Lately, I’ve Been Thinking About…
These rare cool August days make me wish it had been like this when we were running our nursery, back then it was all heat, humidity, and hustle! Now, I’m enjoying a slower pace and simple garden strolls.
Rediscovering the Gardenews: A Behnke Time Capsule
Remember those seasonal GardeNews newsletters from Behnke Nurseries? They’re back—and online! Packed with timeless tips, plant highlights, and Behnke charm, these archived gems (1994–2008) are now just a click away. Take a peek and enjoy a walk down the garden path!
For Zoe’s 9th birthday, we celebrated her love for nature with a special gift—a ZZ plant! Little did we know, she had already picked out an African violet earlier that day. From planting pansies at her party to planning a vegetable garden with her G.G., Zoe’s green thumb is starting to bloom. Could she be the next gardener in the family?
A Walk Down Memory Lane
This week, one of Behnke’s Best, Steve Gerwin, who worked at the Beltsville location in the 1970s (and possibly the 80s), shared a wonderful memory on our Behnke Alumni page. I wanted to share it with all of you because…
Santa Brought Snow Boots!
Santa brought me SNOW BOOTS! Boy, I was excited that he thought ahead and picked these nice warm boots back in the fall. With the snowfall this week, I have been pretending with my grandkids that I love snow. I…
A Day with Garden Enthusiasts
Paint Branch Garden Club Talk This past Monday, I was invited by the Paint Branch Garden Club to give a talk about Behnke’s Early Years at their meeting. I had been looking forward to this ever since they told me…
From Plant Stand to Retail Garden Center: Behnke’s Largo Story
Stephanie usually writes about Behnke’s at Beltsville. I thought I would do a “shout out” to the retail store that we had at Largo, MD, which opened full-time in the spring of 1985 and closed in around 2008, when the…
Memories Of The 1988 Oktoberfest At Behnke’s
The other day, I was trying to explain Behnke’s Oktoberfest in the ’80s and early ’90s to someone. If you were there, you know how special this event was to everyone who came out to Behnke’s in Beltsville year after…
Till We Meet Again
On September 19, 2024, Ele Behnke passed away, and Heaven gained another angel. I don’t even know where to begin expressing how much Aunt Ele meant to me. My earliest memories are of playing with her daughter, my cousin…
A Brick Full of Memories
This little brick is more than just a planter, it’s a piece of my childhood home and one of Behnke’s Bests, Larry Bristow’s legacy. It comes from the little brick house that once stood at the back of Behnke…
Remington’s Behnke’s Veggie Pizza
Remington’s in Beltsville, Maryland Remington’s is a little restaurant a few blocks down from where Behnke’s was. This is where many of us would go for a good lunch or after-work get-together. Their quote, Where Good Food + Good Drinks…
Photo Of The Week by Larry Hurley: Serendipity
Serendipitous plant combo at Behnke Nurseries: red Virginia Creeper on blue Montgomery Spruce during the 2020 pandemic.