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!
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.
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.