• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

PotomacPotomac FarewellFarewell toto WaltWalt WhitmanWhitman HighHigh SchoolSchool News,News, PagePage 33 Calendar, Page 15 ❖ Walt Whitman Class of 2014 students enter Classified, Page 14 Classified, Constitution Hall on June 11 to the cheers and ❖ applause of their family and friends. Real Estate, Page 10 Real Estate, Behnke Nurseries Moving Out of Potomac News, Page 2 Primary: School Page 13 Board at Large Politics, Page 8 Sheriff Primary Politics, Page 9 Photo by Louise Krafft/The Almanac online at potomacalmanac.com www.ConnectionNewspapers.comJune 18-25, 2014 Potomac Almanac ❖ June 18-24, 2014 ❖ 1 News Behnke Nurseries To Close Up Shop in Potomac Business moving back to its Beltsville garden center. By Carole Funger The Almanac fter 16 years in Potomac, the family-owned Behnke Nurser- Aies, located at 9545 River Road, is pulling up stakes and mov- ing back to its flagship garden center in Beltsville. The nurseries will remain open through the Fourth of July weekend. In the words of Stephanie Behnke Fleming, grand- Photo by Carole Funger/The Almanac daughter of the founders and the last fam- Behnkes ily member still working in the business, “We are going home.” by Fleming’s grandparents, Albert and work in a given area and what will pose to show them a wide range of plant options Leaving the area was a hard decision. The Rose Behnke, who emigrated from Ger- more of a challenge. He’s great with begin- and broker agreements. You could say that I Behnkes acquired the property back in 1998 many. They established their business on ning gardeners and is known for being able help resolve plant disputes.” from a former nursery. Over the following old-fashioned principles centered around to bring order to chaos among the thou- One of Taylor’s favorite jobs is playing plant years, the nurseries transformed the 6-acre knowledgeable staff and education in sands of plant varieties available for sale. detective. Customers often come to Behnkes property into one of the area’s premier gar- plant care. Today, Behnkes is a customer Said Taylor, “If you put yourself in Bill’s seeking a particular flower or plant with den centers. With its focus on building friendly, employee-focused company offer- hands, you’re likely to have a beautiful yard which they have fallen in love. “They’ll say, strong customer relations, nurturing staff ing a variety of plants and landscape ma- year after year.” ‘It’s a green plant with pink flowers,’” he said. loyalty and creating a welcoming store at- terials as well as a broad selection of Orion Taylor, current manager of the Gar- “I enjoy the challenge of trying to figure out mosphere, Behnkes attracted customers and classes on such diverse topics as native den Shop, came to Behnkes in 1987. Like what they’re talking about. When I finally employees who have remained loyal for plants, orchid repotting, controlling pests, Mann, he has worked in almost every de- figure it out, I am positively elated. It’s re- decades. “Our employees are all so wonder- and designing with containers. Its employ- partment. His focus in the shop is on the ally just a matter of eliminating all the pos- ful and dedicated,” said Fleming. “Every- ees and customers have remained loyal for green industry. “It’s all about going back to sibilities.” body has such good hearts here and we have decades. “We have a wonderful group of being green,” he said. “We are trying to re- Three winters ago, during a period of worked so hard over the years to make people,” said Fleming. “In fact, many of ally assess our product line and to evaluate heavy snow, Taylor and the store manager Behnkes what it is today. We are devastated our customers end up working for us,” she what we offer to assure that it will be safe at the time, Alex Denker, now horticuluralist to be leaving.” said. for the Bay and for the environment.” He for the National Air and Space Museum, rode Whitestar Property Management, to Bill Mann, current manager of the Gar- added, “We use recycled materials and have out a storm in the nursery. “We were basi- which Behnkes sold the property in 2006, den Center, has worked for Behnkes for a pretty broad selection of organic prod- cally snowed in here. The power went down was forced to raise the rent last year. The almost 30 years. “I stopped counting after ucts.” and we had all the plants to protect,” said two parties tried in vain to come up with a 25,” he said. Like many employees, Mann Before managing the shop, Taylor ran the Taylor. He spent the day plowing out the mutually beneficial solution to help the worked his way through most depart- woody plant department, where he worked parking lot, then retreated inside to fire up nurseries stay