High Country Growers is owned by Bob and Donna Hitzeroth. Bob first started working in the industry as a young boy under his grandfather, Sylvester. Sylvester had immigrated from Lithuania in 1914 when he was just 10. He began working in the greenhouse industry and eventually bought his own glass house in the Chicago suburb of Geneva, Illinois in 1963. Although he had little formal education, he had a green thumb and grew annual flowers and vegetables along with cut flowers that he would sell at the markets in downtown Chicago.
Working with his grandfather, Bob developed a passion for growing flowers and went on to study Horticulture at the University of Illinois. After college, Bob and Donna married and a year later in 1976 bought their first greenhouse business, We-Go Greenhouse, in West Chicago, Illinois. Twelve years and three children later, they bought Geneva Greenhouse from Bob’s grandfather. Bob successfully ran both wholesale/retail operations for many years.
In 1993, while traveling the West on vacation, Bob and Donna ran across an abandoned rose range in Helena, Montana. That fall the range was at auction and Bob made the winning bid. High Country Growers was established in the spring of 1994. In the following years, Bob and Donna moved their family west to run High Country Growers. Later, We-Go Greenhouse was sold, and Geneva Greenhouse was closed.
Bob brings years of growing expertise and exceptional quality to all aspects of High Country Growers. Through his hard work and dedication, and the hard work and dedication of our amazing team, we produce quality plants for the Montana gardener.
