Old Heritage Garden Center

07/15/2026

🎉🌿 Happy (Belated) Birthday to our amazing General Manager, Stef! 🦋💚

Yesterday we celebrated Stef's birthday with pizza from Jimbos Jumbos as well as cake and ice cream from the employees.

If Old Heritage Garden Center were a garden, Stef would be the roots, the sunshine, and probably the irrigation system too. She works tirelessly behind the scenes and is truly the engine that makes this place run. Her dedication, work ethic, and care for our team and customers never go unnoticed.

And if you've ever met Stef, you know one thing for certain... if it has butterflies on it, near it, or flying around it, she's going to love it! 🦋

So here's to another year of helping us stay rooted, keeping us from going completely off the vine, and proving every day that great leaders don't just grow plants... they help people grow too.

Happy Belated Birthday, Stef! We hope your year is filled with beautiful blooms, plenty of butterflies, and just enough thyme to relax. 🌼🦋💚

Help us wish Stef a very Happy Birthday!

P.S. We are respecting Stef's wishes not to include a photo of her OR the number candles on the cake 😂 but if you have been to Old Heritage in the last 25 years, you have definitely met Stef!

07/10/2026

TGIF! As we approach the hottest part of our calendar year, I wanted to share some info and tips I consider:

🌿 Water Deep, Not Daily! 💧

One of the most common mistakes we see during the summer is watering a little bit every day. While it may seem helpful to water often, the frequent shallow watering encourages roots to stay near the soil surface...right where the soil dries out the fastest!

Instead, water deeply and thoroughly. This allows moisture to soak farther into the soil, encouraging roots to grow deeper where temperatures are cooler and water is available longer. Plants with deeper root systems are better equipped to handle summer heat and dry conditions.

A few additional tips:
- Water early in the morning to minimize evaporation and help reduce the risk of disease. This allows the tissues to fill out before the heat of the day and to discourage fungal and bacterial growth overnight.
- The typical rule of thumb you hear is most established landscape plants need about 1 inch of water per week, though containers and newly planted shrubs or flowers may need more frequent watering. HOWEVER, when we see humid weather creeping into the 90s, I would double that number to 2 inches a week (especially if you are growing vegetables that are fruiting and/or flowering!).
- OPTIONAL but certainly HELPFUL: Keep 2–3 inches of mulch around your plants to insulate the soil and retain moisture. This will help you AND the plant!

Healthy roots make healthy plants and a little watering knowledge goes a long way! Stop by Old Heritage Garden Center if you have questions about keeping your landscape looking its best this summer. 🌸

- Ben

Send a message to learn more

07/09/2026

07/08/2026

🌸 Did you know? Althea and Rose of Sharon are actually the same beautiful plant! 🌸

If you've heard both names, don't worry…you aren't looking at two different shrubs! Althea/Rose of Sharon is a summer favorite because it blooms when many other shrubs have finished flowering.

✨ A few fun facts:

🌺 Blooms from mid-summer through early fall, bringing color when your landscape needs it most.

🦋 The large, tropical-looking flowers are loved by butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.

☀️ Once established, they're heat and drought tolerant, making them an easy addition to your yard.

🌳 Available as both shrubs and small trees, they're perfect for adding height, privacy, or a colorful focal point.

Stop by Old Heritage Garden Center and check out our selection of Althea (Rose of Sharon) trees and shrubs—we'd be happy to help you find the perfect one for your landscape! 🌸

Old Heritage Garden Center
14189 VFW Rd
Pekin, IL 61554

Mon -> Sat - 8:30a - 5:00p
Sun - 10:00a - 3:00p

07/08/2026

06/19/2026

Thank you to all those who came to Pekin Public Library for the Truck-A-Palooza! We had a blast showing the kids of our community the Dump Truck we use for delivering our landscape materials!

With the technology that is rampant in our every day lives, it was awesome watching the kids be outside and playing with the different “toys”. It was a gorgeous day for it!

Thank you Danny Lohman, one of our drivers, for taking the time to do something really cool and capturing the photos!

Any product you find in our Garden Center can be delivered! Mulch, Rock, Soils, Trees, Shrubs, and more!

Old Heritage Garden Center
14189 VFW Road Pekin, IL
Mon -> Sat: 8:30a - 5:00p
Sun: 10:00a - 3:00p

06/18/2026

River rock and white rock will always have their place. BUT, sometimes a landscape deserves a little more personality.

Our premium decorative landscape rock adds color, texture, and character that can completely change the look of a flower bed, walkway, or foundation planting.

Posted are just a handful of MANY options we have to choose from. Come in to see the rest for yourself!

Old Heritage Garden Center
14189 VFW Road Pekin, IL
309-346-6090

Mon -> Sat: 8:30a - 5:00p
Sun: 10:00a - 3:00p

06/18/2026

Great job Nathan!!!

Nathan Losher, who has been working toward his Eagle Scout, recently completed a project for the Pekin Park District. On Saturday, May 16, Nathan and a group of volunteers he recruited remulched the beds and trees at James Field, covering a total of 3,665 square feet. In addition to mulching, Nathan also re-laid the brick border around the flagpoles and bed behind the brick wall. The Park District would like to thank Nathan and his volunteers for completing this much-needed project. It looks fantastic. The Park District would also like to thank the Pekin Park Foundation for supplying the mulch for Nathan and his volunteers to spread.

06/17/2026

🎶 Rain, rain, go… 🎶 ahead and keep raining! ☔️

Just kidding! I think we have had our fair share this past week!

While the weather is soaking everything else, our Compost, Topsoil, and Garden Mix are staying high and dry under cover. After the storms pass, you'll still be able to take home dry, easy-to-work-with soil for your garden and landscape projects.

Stop in tomorrow once the weather clears to get back to those projects, we’ll keep things dry for you!

Old Heritage Garden Center
14189 VFW Road
Pekin, IL 61554

Mon -> Sat: 8:30a - 5:00p
Sun: 10:00a - 3:00p