1) How long has Silverbrook Nursery been in the community and what year business since opening in 1999–and now celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. When in season, Jerry Haley, together with his brother Brian, daughter Cindy, and nephew Buzz staff approximately 35 employees, the majority of whom have been with the nursery for many years and considered “like members of our extended family,” according to Jerry.

The family bought the 8.5 acre property in 1999 and take great pride in the appearance of the nursery. “It is more like a park and sanctuary with many animals and birds plus three ponds,“ Jerry offers. Fellow dog lovers are encouraged to stop by to meet the family’s new nursery dog “Pippa,” a black mixed lab rescue dog about eight months old. She has a wonderful temperament and will smother you with love!

2) Do you have specialty services/products?  When we do an estimate, always free, we take into account the topography of the property, amount of sun or shade plus sprinklers or dog traffic. We also consider how much maintenance are you willing to do yourself.  Does the customer have a favorite color or fragrance plus what is appropriate for the area? How hardy is the plant being considered or is a new cultivar more appropriate? We hand pick the material at Silverbrook and prune as necessary before installation. We dig the right depth for every plant and add the correct soil amendments and mulch. We also water as needed. We don’t want the material just to survive, we want it to thrive and provide years of enjoyment plus value to the property whether residential or commercial.

Additionally, we do outstanding patio and walls designed by craftsman who have over a minimum of ten years experience. Our goal is to exceed your expectations.  We also help with drainage issues to move water away from your home and prevent damage.  Landscaping, done correctly, is to compliment your property, not camouflage it. We truly believe ‘less is more.’  We see the vision of our landscaping and how it will grow in 10-20 years.

3) How can residents prepare in the Spring for great lawn care/gardens/landscaping?  Here are some tips:

First remove any leaves and debris clogging your lawn; prune as necessary, particularly Crape Myrtle and Bradford pear trees; and move the suckers and vertical growth.

Keep your pruners sharp, and periodically clean the blades with alcohol to prevent disease transmission from one plant to another.

Use pre-emergent crab grass killer and weed-suppression fertilizer, and follow the instructions carefully.

Raise your blades to the highest level on your lawnmower, or better yet, if you are within a reasonable area of our nursery, let Silverbrook Nursery get you an estimate to cut and maintain your lawn for you.

Stop in and ask us any questions regarding your lawn or plants. We have a full in-house library to address any questions. If we are not sure of an answer, we will research the issue and personally get back to you.

4) Do you have a personal story about the community that you would like to share?

What I refer to as “psych income” is the real joy at completion of a job where we far exceed the clients’ expectations. It’s a matter of trust that we know what we are doing. With our years of experience, we can provide a vision for a property that a client can’t see.  We once did a job in Clifton on a home just outside a cul-de-sac . Five other owners saw the huge improvement in the landscaping and approached us to create designs for their yards! No sales talk, just ideas that were appropriate.

Another time, a lady who lived nearby Silverbrook came in and explained that her daughter had purchased a home in McLean that was in need of work. She wanted Silverbrook to remake the front yard and walkway to the home as a house warming gift to her daughter. She engaged us, and the daughter did not know we were coming. She came out of the home three or four times during the day to observe but never said a word. When we finished, she came out and viewed the dramatic change and started to cry with big tears streaming down her face! What a testimonial!! Our guys really felt appreciated! 😊

5) Do you have any upcoming events?  We will be celebrating our 20-year anniversary with a Spring Fling event on Saturday, May 4th from 11-4pm.  Admission is free.  For our event, we are offering a 20% discount off one item (tree, shrub or flower)!  We will also offer a bargain meal - a hot dog, bag of chips and a drink for a dollar.  We also have a large playground with swings and slides available for children, and will be sure to have some surprise gifts to present throughout the event.