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Behnke's Sales Run Monday - Sunday
Check our Web Site for up-to-date information.

Helmut Is Back!

They say April Showers Bring May Flowers, but here at Behnke's they bring Helmut Jaehnigen! I grew up on our nursery in Beltsville, and Helmut has always been a big part of my life. Back then, my grandparents, Albert & Rose Behnke brought nurserymen from Europe to work at Behnke's. When Helmut arrived, it was the beginning of a life-long friendship. At first, he stayed in the apartment in our home (that little brick house you see on the nursery). Eventually he moved to his own home and started his family. Throughout all of this, Helmut ran our outdoor woody

Helmut & Stephanie sometime in the 60's

plant department with a smile! If you were ever lucky enough to have him help you select the perfect trees or shrubs for your home, you will be happy to know he is BACK!! Now retired, he decided he needed to come out once in awhile to assist people during our busy Spring season. You will, of course, find him out among the trees and azaleas in Beltsville--wearing all the former colors of Behnke uniforms. He said he would wear the red hat if he must, but he thinks he looks much better in the "Behnke Blue" jacket. For Helmut we will make the exception. I noticed he also had our even older" Behnke Green" sweater on in this photo! The plan is that he will stop by for a few hours on Sundays to help out--so if you see him, say hello. I promise you that you will go home with a wealth of knowledge for your garden. ~ Stephanie Fleming

Ornamental Flowering Cherry Trees 25% OFF

This Week's Garden Club Members Special:

All "Cool Season" Vegetables

Market Packs 25% OFF!

Healthy Living at a Great Price

Arugula, Beets, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Collards, Kale, Leeks, Lettuces, Pak Choi, Spinach, Swiss Chard

You must be a Behnke Garden Club member to get this special price.
To join, just Sign Up Below! It's FREE!

Goodby Winter, Hello Spring Color

Creeping Phlox & Dianthus

Creeping Phlox, Phlox subulata

Perennials are arriving! Watch out for the following as we stock our tables:
Creeping Phlox, Phlox subulata, is one of our most popular species of perennials. It's a Behnke Baysafe Native Plant, native to sandy and rocky areas of Maryland.

Growing low to the ground, it's a nice ground cover for small-scale situations in sunny, well-drained locations. It's particularly effective when it can drape over the edge of stone walls or the sides of raised beds. The foliage can be lightly sheared after blooming to keep it neat.
Creeping phlox will be in bloom in mid-to-late April in the landscape and in our pots, in many colors, including blue, white, pink, red, and a bicolor white/pink.

Dianthus ~ Pinks

Garden Dianthus are commonly called pinks, because the edges of the petals are often notched as if cut with a pinking shears.

In our area, the pinks give their best bloom in spring--April, May, early June. Sometimes they cough up a few flowers in the summer and fall as well, especially in cooler years. We have found that a new cultivar named 'Kahori', which is a bright pink, blooms reliably through the summer, so if the color works for you, that's one to try for sure. As perennials go, Dianthus tend to be short-lived. You may find that they need to be replaced after several years.

They offer pink, red, white or bi-colored flowers, often very fragrant.

Jumbo Elephant Ears, Cannas & Tuberous Begonias

20% Off these wonderful bulbs ~ Sold in Packages or as loose individual bulbs

Long time Behnke Customer, Kathy K. shows off her Jumbo Elephant Ear

Holland Bulbs have arrived!

Want to have fun this Summer? Grab your kids and check out the amazing selection of Summer Blooming Bulbs we have.

Our Holland Bulb Buyer, Mike Bader, has put three types of our bulbs on SALE for 20% Off regular prices. Our Tuberous Begonias, Cannas and "Jumbo" Elephant Ears Bulbs. You can purchase these wonderful bulbs in ready to go packages or as loose individual bulbs.
Come in soon because these Jumbo bulbs are flying off the shelf....Get it? Jumbo? Elephant Ears?? Flying??? Sounds like Dumbo???? C'mon people!

Lawn Repair? We've got you covered!

GreenView Lawn Repair & GreenView Tall Fescue Seed, 20% off thru April 6th!

GreenView Lawn Repair is a fertilizer-seed-mulch combination lawn repair mix, dispensed in a shaker-style container to allow you to easily fill in barren or trouble spots in your lawn.

Tall Fescue Sun Shade Blend: Great seed for high traffic lawns with sunny to slightly shaded areas.

Melissa & Doug Gardening Tools for Kids!

New for 2014! Our Beltsville location has a great selection of outdoor fun for the children in your life!

What's the secret to gardening with kids? Special tools just for them! Fill a gardening tote bag for kids with real child-size garden tools and let them rake, sow, water, and dig right along with you. Or fill a gardening cart for kids with a hand fork, spade, watering can, and much more...then let them zoom along the garden path with a backyard-friendly lawn mower toy or dump truck toy! Child-sized and made to last, these gardening tools for kids feature durable construction and bright, Sunny Patch colors.

April Happenings At Behnke's

FREE TALK~ Go Native- w/ Chris Lewis

Location: Potomac Store

Date: Saturday April 5th

Time: 1:00pm

Christopher will discuss native shrub and tree varieties and their use in the landscape.

Your Edible Garden "APRIL" w/ Carol Allen
Planning for fruits and berries; Adding potatoes, onion & garlic

Location: Beltsville Store

Find out what you should be doing in the garden this month and then get ready for "hands-on" as you plant a small salad pot to take home.

session 1: April 5, 2014 10am to 12noon

session 2: April 5, 2014 1pm to 3pm

session 3: April 6, 2014 10am to 12noon

session 4: April 6, 2014 1pm to 3pm

(all sessions FREE & cover the same content)

HOW-TO DEMO: Hardscapes: 'Patio Pavers'
by Kalyx Landscaping
Location: Beltsville Store

Date: Saturday April, 12

Time: 11 am

NCAC Gesneriad Society Meeting

- Open to the Public

10:30am to 11:30am

Beltsville Store: Saturday, April 12

Get tips on how to re-pot scraggly plants, pot up seedlings,

re-pot a lopsided African Violet, what to avoid when re-potting, and how to select a pot size. Bring your pest-free, disease-free gesneriad to the meeting to show it off or get some expert advice. (If in doubt, bring the plant in a clean SEALED bag.)

Bring some tools and pots if you want to squeeze in some re-potting, too!

Orchid & Heritage Plants Diagnostic & Re-Potting Clinic with Carol Allen

In Beltsville: April 12, Saturday
In Beltsville: April 13, Sunday
In Potomac: Saturday, April 19
In Potomac: Sunday, April 20
(9:30 am - 4:30 pm)

Cooking Demo with Chef Cole from Cafe' Rue

Location: Beltsville

Date: Saturday, April 19

Time: 9 am

We are excited to welcome Chef Cole from Beltsville's Cafe Rue to Behnke's! Once a month, he will perform an in-store cooking demonstration for us, using fresh herbs and vegetables!

His first demonstration will be on April 19 at our Beltsville location at 9am! So save the date, grab a friend and plan on having a fun time while you watch Chef Cole create his amazing dish of White Bean & Tuna Salad with Roasted Garlic & Rosemary Infused Oil!