River Star Homes Native Plant Design Workshop

Saturday, July 26 OR August 9, 9am-2pm

Join Wild Works of Whimsy and Southern Branch Nursery owner Trista Imrich to design your DIY River Star Homes conservation landscaping or shoreline buffer project. River Star Home participants will learn the art of native plant design and come away with a shovel-ready project for their property.

$250 per person | Limited to 15 attendees each session | Lunch will be provided both days of the workshop.

Once your DIY project is installed, the fee for the design project will be reimbursed toward the installation cost of your River Star Home project within the Elizabeth River Project watershed. Contact River Star Homes Program Manager Phoebe Murrell to see if your DIY project qualifies or with questions before registering - pmurrell@elizabethriver.org.


About Your Instructor

Trista Imrich is the owner and fearless leader of Wild Works of Whimsy and Southern Branch Nursery. A Navy veteran (Surface Warfare Officer), this Ohio native has a Master of Science in Environmental Policy and Management and brings her unique perspective on landscape design and native planting to Hampton Roads.

Trista has extensive experience with the Virginia Conservation Assistance Program (VCAP), Chesapeake Bay Preservation Area (CBPA) requirements, and mitigation projects, including living shorelines, rain gardens, infiltration trenches, and conservation landscaping. She is a Virginia Certified Horticulturist (VCH), a Designer (VSLD-certified), and a Level 2 Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional in design and installation (CBLP-ID).

Trista contributed to creating and editing the “Native Plants for Southeast Virginia” guide and is an active advocate for sustainable practices in the region. She frequently speaks at events, garden clubs, and community groups, sharing her passion for native plants and practical insights into sustainable landscaping