Wasco Nursery

Wasco Nursery was founded in 1925 by Lynn Jay. The original farm was located on La Fox Rd., just south of Wasco, and consisted of about twenty acres. Although he was originally a farmer, Lynn started in the nursery business by growing "hardy trees with local roots" to sell to fellow farmers. Lynn's son Robert B. Jay (known today as "Senior") became involved in the business in the late 1930's. Lynn and Bob Sr. gained a strong reputation for their horticultural expertise and their quality plants. Bob Sr. continued to grow the business with his father through the Forties, with the exception of a three year period when Bob Sr. served in the South Pacific during World War II. Bob Sr. eventually purchased the business in 1952. In 1966 Bob Sr. found that he required more land on which to grow plants. He purchased a ninety acre farm several miles away on Route 64 and moved his operation there in 1968. In 1971 Bob Sr.'s son Robert L. Jay (known as R.L.) took an active roll in the business, adding more services and products. These additions included the start of our greenhouse operations (which were run by Joann, Bob Sr.'s wife), a vast enlargement of the retail sales yard and landscape design services. R.L. purchased the business from his father in 1987. In 1989 a twenty acre farm (known as "The Virgil Farm") located eight miles west of the ninety acre "Main Farm", was acquired. Another forty acre farm (Winter's Rd. Farm) was purchased in 2002 in order to keep up with the "growing" demand in the Fox Valley for Wasco Nursery's high quality, locally grown plant material. In 2003 the original greenhouses (built in the 60's and 70's) were torn down and replaced with a state of the art, 7200 sq. foot retail greenhouse. Matt Zerby began working at Wasco Nursery in 1992 and purchased half of the business from R.L. in 2005 and purchased R.L.'s remaining interest in the business in 2012 upon R.L.'s retirement. Today Wasco Nursery is owned by Matt Zerby, and consists of 3 farms totaling nearly 160 acres, a 10-acre retail garden center, landscape design and installation services, a water gardening department, as well as a garden gift shop that is open year round. With the continued growth in the Fox Valley area, Wasco Nursery is focused in their mission to provide area residents with high quality, locally grown plant and landscape material, expert advice and professional installation and design services. Bob Sr. & Joann officially retired from the nursery business in 2002. Bob Sr. passed away on September 26th, 2005 at the age of 83. Joann passed away on August 8th, 2012. Their legacy lives on in every tree planted by Wasco Nursery.