Nobody goes to Behnke's?! I'm hoping to make time to get down there this Saturday if I can.

The one on River Road? That's the only one I have been to, although I know there are others. I haven't been there since the fall though. Not big into houseplants, although I'm anxious to see what they have in spring for my outdoor gardens! Have fun!

The Beltsville store was so-so; you'd be better off driving over to the Potomac branch on River Road. That's becoming their flagship store -- I was at Potomac two weeks ago for a lecture and they had a wonderful variety of seeds, dahlias/glads/etc, and houseplants. Meanwhile at Beltsville this Saturday they didn't even have the spring-planting bulbs out, and I was hard put to find one houseplant that wanted to jump into my cart (I bought an Iron Cross oxalis). No rex-type begonias at all. But Beltsville is already getting in a nice selection of early-interest shrubs (tricolor dogwoods, Harry Lauders, pieris, camellias)

A couple times this past summer when I got a bonus at work and went to Behnke's Beltsville with the cash burning a hole in my pocket, I left empty-handed because there wasn't anything new or different enough to tempt me. Then I headed over to Homestead Gardens, and WHAM, variegated magnolias, slate-leaved cranesbills -- prices as high or higher than B's, but I'm willing to pay that for something nice.

Lynn

I also was at Beltsville Behnke's last weekend, wandering around with the other frustrated pathetic outside gardeners who can't wait to get out in the garden. They had very, very little. I have never seen it so empty, even disorganized I might add. Although I should add that I was really interested in outdoor stuff, but they had so little I wandered around the indoor plant section out of desparation. I had a $10 coupon and couldn't find anuything to buy. They are having a 20% sale Sunday for preferred customers and I am hoping they have more stock.

Well, I finally got there today. I go to the one on Rt. 1 in Beltsville, never been to the Potomac store. I took my mother along to see the place. There were still a fair number of houseplants, although I didn't buy any because I didn't need them and because I blew a ton of money at the orchid show in Timonium, MD yesterday. I didn't even look at outdoor stuff - had a semisick kid with me, and it was cold and rainy. I did get some orchid bark, a few small herb plants, some lily and caladium bulbs, and a Stuttgart canna rhizome (which had BETTER be a real Stuttgart, the one I bought there last year was mislabeled!). It didn't look empty or disorganized at all today, although the new cashier in training was awfully slow, but she was pleasant and trying hard.