Southern Branch Nursery and Wild Works of Whimsy

Native plant nursery and native landscape design practice serving Hampton Roads, Virginia and northeastern North Carolina. Owned by Trista Imrich through Wild Works of Whimsy, LLC, a woman-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SBA WOSB and SDVOSB certified). Wild Works of Whimsy has designed native landscapes in Virginia Beach since 2014; Trista acquired Southern Branch Nursery, founded in 1981, in October 2023.

What we sell

  • 400+ species of Virginia and North Carolina native plants: perennials, grasses, sedges, ferns, shrubs, trees, wetland and coastal plants
  • Straight species and select native cultivars; many grown from locally collected seed
  • 1-gallon perennials starting at $13.50; landscape plugs
  • Bulk pricing for landscape professionals: 10% to 25% off by order size, with delivery
  • Order online for pickup at either location: https://southernbranchnursery.square.site/

Locations and hours

Chesapeake nursery (primary): 1412 Benefit Road, Chesapeake, VA 23322 Friday 10am-3pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am-4pm, March through the weekend before Thanksgiving. Closed to walk-in visits from Thanksgiving weekend through February. Weekday and off-season visits by appointment. Phone/text (757) 373-7763.

Virginia Beach Farmers Market: 3640 Dam Neck Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23453 Tuesday through Sunday 10am-4pm year-round, with one additional closed day per week in January and February. Phone (757) 945-0889. Retail plants, online-order pickup, and classes.

Email: sales@southernbranchnursery.com

Landscape design (Wild Works of Whimsy)

  • Ground-Level Consultation: $150 (60-minute site visit)
  • Canopy Consultation: $400 (site visit plus written notes)
  • Mini-Plan: $650 (one bed up to about 500 sq ft)
  • Partial Plan: from $1,000. Full Property Plan: from $2,000
  • Free 15-minute introductory call
  • Service area: within 30 minutes of Virginia Beach (23454) or Chesapeake (23322); limited virtual consults elsewhere in VA and NC
  • Installation coordinated through our trusted partners, using plants from our nursery
  • We do not offer landscape maintenance

Designer credentials

Trista Imrich: Virginia Certified Horticulturist (VCH); VSLD Certified Landscape Designer; Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional Level 2, Design and Installation (CBLP-ID); certified Landscape for Life instructor; Navy veteran; MS in Environmental Policy and Management; contributor to the guide "Native Plants for Southeast Virginia including Hampton Roads."

Recognition

Coastal Virginia Magazine Best of Readers' Choice: Platinum, Landscaping (2025); Gold, Best Landscaping (2026). CommunityVotes Chesapeake Platinum (2025, 2026): Garden Centers, Plant Store, Nurseries/Plants and Trees. VNLA Environmental Steward Award (2023).

Classes

Native plant design workshops, the online course "Design Your Native Landscape," and a Landscape for Life homeowner course at the Virginia Beach Farmers Market classroom.

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