The Wonders of Winter
I used to say that I hated winter. An outdoor-playing, nature-lover at heart, there were no insects – those beloved objects of my fascination – to play with. The garden, to my naïve eyes, seemed dead and dull. And, of…
It’s Easy Being Green
Kermit and our local frogs alike would love the surge of environmental awareness. With housing developments popping up like fungi on a log, our local habitats are disappearing. The ray of sunshine in all this is that each of our…
Add Fruit to Your Garden Palette
Many a great garden delights your senses…the sights and scents of colorful flowers and the textures of leaves, the singing of birds, frogs and crickets that move in for the bounty…but what about taste–simple edibility? While edible gardening may conjure…
Houseplants Welcome Your Holiday House Guests
The holidays are approaching, your spare time is consumed with shopping for gifts, and guests are expected this weekend. Sound familiar? Living plant arrangements create a welcoming atmosphere in any home, but choosing the right plants for the right places…
Gardenias Galore: How to raise them right!
The Gardenia, a popular flowering houseplant, is considered challenging by many indoor gardeners. This plant is, in fact quite simple to grow under the proper conditions. Lustrous foliage and fragrant blossoms will be your reward if you can provide the…
Fall Back and Relax – Enjoying Fall Color
While pansies and chrysanthemums are producing multitudes of flowers, arguably the most impressive display lies in autumn leaves. Rich and brilliant hues hidden all season burst forth from trees and shrubs and give the garden that last bit of warmth…
BaySafe Plant List – Perennials
BaySafe (Native to Maryland) Perennials Plant List (*) Availability of plants varies seasonally Botanical Name Common Name Acorus calumus Sweet Flag* Actaea pachypoda White Baneberry* Actaea (Cimcifuga) racemosa Bugbane Actaea rubra Red Baneberry* Allium cernuum Nodding Onion Amsonia tabernaemontana Blue…
Marian Parsley’s Recommendations for Fall Vegetables
Broccoli ‘Packman ‘F1 hybrid’–Early maturing hybrid; massive 8″ sage green heads. Delicious small to medium beads are densely set on domed heads. Reaches maturity in 55-57 days. Great for freezing! *Brussels Sprouts ‘Royal Marvel’–Firm, dark green well-wrapped sprouts. Earlier Jade…
The Importance of Landscaping
There are endless benefits to landscaping your yard. Landscaping makes dull areas pleasing. It is possible to make ordinary homes into spectacular ones and office buildings into warm, livable spaces. Beautiful landscaping increases the property value of your home. The…
Favorite Plants of Behnke Employees
In fall, a gardener’s fancy often turns to ornamental grasses. My favorite grass is slated to be the Perennial Plant Association’s Perennial of the Year for 2009, Hakonechloa macra or Japanese Forest Grass. This is an interesting choice because, while…
Fall for Chrysanthemums
Chrysanthemums, originally from the Orient, are now prized the world over for their colorful blooms in fall. The mum has been woven into Asian culture for hundreds if not thousands of years and has long been the national flower of…
Be Prepared – Get the Groundwork Done Early
This is the classic “do as I say, not as I do” article. When you know that you are going to the nursery to get a tree, a shrub, whatever, to fill a spot, consider preparing or amending the soil…