on. In the end, they could not. ments, including the production facility at on integrated pest management (IPM) strat- the generator so it could power a pair of elec- Said Fleming, “Our friends at Whitestar are Largo. He was also a supervisor, woody egies designed to pose the least possible trical heaters to keep the houseplants warm sad to see us go. Unfortunately, we just can’t plant manager and buyer for the shop. hazard to people, property and the environ- through the night. “Every three to four hours afford the rent any more and though we “Overall, I do whatever they ask,” he ment. “We try to find the best post-pest so- one of us would get up to refill the genera- tried hard to come to an agreement, sadly, added with a laugh. lution and if we have to resort to using tor,” he recalled. “One of us slept in a small we could not. In the end, it’s just business.” Mann is an expert on trees, shrubs and chemicals on our plants, we choose the less closet close to the water heater and the other Behnkes Nurseries was founded in 1930 plant care and can tell customers what will offensive oils and pyrethrins (natural or- was just outside the door to the nursery.” ganic compounds derived from chrysanthe- Added Fleming, “This is a weather-based mums) first. They are easier and safer to industry. It can be hard when you have spring use,” he said. after spring of really cold weather. It if rains “We are also particularly concerned about on Mother’s Day, people go the mall instead the collapsing health of bees and other pol- to buy chocolates. We are like farmers that linators,” he added. In concert with the en- have to get up every day to milk the cows. vironmental group, Friends of the Earth, Instead, we get up every day to water the Behnkes has instituted a company policy plants.” regarding the sale of neonicotinoid-contain- After a period of decline in the gardening ing insecticides at the nurseries, pledging industry, Fleming sees the business coming to end use of any chemical that will harm back strong. “These days we are really ex- bees. “We wrote to our vendors and asked cited because we’re seeing a lot of young them to let us know when they also stopped families come out,” said Fleming. “All of a using these products so we could alert our sudden gardening and finding the joy of get- customers as to which plants are free of ting out there and getting dirty is becoming these substances,” he said. popular again.” Behnkes is witnessing a In addition to focusing on green recycling resurging interest in edibles, vegetable gar- and organic products, Taylor enjoys his dens and fruit trees in particular. “People many roles at the nursery. As an unofficial want to grow their own food. It’s a thrill to “plant counselor,” he regularly attends to see if they can do it,” she said. couples and families who come in with no To meet the growing demand, Behnkes has real experience with plant or landscape cul- created a wide range of low-cost activities ture. “They often lack consensus on what geared toward families and kids to expose Photo Contributed they’d like to purchase,” he said. “I am able them to the wonders of the garden. “We try Rose Behnke at Sylvan Lake Lodge in 1962 See Behnke's Page 5 2 ❖ Potomac Almanac ❖ June 18-24, 2014 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com News Walt Whitman SGA presi- dent Jorge Richardson prepares to lead his classmates into the hall for the commence- ment exer- Beatriz Atsavapranee, Kamilla Beisenova and cises. Emily Baker take their places in line for the Drew Aherne, Abaar Ahmad and Fionn Adamian processional. watch as Michael Adelson poses for a selfie. Farewell to Walt Whitman High School Kouroush Ashtary-Yazdi is con- gratulated by a friend before joining his classmates. The Walt Whitman Symphonic Orchestra directed by Terry Alvey performs “America the Beautiful” followed by The Walt Whitman Alma Mater. The graduation ceremonies were held on June 11 at D.A.R. Constitution Hall. Members of the Walt Whitman Women’s Choir, Catherine Trant, Sophia Glazer, Lila Hobby and Erin Craig. Family and friends of the graduates stand, applaud and Aliza Wolfe and Ryan Savage, take photos as the members of the Class of 2014, Senior class advisor Todd Michaels calls for the Class of 2014 were both chosen to address their attention in the wings as he relays one last time the proceeds into the classmates at the graduation procedure for the processional into Constitution Hall. ceremony. Hall. www.ConnectionNewspapers.com Potomac Almanac ❖ June 18-24, 2014 ❖ 3 News Photo by Photo Mary Kimm /The Almanac Park service helicopter searches over Great Falls on Sunday, June 15 before the search for the possibly missing kayaker was called off.

Load more

  15

Copy Link