Southern Branch Nursery

10/30/2026

Baby steps, Virginia! 🌱

Starting January 1, 2027, Virginia retailers selling any of 39 listed invasive plant species for outdoor use must display signs identifying them as invasive, explaining their potential harm, and encouraging shoppers to ask about alternatives.

That includes familiar landscape plants like English ivy, nandina, burning bush, Callery pear, and butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii). 👀 Yes, butterfly bush! Attracting butterflies doesn’t automatically make a plant a good choice for our local ecosystems.

These plants can spread beyond our yards, displacing native plants and reducing wildlife habitat. Consumers deserve to understand what they’re bringing home—and potentially introducing into the surrounding landscape.

Knowledgeable gardeners can help make this change count! Beginning in January, if you see one of these listed invasive plants offered for sale, look for the required signage. Don’t see it? Ask the retailer about it. Helping ensure those warnings are displayed gives more shoppers the information they need before purchasing. 🌿

We’re glad to see this step toward greater transparency. Next step… ending the sale of these invasive plants? 🤔

In the meantime, there’s no need to wait for a warning sign to choose native. 💚

10/29/2026

My inbox keeps asking whether white, middle-aged women are still gardening, and I’m trying to decide how personally to take this. 😂

First of all, “middle-aged” feels like an unnecessary detail.

Second, I’m right here. Probably crouched over a plant, investigating a caterpillar, and running late because I went outside to “check one thing.”

But now I’m concerned. Ladies… where are we going? Did I miss a meeting? Are we leaving the garden voluntarily, or did someone just call us inside?

I hope you’re still out there planting things and finding a little joy in whatever’s blooming. There’s no requirement to have it all weeded first. 💚

Who’s still gardening with me? All ages and demographics welcome. Bring your trowel. We apparently need to take attendance. 🌱

Via Garden Center magazine • Research by Dave Whitinger / Garden Research

10/24/2026

Available at our VB and Chesapeake locations! 💙

Wow...this week flew by!!! Thank you all for supporting Bluebird Beach Bungalows in so many ways! You guys have given us a bird’s eye view of living in the very best community. We will be announcing our November charity soon. In the meantime, watch for our “Pop Up” at Taste and a fun collaboration with a deserving nonprofit coming in November. Remember that it’s not too early to order for the holidays. ORDER EARLY ! Bluebird bungalows are available at Sugar Plum Bakery, 2Beaches Studio, Southern Branch Nursery or our porch. They are available with a $15 donation and all profits go to charity. We appreciate you!

10/22/2026

🌊 Gardening near the coast? Salt spray, sandy soils, and strong winds can make plant selection a challenge!

Whether you're right on the beach in Virginia Beach, along the Chesapeake Bay in Norfolk, or a little farther inland, choosing the right plants for your conditions can make all the difference.

The good news? We have some wonderful Virginia native plants that are naturally adapted to coastal environments! 🌿

Our newest blog explores some of our favorites, including seaside goldenrod, wax myrtle, yaupon holly, and more.

This is definitely not an all-inclusive list, but it's a great starting point! We also answer some frequently asked questions, including:

🌱 Can you plant natives directly in sandy soil without adding topsoil?

🌬️ How far inland can salt spray affect your plants?

🌊 What's the difference between plants that tolerate salt spray and those that can handle tidal flooding?

🍂 When is the best time to plant near the coast?

Plus, we share tips for establishing plants and creating a more resilient coastal landscape.

Read the full article:
https://southernbranchnursery.com/blog/salt-tolerant-native-plants-coastal-virginia

Have a challenging coastal planting area? Tell us what you're working with! We love helping people find the right native plants for their landscapes.

10/21/2026

🍂 A few seats left for this Saturday! 🍁

Who says your garden has to lose its beauty when summer ends?

Join us this Saturday for Fall Color & Winter Interest: Native Plants That Shine Beyond Summer! 🌿

We’ll explore native trees, shrubs, perennials, and grasses that bring beautiful fall foliage, colorful berries, interesting textures, and winter structure to your landscape. Plus, we’ll talk about how leaving seedheads and standing stems helps support birds and other wildlife! 🐦

We’ll wrap up with a guided walk around the nursery to see some of our seasonal favorites in person.

📅 Saturday, October 24 | 11–11:45 AM
📍 Southern Branch Nursery | Chesapeake
🎟️ $10 per person — includes a $10 credit toward a same-day plant purchase!

No gardening experience necessary. Just bring your curiosity and dress for the weather!

🍁 Only a few spots remain! Register through the link in our bio to save your seat.

10/19/2026

Well, this was fun to see published! 🌿

Tidewater Community College recently featured my journey from aspiring archaeologist (thanks, Indiana Jones!) to environmental advocate, landscape designer, and eventually owner of Southern Branch Nursery.

It's definitely not the career path I originally envisioned, but looking back, all those seemingly unrelated experiences helped lead me to where I am today.

I'm especially grateful to the instructors and mentors who encouraged me along the way, including Kristina Bezanson and Ken Spencer. TCC's horticulture program gave me the opportunity to turn what I was learning into real-world experience, and ultimately helped give me the confidence to build a business around something I genuinely care about.

It's pretty incredible to look back at where this all started, especially now that we've opened our second nursery location in Virginia Beach.

Thank you, TCC, for sharing my story! 💚

🌱 Read the article:

Tidewater Community College alumna, Trista Imrich, never planned a career in horticulture. As a child, she dreamed of becoming an archaeologist after watching an Indiana Jones movie and even studied archaeology at Ohio State University. However, after some consideration, she decided that the archaeo...

10/15/2026

Looks like a great presentation this coming Sunday!