Wolf Trap Nursery on Leesburg Pike plans to shut down by the end of June 2027. Owner Bill Kupp sold the nearly 6.5-acre property to Vienna-based developer Sekas Homes.

Kupp told FFXnow that the sale is not the only reason he is closing. He pointed to his age and the physical demands of running a nursery.

"I'm getting up in age, and there's a lot of things that I can't do," he said, adding that running a nursery requires a lot of physical work.

His parents, Blair and Dorothy Kupp, founded the nursery at 9439 Leesburg Pike after Blair retired from a career in sales. Over 54 years, the business grew to offer everything from houseplants and seasonal flowers to trees, shrubs, fruit and vegetable plants and bonsai supplies, including workshops for enthusiasts.

Kupp said personal service kept the independent shop competitive with big-box retailers. He recalled a customer telling him recently that plants she bought from a chain store had all died, while those from Wolf Trap Nursery were still thriving.

A closing sale is underway.

Rezoning vote set for Oct. 27

Sekas Homes wants to rezone the property and build 13 single-family homes. The Fairfax County Planning Commission recommended approval of the proposal during its Sept. 30 meeting, FFXnow reported Oct. 7.

The planned development would have a density of roughly two homes per acre, with an average lot size of 12,400 square feet and about 50 feet of separation between the houses and Route 7, according to the rezoning application.

Tree preservation has been a sticking point. Only 5,381 square feet of tree canopy would be saved, falling nearly 40,000 square feet short of the county's requirement. Sekas Homes acquisitions and development leader Mike Van Atta told the Planning Commission the developer would make up the gap through new plantings and a contribution for offsite landscaping in coordination with the Fairfax County Forest Conservation Branch and Dranesville District Supervisor Jimmy Bierman's office.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors deferred its public hearing on the rezoning to Oct. 27 during its Tuesday, Oct. 13, meeting. The plan also calls for new sidewalks, a community gathering area and an updated shared-use trail along Route 7.

A neighborhood fixture says goodbye

Kupp said customers have told him they are sorry to see the nursery go, calling it "a little mom and pop place" with a wide variety of plants in small quantities.

The nursery's website says it was founded with an emphasis on quality plants, reasonable prices and personal customer service. Kupp said those values carried the business for more than five decades.

Residents who want to weigh in on the rezoning can attend the Board of Supervisors public hearing on Tuesday, Oct. 27.