My dream of owning Himmel’s Landscape and Garden Center started 20 years ago as an employee of Himmel’s. During that time, my gardening and plant knowledge grew along with an interest in sustainable gardening methods. I also discovered a knack for landscape design and soon after leaving Himmel’s as a full-time worker started my own small landscaping business – Sunnyscapes.
As my business grew, my interest in Bay-friendly plants, products and practices grew, and so did a national ‘green’ movement focused on sustainable methods and an environmentally responsible lifestyle. I furthered my practice to include rain, pollinator and other specialty gardens designed with a woman’s touch.
Over the years since I have worked in the corporate non-profit world and in higher education, but my heart was always with the plants, and with Himmel’s.
I love ornamental evergreens and underrated perennials. An exotic evergreen can make an impressive statement in the landscape, and I enjoy incorporating some of the more unusual varieties into my designs. I love the challenge of finding the perfect blend of perennials to add color and texture to difficult areas like deep shade or hot, windy waterfronts. When it comes to working with customers, I love delving in and asking lots of questions to find out specific site needs and stylistic preferences so that together, we can select the best plants for the specific purpose.
A native of Pasadena, Maryland with frequent exposure to the Bay and estuaries, I’m passionate about protecting the precious Chesapeake Bay and its watershed. I view Himmel’s as a platform to serve the greater good by thinking globally and acting locally. Through our Mission and Vision, Himmel’s Landscape and Garden Center will engage in Bay-friendly practices, educate the community about the importance of maintaining the health of the Bay, and engage residents in volunteer activities that will positively impact our neighborhoods and the environment.
Tradition and a sense of community are important to residents of Pasadena and I am honored to have the opportunity to continue a legacy of over 50 years serving the community’s landscape and gardening needs while promoting our mission to help our neighbors build a better, healthier and more beautiful world. I look forward to meeting you!
Kathy is an Ohio native who taught first grade for over thirty years. She was not sure what the future held for her when her husband’s company relocated them to Maryland. Kathy quickly joined the Himmel’s team after her move to the area and has been a part of our family for four years now. She was a part of the transition to new ownership and has really stepped up to managing our customer service. Kathy enjoys creating displays with all our décor and plants. Thanks to her, our greenhouses are always in tiptop shape due to her out of the box ways of presenting our merchandise.
Kathy credits her grandfather with her passion for gardening. “My grandfather was an avid gardener. When I was a child, I remember going through the Burpee catalog with him to order our own seeds. I couldn’t wait for the seeds to arrive and plant them. It was with deep pleasure that we harvested our vegetables and thoroughly enjoyed eating them.”
Her Grandfather received an award for his victory garden during WW2 and she is so thankful that he instilled a love for gardening in her. In her free time she loves to cook and bake and has been featured in our blogs for her amazing dishes!
So, you want to talk to an expert? Just look for the guy with the straw hat and goatee. Tait is Himmel’s expert horticulturist, with decades of experience in research, growing, composting, vegetable gardening and more, and encyclopedic knowledge of all things botanical. Tait has been a professional horticulturist for 30+ years and has worked on weekends at Himmel’s for 10.
Tait loves plants. He will happily share with you more about a plant than you ever wanted to know - how to grow it, where it comes from, who bred it; once he gets rolling he is hard to stop. His knowledge can be overwhelming, but he means well. He wants you to be successful with your plans and love them as much as he does!
Tait says ‘we have not been the best stewards of the environment around us. One of the best ways to become a better steward is through the simple act of planting a garden. Any garden’. So, come visit Himmel’s on the weekend and talk with Tait about how you can be a steward for the environment!
Salo is Himmel’s Lot Manager and has developed his expertise in over 15 years as a Himmel’s employee. Salo maintains a clean, safe and organized lot and is integral to daily operations. Customers frequently compliment Himmel’s on the beauty and quality of our plant material and for that Salo deserves a ton of credit as he painstakingly prunes, fertilizes and waters the plants and organizes the lot no matter how extreme the weather.
Salo loves vegetable plants and enjoys growing a beautiful variety in the employee vegetable garden. In his free time Salo enjoys spending time with friends and family and going to church. El habla Español.
As a Full Time Himmel’s employee, James works many hours in both the back and front of the lot. He is an expert in managing the daily operations of our bulk mulch and soil services and works efficiently to get our deliveries out quickly. He has been a part of the Himmel’s team for over a year and enjoys sharing his experience with our guests.
James is a very hard worker who brings his strength, energy, and knowledge to our team. His favorite plant is the White Clematis and he would love to help you find a place for it in your garden. When not at work, James stays busy outdoors fishing and mountain biking with friends.
As a current High School student Lea is a very busy young lady! She has been a part of the Himmel’s family for over a year and is always eager to help her team members as well as customers. When Lea is not working on schoolwork or playing video games you can find her at the front of our lot with a big smile to welcome all our guests.
