CONSULTATIONS
Consultations
Seven Bends Nursery offers a diversity of services to suit both your needs and your budget.
Scroll down to find the service that's right for you!
We have three consultation services to choose from to ensure our clients can choose a service that meets their needs. We offer an Online Consultation, a Site Consultation, and a Comprehensive Written Report. Below you can find more information about each service. Please reach out if you have any questions about our consultations. Our team will gladly help answer them!
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ONLINE CONSULTATION
If you are outside of our service area and/or on a budget our online consultation service is a great way to get your questions answered by a knowledgeable professional! Our Online Consultation is a half-hour virtual call with ecologist and native plant enthusiast Dr. Iara Lacher who utilizes her vast knowledge of ecology to take in all factors of your unique landscape to answer your questions. Online consultations can be completed on the phone or through Zoom. Bring your questions, no matter how tricky they may seem, to our virtual table! To schedule an online consultation with Iara please contact us through our email: plants@sevenbends.org
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Please note that due to our fluctuating schedule at the nursery, there is a limit to the number of online consultations we can schedule each week.
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SITE CONSULTATION
A site consultation is a personalized, expert analysis of your property.
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During your site consultation, we will:
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Review your goals and desires for your landscape
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Evaluate the overall condition and health of habitats on your property
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Explore potential solutions to issues with soil and water conservation
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Point out and provide identification tips for native and invasive plants
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Discuss appropriate methods for control of invasive species
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Prescribe native plants suited for your specific environmental conditions and location
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Recommend native plants to attract pollinators, birds, and other wildlife
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Identify potential locations for plantings that will enhance the use and value of your property
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COMPREHENSIVE WRITTEN REPORT
During the site consultation, our expert will document the visit with detailed notes and photographs. This information can be compiled into a +/- 7 to 10 page written account of the site consultation for your records.
The written consultation report is a comprehensive "foundational document" that serves as a useful reference for yourself or even other landscape professionals. It is good for up to three years after writing.
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The written consultation report includes:
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Client goals
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Descriptive overview of the property (with images and maps) that cover known site history, land use, vegetation cover, topography, and soils
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General site characteristics: soil quality, light and shade, irrigation, current structures
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Soil and water conservation issues to address
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A description and identification of the current plants--invasive, native, non-natives
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Recommendations for methods of invasive species control
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Curated list of native plants for each target area
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Instructions for site preparation prior to planting
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Information on best management practices for maintaining diverse and healthy habitats
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Guidance on how to efficiently stage and prioritize your efforts
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Links to vetted informational resources
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Information on state and federal programs that provide funding for conservation landscaping
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PRICING
Online Consultations are $50 for up to half an hour.
Site consultations are $125 for up to one hour. *
Comprehensive write ups are $300 per document.
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Contact us at Plants@sevenbends.org to schedule your consultation.
We are available 9-6 Tuesday through Saturday for consultations. Saturday hours may vary depending on garden fair schedules. We service the northern Shenandoah Valley and NOVA areas* and are also available for virtual consults through whichever platform works for you.
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To help increase access to the types of services we offer, if you are a small non-profit in the fields of environmental conservation or education, we can offer our consultation services for a reduced rate. Please contact Dr. Lacher at plants@sevenbends.org with inquiries.
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*Due to increased gas prices, for sites outside of a 30min radius from Winchester, we may need to charge the standard government mileage rate of 67 cents/mile. This enables us to provide services and native plants to more ecosystems within our area.
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