A Visit To Patuxent Nursery

Visit To Patuxent Nursery

One request I get time after time these past two years is what garden centers do I recommend now? Now that I am fully vaccinated and feel pretty safe going out and about, I have been trying to get to different garden centers each week.

Last week, my journey took me to visit our friends at Patuxent Nursery. I have wanted to stop in for some time. The first person I saw as I drove in to park was another one of Behnke’s Best, our former Perennial manager Karin. There she was in her element, unloading carts of beautiful perennials. We had such an excellent talk, and to tell the truth, I was itching to help her unload the carts. Not really! Those days are over for me.

Karin mentioned how many of you had found your way to Patuxent Nursery, and how happy it makes her see old friends from Behnke’s. She loves working here and says that she is making new friends and family at this garden center while she misses her Behnke family.

Exploring Patuxent Nursery

After chatting with Karin, I walked around the nursery. Everything was looking great. You could see that they take a lot of pride in creating an easy shopping experience. Everyone was very friendly, asking if I needed anything when I ventured into different departments. What I have always loved about Patuxent Nursery is they put all their plants in front of the garden center. With parking right there in the front, you do not have to go far to find benches full of beautiful annuals and perennials. Along with all their trees and shrubs on the other side of the parking lot, it makes shopping easy.

Gardening, Making A Comeback

One comment I have been hearing from the owners and managers of the different garden centers I have visited is how hard it has been to keep up with demand from their customers. I hear the same thing from my friends that are growers. What this tells me that gardening has and is making a BIG comeback. Over the last few years, we have seen younger folks coming in to shop for plants and supplies. With Covid 19 and being forced to stay home, many had to reach out to find things to do. Gardening, I believe, is the outcome of that, and I hope it stays around for a lifetime to these new gardeners. What can bring more joy to a person than seeing the result of their hard work in the garden?

At Patuxent Nursery, you will find everything you need, from pottery, statues, and houseplants, along with all the outdoor plants you could wish for.

Former Behnke Best, Karin Now At Patuxent Nursery

I hope you enjoy this short video of our friend Karin and think about taking a trip out to Bowie, Maryland, to visit another local independent garden center.

Remember, while not all garden centers are the same, it seems to me that they all pretty much share most of the same values that we had at Behnke’s. Great plants, friendly staff that love what they do, and a desire to be a place where you want to shop. I know I will be going back to Patuxent Nursery in the future. I only wish Bowie were not so far away from where I live. But I enjoy a good road trip!