‘Iron Butterfly’ Ironweed For Your Pollinator Garden
Larry Hurley’s thoughts on the perennial Vernonia ‘Iron Butterfly’ which is a selection of a short ironweed native to Arkansas and Oklahoma.
Honey, They Shrunk the Russian Sage
One of my favorite perennials is Perovskia atriplicifolia, common name Russian sage. Russian sage has a lot going for it. Upright growth, pretty blue flowers, and a long blooming period…
Garden Hopping In Minnesota
I was in Minneapolis over the weekend visiting relatives. My brother-in-law Steve is a forest entomologist, his wife Jeanie is a weed scientist, and I’m a perennial guy. When we are at a garden, he’s looking up, I’m looking down,…
Shade To Sun
We’ve been in the same home since 1984. When we bought the house it was on a heavily wooded lot, and over the years I’ve filled it up with shade-loving shrubs and perennials, some of which are actually still alive.
Happy Heuchera
I’m a heuchera fan. When I began in horticulture, there were just a handful of named cultivars of this perennial available, all with green leaves, featuring spikes of red, white or pink flowers. Times have changed.
A Tiny Garden
After a number of years, our display garden of low-growing groundcover plants is growing beautifully. Click through to learn about it and get inspiration for your own garden.
A Plant Out of Place
Plants don’t always behave the way we want them to. Behnke horticulturist, Larry Hurley, shares some thoughts on Mother Nature having a laugh at our expense.
Get These Plants for Multi-Season Interest
If you tend to shop for plants only in spring, you might find that your garden looks a little sad come fall. Here are a few of our favorites that will make your garden look good throughout the year.
Ditch the Winter Doldrums with These Plants
Winter can be a bleak time in your garden, full of brown twigs and dead leaves. Before that time comes, consider these plants with eye-catching winter color and texture.
Nice Plants If You Can Get Them
Full disclosure: we don’t usually stock the plants mentioned in this post. But…if you can find them (via mail order catalog or even on the side of the road), they’re great perennials for late-season interest.
3 Blooming Perennials You Need for Fall
Late blooming perennials are a treat to the eye and a treat to pollinators, which find fewer sources of nectar and pollen as summer fades to autumn. Here are several perennials that will perk up your September/October gardens.
The Best Perennials for Dry Shade
In the Washington, DC metropolitan area, we have extended dry periods, or even drought, nearly every summer. And if you have trees shading your yard, that can make for tough growing conditions. But don’t despair; these tried-and-true perennials will flourish in dry shade!