1951 (April): Hillermann Nursery is founded by Don Hillermann as a hobby at its first location on West Fifth Street in Washington Missouri.

1953: Don’s brother Bernie Hillermann joins him as a partner and the two become full-time nurserymen.

1953: Hillermann Nursery begins to offer Landscaping Design, Installation, and Maintenance Services.

1958: Hillermann Nursery becomes Hillermann Nursery & Florist and offers Floral Arranging and Delivery services. We specialize in weddings, proms, birthdays, anniversaries, get well, sympathy flowers, funeral flowers, wedding decorations, party decorations, gifts and more. We offer custom designs in fresh cut flower and silk flower arrangements. We deliver to Missouri towns of Washington, Union, Marthasville, Dutzow, New Haven, Villa Ridge, and Labadie.

1960: Hillermann Nursery adds a greenhouse to offer houseplants and tropical plants. The greenhouse is open year ‘round with houseplants, tropical plants, herbs, cacti, and succulents available which are another option for gifts, well wishes, sympathy, and more. Annual bedding plants, container gardens, and hanging baskets are available through the growing season.

1970: Hillermann Nursery & Florist begins to offer Lawn and Garden Equipment Sales and Service. Our staff has many years of experience to help you with selection of new equipment, and service and repairs on your current outdoor equipment. Exmark, Stihl, Toro, Lawn Boy, Cub Cadet, and Troy-Bilt are among the brands of equipment we offer. Lawn mowers, push mowers, riding mowers, zero-turn mowers, weed trimmers, leaf blowers, chain saws, tillers, and hedge trimmers are all available in Hillermann’s Equipment Center.

1980: Hillermann Nursery & Florist begins to offer Irrigation Design, Installation, and Maintenance Services. Services cover residential and commercial irrigation systems.

1994: Hillermann Nursery & Florist is handed down to Bernie’s children who have grown up helping and working at the business.

2000: November, Hillermann Nursery & Florist moves to its current location at 2601 East Fifth Street in Washington Missouri where all departments including Nursery, Garden Center, Greenhouse, Flower Shop, Gift Shop, Lawn and Garden Equipment Center, and Landscape & Irrigation Division are in the same building.

2006: January, Sandi Hillermann McDonald becomes the first woman president and the first second-generation family member to become president of Garden Center’s of America, a national association for independent garden centers. Sandi’s father Bernie Hillermann served GCA president in the mid 90’s.

2006: Hillermann Nursery & Florist in Washington, MO received the honor of making the Today’s Garden Center Magazine’s 100 Revolutionary Garden Centers list for 2006. Hillermann’s is the only Garden Center in Missouri on the list.

2006: Hillermann Nursery & Florist moves its growing operation to the retail location at 2601 East Fifth Street in Washington Missouri. Our growers raise perennial plants and novelty annual plants as well as beautiful container gardens and hanging baskets. Now all elements of the business are at this one location.

2007: Hillermann Nursery & Florist in Washington, MO received the honor of making the Today’s Garden Center Magazine’s 100 Revolutionary Garden Centers list for 2007. It is the second year in a row that Hillermann’s has made it on this list.

2008: January, Hillermann Nursery & Florist receives the honor of being named the Mid-West Regional Winner in the Today’s Garden Center Magazine’s 100 Revolutionary Garden Centers list for 2008. This is the third year in a row Hillermann’s made the list. Being a Regional Winner is an additional honor.

2008: February, beyond the honor of Regional Winner in Today’s Garden Center Magazine’s Revolutionary 100, Hillermann Nursery & Florist receives the additional honor of being named the National Winner out of the five regional winners, and became the 2008 Revolutionary Retailer. “We are extremely honored to receive the 2008 Revolutionary Retailer Award,” said Sandi Hillermann McDonald, president of Hillermann Nursery & Florist. “Making changes and adapting to new ideas, which is not always easy, helps us stay revolutionary. We feel this is necessary to keep and attract customers in an ever-changing retail market. We love our industry and strive to meet the needs of our customers.”

2008: February, Hillermann Nursery & Florist added an open-bay Nexus structure to their retail greenhouse. The new bay is connected to the current greenhouse and will offer additional covered shopping space for the rush of spring planting. The structure is 42’ wide x 100’ deep, which is the same size as each of the two bays of the original greenhouse. “We needed more space for annual color and tropical plant products,” said Sandi Hillermann McDonald, president of Hillermann Nursery & Florist. “This will help us offer more plant stock and varieties with the added convenience of covered shopping space.”

2009: January, Hillermann Nursery & Florist in Washington, MO received the honor of making the Today’s Garden Center Magazine’s 100 Revolutionary Garden Centers list for 2009. It is the fourth year in a row that Hillermann’s has made it on this list.

2009: June, Garden Centers of America has named Hillermann Nursery and Florist in Washington, Mo., its 2009 Garden Center of the Year. Sandi Hillermann McDonald accepted the award at the official award ceremony on June 28 in Portland, Ore., during the organization's annual Summer Tour. Hillermann Nursery and Florist has been involved with GCA since the early 1970s. Sandi Hillermann McDonald, current CEO of the company, served on the organization's board and was its first female president.

2010: January, Hillermann Nursery & Florist in Washington, MO received the honor of making the Today’s Garden Center Magazine’s 100 Revolutionary Garden Centers list for 2010. It is the fifth year in a row that Hillermann’s has made it on this list.

2010: August, Hillermann Nursery & Florist was Voted #1 Garden & Landscape Center in the Missourian Reader's Choice Awards.

2011: January, Hillermann Nursery & Florist in Washington, MO received the honor of making the Today’s Garden Center Magazine’s 100 Revolutionary Garden Centers list for 2011. It is the sixth year in a row that Hillermann’s has made it on this list.

2011: April, Hillermann Nursery & Florist is proud to celebrate their 60th year in business! Celebrations, giveaways, and specials are planed throughout the year.

2011: April 2, Hillermann Nursery & Florist hosts their 60th Anniversary Party with cake and refreshments and many activities. A ribbon cutting is held for a new playground that was added in the nursery. The playground is dedicated to beloved mother and wife of the Bernie Hillermann family, the late Dorothy (Dottie) Hillermann.

2012: January, Hillermann Nursery & Florist in Washington, MO received the honor of being named to the Today’s Garden Center Magazine’s Revolutionary 100 Garden Centers list for 2012. It is the seventh year in a row that Hillermann’s has made it on this list.