A popular Maryland nursery will soon close its doors.
Albert and Rose Behnke founded Behnke Nurseries, in Beltsville, 89 years ago.
But, the Behnkes' granddaughter, Stephanie Fleming, tells WUSA9 the nursery will now end its operations in June.
Behnke, who also acts as the vice-president of the nursery, said her family came to a collective decision to end the business' run.
"About four to five years ago, we started talking about the future," she said. "We're an aging facility. My family is in their 80s. We're all getting a little bit older."
The nursery has been flooded with emails and social media posts since it announced its pending closure Thursday.
Behnke called the experience humbling.
"I think that's the word I've been using with all of the people coming out and talking to us and writing to us," she said.
Since its founding, Behnke Nurseries has been a mainstay in the DMV's gardening community.
Behnke Nurseries President Alfred Millard, 70, has worked at Behnke's since he was 13. He said it was always the goal of the nursery to offer its customers quality products.
"Albert was a true plants person," Millard said. "He wanted to offer the best and widest selection to the public."
Nancy Whipple, of Laurel, has been visiting the nursery since the late 1970s. She said she could always rely on Behnke's to have what she needed.
"It's almost heartbreaking to me, because it is a business that has been here for such a long time," she said. "It's part of the culture of this area of Beltsville."
The nursery has not announced an exact closure date. However, the nursery has said its entire inventory is now on sale.