong arrived in Ontario, California, in 1889, he was not only in search of a warmer climate to aid his health, but he was also on the brink of planting the seeds for a horticultural legacy. Originally from Ontario, Canada, Armstrong had been diagnosed with tuberculosis at age 24 and was encouraged to move west. Starting out handling baggage at the railway station, he eventually found work at the Horsley and Eaton Nursery, where he learned the trade he would soon revolutionize.

 

Driven by both necessity and entrepreneurial spirit, Armstrong began planting eucalyptus and olive trees on a small plot to serve as windbreaks for citrus groves. His side venture led to the founding of Ontario Nursery in 1893 at the corner of Euclid Avenue and A Street.  It later became Armstrong Nursery.

 

By the early 1900s, Armstrong began distributing mail-order catalogs. This innovative strategy marketed Southern California as a lush garden paradise and helped the nursery earn the title "Largest Nursery in Southern California" by 1909.

 

Roses emerged as a passion for Armstrong. In the 1930s, under the direction of his son John Awdry Armstrong, the company launched a rose-breeding program. Among the most renowned varieties were 'Charlotte Armstrong', named for John's wife and later honored as the official flower of Ontario, and 'Chrysler Imperial', featured in the 1954 Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade. Armstrong-bred roses were planted globally, from Europe and Australia to the White House Rose Garden.

 

Armstrong's reach extended well beyond roses. A research and development department produced dozens of cultivars, including fruit trees, ornamentals, and more. The company introduced everything from the Snow Queen nectarine to the Bonanza dwarf peach, Seedless Valencia orange, Robertson Navel orange, and the beloved Charlotte Armstrong rose.

One notable story of Armstrong's subtle but lasting influence came through the Boysenberry. John Armstrong, ever curious about new plants and dedicated to supporting fellow growers, learned of Rudolph Boysen's experimental hybrid berry. Recognizing its potential, Armstrong shared the story with farmer Walter Knott of Knott's Berry Farm, who later tracked down and revived the nearly forgotten plants. The boysenberry went on to become a cultural and agricultural phenomenon, in no small part because of Armstrong's role in connecting innovators within the growing community.

 

John Armstrong stepped down as company president in 1947 but remained actively involved until his passing in 1965, just three months shy of his 100th birthday. In his final years, he watched as his Nursery grew into a regional powerhouse.

 

A new chapter began in 1988, when Armstrong Garden Centers became employee-owned, ensuring that the company's culture of horticultural passion and customer service would endure. At the same time, Armstrong separated its wholesale growing facility into a new company: Armstrong Growers. Armstrong Growers carries forward the nursery's tradition of excellence in propagation and plant production, supplying Armstrong Garden Centers, independent garden centers, resorts, and amusement parks throughout the southwest with high-quality roses, shrubs, fruit trees, perennials, and seasonal color. This division allowed Armstrong Garden Centers to focus on the retail experience while Armstrong Growers specialized in innovation and cultivation behind the scenes together preserving the company's leadership in horticulture.

 

That same spirit guided a significant step forward in 2008, when Armstrong acquired Pike Nurseries, a respected garden center brand in the Southeast. Pike shared Armstrong's mission to inspire gardeners, provide expert advice, and cultivate communities where plants and people thrive. This partnership was a natural extension of Armstrong's vision, allowing it to expand its reach while preserving the local character and customer relationships that made both companies beloved. Alongside the nurseries, Pike Farms continued in its role as a growing operation, producing high-quality plants to serve Pike's retail locations. Like Armstrong Growers, Pike Farms embodied the same philosophy: that strong growing divisions are essential to delivering exceptional plants and service in the retail centers.

 

 

Today, headquartered in Glendora, California, Armstrong Garden Centers operates 27 stores in California and 19 Pike Nursery locations in Georgia and North Carolina each with landscape design divisions. Continuing the tradition of ensuring a supply of plants grown with expertise and care, they have five growing facilities in Southern California and two in Georgia. Together, they carry forward John Armstrong's enduring mission: to bring horticultural excellence, beauty, and exceptional service to every garden.