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Larry Hurley

This author has written 77 articles
Amsonia Tabernaemontana Blue MD Native

Spring Blues

Larry Hurley writes about one of his favorite blue flowering perennials. There are a number of blue-flowered, spring-blooming perennials. A group you should consider are in the genus Amsonia, commonly known as Bluestar. Several are native to the United States, and one, Amsonia tabernaemontana, is native to Maryland. This species gets two to three feet tall, and blooms for several weeks in late April through early to mid-May, depending on weather conditions. It has pale blue flowers and nice yellow fall color. It grows in full sun to partial shade.
Larry Hurley
May 5, 2021
Adult Cicada Emerges From The Skin Of The Nymph

The Year Of The Cicada

The Year Of The Big Cicada I have to say I have been looking forward to the return of the big cicada emergence in our area in late spring (2021). I know. Lots of big insects flying around making noise, etc. Perhaps not…

Larry Hurley
March 23, 2021
Spider Plant

Spider Plants

It is said that “familiarity breeds contempt.” I think contempt is a strong word. We do crave things that are new. But most of us dine on the familiar or “comfort food” most of the time. It’s the same with plants.
Larry Hurley
December 17, 2020
Bird And Squirrels

Birds and Squirrels

If you are stuck at home, you may as well feed the birds. We have had several feeders up for the last year. We are on a modest suburban lot with some tall trees so we have good habitat for birds.
Larry Hurley
December 4, 2020
Little Joe

Happy in a New Home

For the first time I can plant some sunny perennials. I put in two of my favorites: Fragrant Aster, Aster oblongifolius ‘October Skies’, and Eutrochium (Eupatorium) dubium ‘Little Joe.’
Larry Hurley
September 24, 2020
Larry H

Hey, New Gardener!

Behnke’s closed just over a year ago, and I took advantage of that to retire. So, I’ve been home a lot more than I used to be, but then again, so is nearly everyone else.
Larry Hurley
June 18, 2020
Lily Of The Valley

Too Much of a Good Thing…

Too much of a good thing can become a bad thing. We moved into our home 36 years ago, and I’ve been gardening ever since. We have until recently had a fully-shaded yard, and I have tried pretty much everything for shade at one time or another.
Larry Hurley
May 7, 2020
Peace Lily

A Tale of Two Houseplants

There are a number of cultivars of Peace Lily. I have a big pot of one of the shorter ones that looks nice now, but no flowers. On the other hand, the taller more open one, ‘Mauna Loa,’ has a half dozen large, white, long-lasting blooms.
Larry Hurley
April 23, 2020
Creeping Phlox

Quiet Moments in March

The coronavirus has radically affected all of our lives, and we all have different circumstances, quirks, and abilities to deal with the changing warnings and guidelines.
Larry Hurley
March 26, 2020
Chronic Fe Deficiency In Acoelorrhaphe Wrightii

Off-Color Potted Palms

I like potted palms, and over the years I’ve seen palms that were off-color, sometimes even in my own house. I attributed it to an iron deficiency but didn’t know the cause. (See the reference at the end of the article for photos of iron deficient palms.)
Larry Hurley
December 3, 2019
Larry Hurley Backtard Now

Time: The Fourth Dimension of Gardening

When we moved to Maryland in 1984, we bought a suburban house that was built on a quarter-acre lot in the 1950’s. Enter the Hurleys, working with perennials every day at Behnke’s, I was eager to try new things....
Larry Hurley
November 21, 2019
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