Where there’s a squirrel, there’s a way. Whether in your flower beds or conquering a squirrel-proof bird feeder, squirrels can be a frustration to gardeners. A garden should be a peaceful sanctuary, a place where we can feel connected to…
This is a quiet time in the garden, as October is moving into November, flailing about, looking for the end of daylight savings time which it seems to have misplaced somewhere. In my shady perennial garden in Bethesda, Tricyrtis (toad…
Azaleas and rhododendrons belong to the same genus of plants and have the same cultural requirements in our region. The spectacular display every spring at home after home attests to the fact that they may be easily grown if you…
A broad expanse of lush, cool green grass, uniformly cut, cries out for bare feet and self-satisfaction. Throughout the hot Summer months, the cool green blanket frames our homes and gardens, and provides relief from information overload. Carefully nurtured expanses…
In the early years, Behnke Nurseries became rightly famous for its African violets. This all began many years ago when Albert and Rose Behnke’s young daughter Sonja, (who recently retired as President of Behnke Nurseries) received a gift from a…
(Originally published in 1998) Topiary, the pruning and training of living plants into shapes, is very popular – especially “portable” topiaries grown in pots that may be moved from room to room or from indoors to outdoors with the change…
Behnke Nurseries would like to offer it’s customers some guidelines on the proper planting procedures for both b&b (balled and burlapped) and container grown plants. Nursery Plants: B&B vs. Container Grown In general trees and shrubs are available either balled…
Beyond the African Violet: Meet the Family Some of the most beautiful and easily grown plants for the home are members of the Gesneriad (pronounced either “jez-NARE-ee-ad or “guess-NARE-ee-ad) family, or Gesneriaceae in botanical Latin. The family, named for the…
Once Again, our Larry Hurley is Out Standing in the Field Fall is here, and we encourage you to break the football habit, get out into the garden, and enjoy the weather. Soon, summer will just be an ugly, dry…
Spectacular outdoor containers overflowing with a variety of plants are one of the hottest trends in gardening today. Creating extraordinary plant combinations in the home using indoor plants has never been easier. In fact, plants like to be grouped together…
Change of Seasons Heralded by the Clarion Call of Yellow Jackets When last we talked I was considering my options as a corn farmer. I am here to report that I successfully fed my resident deer herd with about fifty…
Ornamental kale is becoming increasingly popular with gardeners looking for a cool-season ornamental to compliment pansy plantings. They are at their best in late Fall, and depending on the weather, may look good into the following Spring.