Happy in a New Home

September 24, 2020
Larry Hurley
Perennial Plants
0 Comments

I used to write about the perennial pollinator garden at Behnke’s. All of the perennials in the garden were adopted by employees and are enjoying their new homes. At my place, thanks to the removal of an old oak tree that was dying, I now have an area in my garden where I have sun.

For the first time I can plant some sunny perennials. I put in two of my favorites rescued from the perennial pollinator garden: Fragrant Aster, Aster oblongifolius ‘October Skies’, which is just beginning to bloom, and Eutrochium (Eupatorium) dubium ‘Little Joe.’

They are both great pollinator plants (see ‘Little Joe’ photo above), and so far the deer have left them alone. I highly recommend both, as being good for the garden, good for nature, and good for the soul.

Larry Hurley: Behnke’s Former Horticulturist

Larry Hurley

Larry Hurley worked at Behnke Nurseries from 1984 until the business was composted in 2019, primarily with the perennial department in growing, buying and sales.

Before landing at Behnke’s, he worked as a technician in a tissue culture lab, a houseplant “expert” at a florist shop, and inventory controller at a wholesale nursery in Dallas. With this and that, ten years passed.

When his wife Carolyn accepted a position at Georgetown University, Larry was hired at Behnke’s for the perennial growing department and garden center at Behnke’s Largo location.

In 2021, Larry and Carolyn moved back to Wisconsin to be closer to family and further from traffic. After 37 years in a shaded yard in Maryland, he is happy to have a sunny lot where he can grow all sorts of new perennials, if only he can keep the rabbits at bay. He also enjoys cooking, traveling, and the snowblower.