A Sneak Peek at Watermark Woods Native Plant Nursery!

Open This Weekend and Next for Special Hours.

shaded garden nursery — Watermark Woods Native Plants

There are so many things to like about Watermark Woods Native Plants Nursery in Hamilton, Virginia: the soothing shaded dell, the pesticide free commitment, a drive giving you glimpses of the spectacular Virginia countryside and all of those native plants. Add in two early opening weekends in March and you've got to love it! My kind of March madness.

First, the pertinent information. Watermark Woods will be open:

Friday, March 14th and Saturday, March 15th from 9 AM to 2 PM

Friday, March 28th and Saturday, March 29th from 9 AM to 2 PM

ferns and yellow flowers in shade — Hay Scented Ferns and Golden Ragwort at Watermark Woods in Spring

With spring weather upon us, the sneak peek is welcome news indeed! Watermark Woods is so much more though. Founder and owner Julie Borneman started Watermark Woods with encouragement from a good friend. Concerned about how difficult is was to find native plants, and if you did find them, a lack of information about whether the plants were grown with pesticides, Julie decided to launch her nursery. Watermark Woods has a focused mission -- providing a diverse selection of pesticide free native plants at affordable prices. Today, Watermark Woods is a family business offering an incredible array of native plants.

This was a complete career change for Julie and I wondered what most surprised her about running a nursery. She says it is definitely the community! "People often visit not just to shop, but to connect ... some bring their lunch, while others simply stroll among the plants and pollinators, finding peace in nature during stressful moments or free time."

I can vouch for the strolling. It's a sylvan setting with shade and sun and all of those native plants. You can check out the very helpful plant inventory here. Watermark Woods sells a number of plants that can be harder to find. There are always very knowledgeable ready to offer some helpful tips about your purchases too.

Another thing about the nursery, Julie says, are all of the treasures we customers leave behind! Toys, Yeti water bottles, gloves, chapstick, credit cards, pocketbooks, shopping lists, a child’s shoe, and even, once, a hearing aid! Julie adds it goes both ways - customers often find her glasses or pruners she misplaced days before. Of course, her favorite things to find in the nursery are the natural kind. Up close, Julie observes, redbud tree flowers resemble tiny hummingbirds. It took me a minute, but I see it!

In talking about favorite plants, Julie let me know the yucca moth is the sole pollinator of the yucca flower—its larvae feed exclusively on yucca seeds, creating a beautifully interdependent relationship where neither species can survive without the other. Yucca (Yucca filamentosa) is a great choice for adding architecture to your garden. This is the breadth of knowledge backing this independently owned garden business. Hence the quality of the plants and the name - Watermark Woods!

sign at edge of dirt road — Entrance from Main Road

Watermark Woods opens its regular season on April 1st and will be open through November 1st Tuesdays through Fridays from 9 to 2 and on Saturdays from 9 to 4. Check out the sneak peek this weekend and next if you can!

Happy Gardening.