Road Trip To Thanksgiving Farms

Roadtrip

This week, I went on a short road trip with two of Behnke’s former Bests, Anita Garner and Becky Beaver! They wanted to visit Thanksgiving Farms in Adamstown, Frederick County, so we agreed to meet there. I had heard that two owners, Melanie and Louisa, were headed to North Carolina to bring back some rare houseplants! Did someone say “HOUSEPLANTS”!!!

I wrote about this family-owned garden center a while ago and want to share a few impressions with you! First, the three sisters we met today were just so friendly. They visited with us, and we all shared about working in a garden center. I loved talking to Darby about their trips to America’s Mart over the last 40 years! (that is where retailers find all the treasures to put in their stores. For years I went there to buy for Behnke’s Christmas Shop–a high point of my year.)

Mums, Snapdragons and Pansies

As you walk into their garden center from the large parking lot, grab a cart as the first thing you will see are the BIG BIG garden mums and some lovely 4 1/2″ pots of mums. Everything is spaced, and you can see the quality of the plants. Snapdragons, pansies, and some of the nicest kale and cabbage I have seen in a while are right in the front.

Houseplants

We wandered around, and of course, all three of us found some MUST-HAVE items we needed. Both Becky and Anita got the cutest little American Wintergreen Gaultheria. These little 4″ pots packed a punch and will be perfect in a Winter Porch Pot display. They are hardy evergreen perennials with red berries in the Winter. LOVED THEM!!!

Once you walked into their greenhouse, it reminded me so much of our houseplant house but with even more of the unusual. Also, Behnke’s former president, Alfred Millard, would love their colorful displays! The use of bright, bold colors on the walls was perfect. While in this tropical paradise, you will want to stop and chat with their parrots.

Craft Beer and More

As you head through the doorway, you will see lots of great gift items ( I bought a picture of a gnome saying, “Make Your Own Path”), and this building wanders on and on till it ends at the Mad Science Brewing Company which is open on weekends for you craft-beer lovers. Check them out here, along with all of Thanksgiving Farms events.

Stephanie Fleming

Stephanie Fleming was raised at Behnke’s Nurseries in Beltsville. Her Mom, Sonja, was one of Albert & Rose Behnke’s four children. She was weeding from the moment she could walk and hiding as soon as she was old enough to run, so many weeds, so little time. Although she quickly learned how to pull out a perennial and get taken off of weed pulling duty.