The Akehurst Story
The century and a half long history of the Akehurst company began with the dreams of one young man, Charles A. Akehurst. Born in Sussex, England in 1828, Charles moved with his family to the United States when he was just ten years old. The family settled in the Mt. Washington area of Baltimore where Charles worked with his father, Henry, in farming until 1848 when he moved to Perry Hall to start his own farm.
Nearly 30 years later, in 1876, Charles A. and his son, C. Edward, entered into business together raising vegetable plants, carnations, violets, bedding plants, tuberoses, and other flowers. Their first greenhouse was a modest 12 x 18 foot operation. They added more greenhouses made with wooden frames and glass, and they were heated with wood-burning furnaces.
Branching out, in 1883, Charles A. and C. Edward began growing rose bushes in their fields to sell to the gardening trade. In the first passing of leadership for the Akehurst company, Charles A. sold his interest to his son, who led the five-year old company into new ventures. C. Edward began growing carnations to sell as a cut-flower crop. He developed many new varieties, which he sold to the trade, not only in Baltimore, but across the entire country, including the popular “Mrs. Akehurst” carnation. When carnation prices weakened in 1918, the industrious C. Edward changed his focus to growing roses. The company, C. Edward Akehurst and Sons, grew as his sons–Raymond E., Ernest H., D. Elmer, and Carville G.–followed his lead.