Does Your Garden Have Bones?
The garden seems bare. It is the middle of winter. A thin white veil of frost covers the ground, revealing tracks of wildlife I know, and did not know, were visiting my yard. The sky is overcast with puffy gray…
Understanding Orchids Uncomplicated Growing Worlds
Ever wonder what the Horticulturists at Behnke’s are reading? We asked Miri Talabac (Behnkes woody plant manager and buyer) what were a few of her favorite books and she sent me over a dozen titles. So, over the next few…
Meet Carol Allen
We’re lucky to have a real-deal expert to help customers with one of the more intimidating plants to grow – the fragile orchid (or is it really?) “I started on my orchid journey when I was barely a teenager and…
Meet Sissy McKenzie, Store Manager in Beltsville
Next up, a Behnkes staffer whose story reflects the hire-from-within philosophy at work here, in addition to the work-really-hard ethic I keep hearing about as I interview the Behnkes team. Just a year ago Sissy McKenzie here was “suddenly” made…
How Do I Get My Orchid To Bloom Again
I was in an upscale nursery the other day and I overheard two women talking…. “Oh my gosh! Look how beautiful those orchids are!” One woman gushed to her companion. Her friend replied, “I always kill them. How do you…
Meet Bill Mann
Bill Mann has been with Behnkes for many years in many different positions – buying our woody plants, managing our Landscape Department, and managing the Potomac Store. Local Roots Bill grew up nearby New Carrollton, married an Adelphi, Maryland girl,…
We Love Brookside’s “Garden of Lights”
And who wouldn’t love this show? It’s total magic. Rain showers, gazebos, plants and creatures, including this year an 11-foot giraffe covered in 9,000 lights. No wonder it’s quickly become a family tradition for locals and visitors alike. Click…
Transforming Everyday Greenery into Holiday Decorations
Is your garden a gold mine of holiday decorating possibilities? The traditional greens used in many wreaths, swags and other decorations, Fraser, Douglas and Balsam firs, may not grow well in this area, but many gardens have an abundance of…
New Edible Landscaping Book is Awesome
Rosalind Creasy is the undisputed high priestess of growing food – beautifully. Her publisher calls her 1982 Edible Landscaping a “groundbreaking classic” and that’s no exaggeration. But it’s high time for an update, and let’s start with Ros herself. She’s taken…
How to Care for your Christmas Tree and Holiday Greens
I sat down with our tree expert to get the skinny on Behnke’s trees and greens, and how to take care of them. Fortunately he was plenty forthcoming with information.
Custom Wreaths and Bows – Help for the Uncrafty
If, like me, you avoid doing holiday handicrafts like the Grinch himself, listen up because help with your bows and wreaths is available in both Behnke’s locations. Here, for example, are Adrienne Neff (left) and Becky Beaver at the “Bows…
Containers to Get You Through the Winter Doldrums
This is the time of year when leaves are falling, frost is on your windows, and your planting beds are looking a bit bare. But when that cold snap hits and kills off your summer annuals, you don’t have to…