Lea brings a positive spirit to our team and is always very encouraging to her peers. If you have any questions about Daylilies or Azaleas, Lea would love to answer them, they’re her favorites!
Natalie is a High School Senior who joined the Himmel’s team almost a year and a half ago. She is extremely detailed oriented and works diligently to keep our greenhouses organized. Natalie is very personable and would love to talk with you about our vegetable and herb selection.
When not at Himmel’s, Natalie represents the Chesapeake High School Cougars by running cross country and track all year round and spends much of her time in her personal garden at home. Her kindness and passion for gardening is valued by our team.
Natasha is a High School Student who is new to the Himmel’s team this Spring. She is very social and loves helping our guests have a wonderful experience every time they shop with us. Natasha loves all things summer, especially our tropical plants. She would love to talk to you all about our beautiful selection of Hibiscus and help you incorporate them into your landscape.
Her bright personality and passion for customer service exuberates everything we hope to share with our neighbors whenever they come visit us!
Ty is a young gentleman who is a valuable member of the Himmel’s team. He joined our family this spring after a family member of his own. Ty’s Grandfather, Harold, is a delivery driver for us and we love having two generations of this hardworking family on our staff!
Ty helps run our YouTube channel and edits videos of his own in his free time. He is very energetic and is constantly sharing new ideas with our management on ways to better our customer experience. His favorite plant is the Tuscan Flame Nandina, but he is very helpful finding anything you may be looking for!
Brendan is a College student studying astrophysics here in Maryland. He has been a member of the Himmel’s team for one year and always brings his positive energy when working. He is very knowledgeable on the plant species we offer, especially trees such as the Japanese Maple. When not at work Brendan loves to learn more about nature by reading books all about wildlife and other plants from different regions; he loves Redwood trees!
Brendan’s caring spirit makes our guests feel very welcomed and he makes sure to give every customer his undivided attention. We value Brendan’s helping hands all around the Himmel’s lot. Whether it’s working the tractor in the back or helping our guests up front, he can always to be found with a smile ear to ear.
Madi is a College Student double majoring in Hospitality Resort Tourism Management and Human Resources Management. She was brought onto our team this spring to help with website and social media upgrades but additionally spends a lot of time helping customers find the perfect plants for their gardens.
Madi spent much of her childhood working for her mother’s gardening company and picked up a passion for the outdoors and sustainable growing habits. Madi hopes to bring natural resource preservation and eco-beneficial practices into the hospitability industry. She has already learned so much from the management team on ways to “build a better, healthier, and more beautiful world.”
Tivo is a full time Himmel’s employee who works hard keeping our lot safe and well organized. He supervises our incoming shipments and keeps our exterior displays looking beautiful. Tivo spends many hours working closely with each plant species to care for it as needed.
He is always happy to help our guests or fellow team members. If you have been a Himmel’s customer any time over the past 20+ years, you will recognize Tivo! El Habla Español.
Melvin is a member of our landscaping team and works hard to help make our community beautiful. When he is not working on landscaping installations, Melvin is on the lot caring for plants and making sure they stay beautiful and healthy.
Melvin is a kind person who is always eager to help his teammates. If you are lucky, you may catch a few notes of him singing on the lot! We are proud to have him on our team. El Habla Español.
Felipe is a leader on our landscaping team, known for hard work and careful attention to detail. He is very professional with a fun sense of humor and brings a positive vibe to long days on the job. Felipe’s expertise includes construction, landscape and hardscape installation, and more!
When not at work, Felipe enjoys time with his family. We are lucky to have Felipe on our team. El Habla Español.
Harold joined the team as a delivery driver Spring of 2020. He is very professional and kind, always ready with a word of encouragement or a joke to encourage a smile. When not working at Himmel’s, Harold stays busy running a lawn service, hanging out with his family, or playing bass in a Southern soul band!
Harold is a respected team member who encouraged his grandson Ty to join the Himmel’s team as well. We love having two generations of this hardworking family employed here at Himmel’s.
Johnnie is a wonderful delivery driver who works with us primarily on weekends. He is prompt and courteous and takes pride in going the extra mile. Johnnie has been a part of the Himmel’s team since 2019 and without him weekends would be incredibly stressful!
When not at Himmel’s, Johnnie enjoys spending time with his family and friends. He always has a kind word of encouragement and his smile lifts the spirits of everyone he encounters. We love having an independent and hardworking gentleman like Johnnie on our team.
Steve founded Himmel’s Farm and Garden Center many decades ago. The exact year is lost in the annals of history. Through grit, determination, creativity and a wonderful sense of humor, Steve built Himmel’s from a tiny, dusty little produce stand to the grand empire it is today.
His focus on the best quality plant material at the greatest value, along with his industry expertise, ensured Himmel’s success back then and is the foundation for Himmel’s moving forward. Now retired and spending time with his family and hanging out on the beach, Steve is sure to be around from time to time. We sure hope so.