Washington Gardener

Our mission: to help your Washington DC area garden grow!

Special Events

The Azalea Show is Friday, April 18th through Monday April 21st. Enjoy a unique opportunity to view a huge collection of azalea, rhododendron and mountain laurel varieties. Many exotic and unusual varieties will be available for purchase. Special guest horticulturists, vendors, growers, and master gardeners will be on hand to answer questions and dispense advice. Full event schedule is posted below.

This Spring, Behnke Nurseries is hosting a series of three high-profile horticulture shows sponsored by Washington Gardener Magazine. Proceeds from the Shows will benefit Earth Share, a national federation that supports the country’s most respected nonprofit environmental organizations.

Behnkes and Washington Gardener hope to raise $30,000 for their Earth Share project. There is no admission charge.

Throughout the events, raffle drawings and native plant sales will benefit Earth Share. The first 100 visitors will receive free event t-shirts and vendor giveaways. Lots of county-fair-style food and drink along with live music will provide fun for the whole family.

The shows will be hosted at the Behnke Nurseries location in Beltsville, MD. For directions, see the map below and visit behnkes.com.

Best of all these events are FREE to attend and FUN for the whole family!

Capital Beltway Horticulture Shows at Behnkes

2008 Show Schedule:

Azalea Show

Second in the series is the Flower Show, Friday, May 9th through Monday, May 12th. This exhibition is the brainchild of a pair of world-class designers employing unusual arrangements and non-traditional plant combinations in an effort to illustrate gardening as fine art. View thousands of annuals, bedding plants, herbs, and cut flowers in an astounding array of fragrance and color.

Flower Show

The Perennial Show highlights the joys of growing the aristocrats of decorative gardening-summer perennials. This final show in the series will run from Saturday, June 21st through Sunday June 22nd, and will feature the most extensive collection of perennial varieties in the Washington Metro area. Feast your eyes on the incredible variance in color, texture, structure, and growth habits. Expert speakers and workshops will address your perennial gardening questions.

 

Note: the previously announced Friday evening wine reception has been cancelled—please join us instead for festivities on Saturday or Sunday.

 

June is Perennial Gardening Month!

Perennial Show

The Capital Beltway Perennial Show Event Schedule

 

During all show hours vendor booths will be open, raffle tickets will be for sale, and plant specials will be available.

 

Special Added Savings in the Perennial Department from June 19-25 on....

Daylilies and Hellebores 33% off

 

Special Pre-Show Event on Friday, June 20

An Informal Walk-About in Perennials at 1:00 pm

with Larry Hurley, Behnke’s Perennial Buyer

Meet at the Perennial Information Counter. Question answered. Advice given.

(Note: the previously announced Friday evening wine reception has been cancelled.)

 

Saturday, June 21

9:00 am – 4:00 pm

Vendor exhibit booths, raffles, special plant sales, etc.

10:00 am

Perennial Container Gardens (Demo) with Jill Gonzalez

Tips for making a perennial container garden with multi-season interest.

1:00pm

Perennial Propagation for the Homeowner (Demo) with Terri Poindexter

The easiest way to propagate many perennials is through division.

Terri will demonstrate how to divide daylilies and hostas.

 

Sunday, June 22

11:00 am

Perennial Chatter with Larry Hurley and John Peter Thompson

For a year, John and Larry hosted a gardening radio show called “Garden Gurus.” They reunite for an informal chat, with audience participation. John and Larry will discuss their favorite perennials, native plants, perennial production at Behnke Nurseries over the last 25 or more years.

Questions answered, opinions expressed.

12:00 noon – 4:00 pm

Vendor exhibit booths, raffles, special plant sales, etc.

1:00 pm

Reliable Summer Blooming Perennials with Larry Hurley

Format to be decided. Powerpoint if we can make it dark enough, or we may have to resort to waving actual plants in the air! A discussion of some of Larry.s favorite, reliable summer-blooming perennials.

3:00 pm

Randy Best.s Favorite Hostas with Randy Best, Mr. Hosta

Meet Randy in the hosta area. He will discuss his favorite hostas, with a “cutleaf” exhibit, and a walk through the plants for sale.