Looking for a late-summer showstopper that pollinators love and rabbits leave alone? Meet Rudbeckia ‘Herbstsonne’—an old favorite that’s stood the test of time. With bright yellow, drooping petals on 7-foot stems, this coneflower isn’t shy. I first grew it back in 1984 at Behnke’s, and it’s still a standout in my garden today. 💛
For Zoe’s 9th birthday, we celebrated her love for nature with a special gift—a ZZ plant! Little did we know, she had already picked out an African violet earlier that day. From planting pansies at her party to planning a vegetable garden with her G.G., Zoe’s green thumb is starting to bloom. Could she be the next gardener in the family?
Years ago, I was fortunate enough to travel to Asheville, NC, with a group from Behnke’s to attend the Garden Center Group’s annual event. Asheville was such a beautiful place, and I know it will be again. While there,…
Some of you might be wondering if these violets could be mine. Last year, I wrote about my attempt at rooting some leaves off my mother’s (Sonja Behnke Festerling) old Chanticleer African Violet. These 3 in the photo are not…
It is September which means that Stephanie is ready to start decorating her front porch for Fall.
Lately I have been seeing a lot of unique and unusual plants on social media. The problem is, however, that they are FAKE. In recent years, the rise of AI-generated images has introduced a new challenge: Garden Center customers are bringing in…
Although snow isn’t in the forecast, April snow in the Washington, DC area isn’t unheard of. In order to be ready for spring sales, garden centers begin bringing in plants in late February/early March, starting with fruit tree and continuing…
If you are reading this, chances are you already know why going to an independent garden center is such a wonderful experence. That said, I know how hard it is when you are at the grocery store or one of…
As February fades, garden centers buzz with anticipation. New arrivals bring bursts of color, from houseplants to fruit trees.
Fall, some will say, is the best time of the year. I love Spring (saying goodbye to Winter is the best), but Fall has many appealing things to consider. Growing up surrounded by nurserymen, of course, I knew that…
A visit to Maryland from Middleton, Wisconsin by Larry Hurley to say Good by to a friends and hello to other friends. Plus, what is happening in his new garden.
One of the best things we can do is sign up at our local independent garden centers for their newsletters and social media accounts. This way, you will be like me, one of the first to know when something special…