The butterflies are mostly gone for the season, but bees are still going strong. And nowhere do I see more evidence of that than in the Perennials Department at Behnkes, where I took these photos and could have bee-watched all…
I recently visited the garden of Behnkes’ perennials buyer Larry Hurley, shown in this blog story. But there’s another whole group of great shade plants that I admired in Larry’s garden – ferns! – so asked him to share with…
Who SAYS the strip of land between your sidewalk and the street has to be covered with turfgrass? Okay, in some places the government actually says that but most of us have the freedom to plant something a little more…
The National Capital Cactus and Succulent Society participated in our recent Garden Party, and gave us a chance to reconsider these plants that seem to be better suited to a hotter, dryer climate than ours. But now the Mid-Atlantic is…
Behnkes was pleased to host the National Capital Area Daylily Club’s Annual Daylily Flower Show again this year – we naturally love hanging out with plant people. The various classes of competition included the sizes (miniature, small and large), doubles,…
With a brand new-to-me garden to fill up, I need plant ideas, especially shade-loving perennials, so where better to look than the garden of our perennials specialist Larry Hurley?
Calamint (Calamintha nepeta) ‘White Cloud’ is one of those plants that I’d never noticed – either at the nursery or in anyone’s garden – until I grew it myself, an experience that’s turned me into a HUGE fan of…
There are about 150 different Goldenrods, most of them native to the prairies, river banks, and mountains of North America. They’ve also spread widely throughout Europe, especially along roadsides and in vacant lots. They’re good for a brief back-of-the-border splash…
Rudbeckia fulgida, popularly called the Black-Eyed Susan, is Maryland’s State Flower and incredibly popular with local gardeners, for its many good qualities. Looks great with grasses and the seedheads of Monarda, or with just about anything. Shown is the popular…
The ever-popular purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) is native to – well, sources vary. Some say to the prairies of the Midwest, where it was discovered and brought to the East by Lewis and Clark. And some very reputable sources have…
Green and Gold (Chrysogonum virginiana) is a great groundcover for shade. Mat-forming plant with long-lasting gold flowers. Trouble-free. Also known as Golden Star. You see here the variety ‘Pierre’, with acuba. Native to the Eastern U.S. Details Prefers partial shade…
The turtlehead (Chelone obliqua) is native to the moist woodlands and mountains of Eastern and Midwest North America. It’s one of the few native woodland plants that blooms after spring — in this case from July through September. Details Prefers…