Let’s remember the plants of Christmas past. They aren’t with us the way they used to be. The reason? People’s houses then were cold, by our standards. Early houses had fireplaces—the earliest had huge, walk-in hearths—which did triple duty in…
The celebration and symbols of the Christmas holiday are of complex and multiple origins. Many ancient peoples observed the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, honoring their gods to ensure that the days would again grow longer and…
For many people, Christmas decorating is not complete without a beautiful poinsettia from Behnke Nurseries. In the nearly 40 years that Behnke Nurseries has grown poinsettias, we have grown and sold over a million plants. Our poinsettias are grown at…
Transform 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…
(reposted from a previous garden newsletter) Growing up in Frederick, Maryland, we had a white Christmas fairly regularly. These days in the Washington metro area, forget it. Snow doesn’t stay on the ground most years until January. That being said…why…
Ah, the cut Christmas tree, age-old tradition and beloved holiday icon. A little extra trouble, but well worth it apparently-despite the proliferation of the artificial tree, cut tree sales are still quite strong each year.
Helmut Jaehnigen has personally selected Christmas trees for Behnke’s for many years, always insisting on the freshest trees available. Fresher trees hold their needles longer, and supply that nostalgic, one-of-a-kind fragrance we all associate with a picture-perfect holiday setting. We…
The holidays are here again, and among the icons of our celebrations is the beautiful poinsettia from south of the border. The history of this popular plant is indeed colorful, according to the University of Illinois, from which we obtain…
Dear Santa, Please go back and check your records. I should think by now you’d have a clear idea of the type of gifts I’d really like to find under my tree. Ever since I learned to garden at my…
This traditional Christmas plant has undergone many improvements in recent years. Excellent new hybrids, combined with professional growing techniques, produce a poinsettia that will bloom beautifully through the holidays and beyond.