Westcroft Gardens

About

The Oldest Farm in Michigan still owned by the same family. Established July 6th,1776

Story

Westcroft Gardens got its start on July 6th, 1776 when William and Alexander Macomb purchased the nine by three mile island of Grosse Ile, Michigan from the Pottawatomi Indians and is now recognized as the oldest family owned and operated farm in Michigan. For much of the farm’s history, it provided hay to the Detroit trolley horses, but with the introduction of the automobile the farm needed a new direction. Fifth generation owner, Ernest Stanton, converted the hay farm into a nursery farm in 1917 and began specializing in Rhododendrons and Azaleas, which is continued today by 7th generation owner, Denise de Beausset.

Westcroft Gardens’ 27 acres includes 1 acre of sales area, 4.5 acres of botanical gardens, 13 acres of woods and 8 acres of production space. Westcroft grows the majority of its plant inventory including annuals, perennials, flowering shrubs, evergreen shrubs, vegetables, fruits, wildflowers, ferns, ground covers and of course rhododendrons and azaleas. Westcroft also carries trees, soils, and animal repellents as well as continues to manufacture Greenleaf Compound soil conditioner for acid loving plants.

Westcroft is open to the public for sales during our nursery business hours, and the botanical gardens are open to the public from dawn to dusk year round and may be rented for private use throughout the year. Each fall, our 13 acres of woods is converted into the Phantom Forest for Halloween Hayrides which run every weekend from the end of September to the end of October.

It is our honor to continue our long history in metro Detroit and share the beauty that nature brings with all that visit us.