Saturday Escape: Pollinators Love Sandy’s Plants!

pollinator gardening

TOUR NAME: Saturday Escape: Pollinators Love Sandy’s Plants: Rare and Unusual Perennials 

DATE: Saturday, May 1st 

Rain-date: Saturday, May 15th

DURATION (ROUND TRIP): Full day tour (6:00 am departure; bring your pillow and blanket and you can go back to sleep while we drive 1.5 hours to Mechanicsville, Va, near Richmond – Return around 3:00 pm; be flexible as it is traffic dependent/tunnel dependent) Please arrive at 6am sharp to board the bus.

PRICE: $45 per person

DESCRIPTION: Pollinators LOVE  Sandy’s Plants! This plant nursery is famed in all of Virginia for it’s rare and unusual perennials. Sandy herself will greet us and take us on a behind the scenes tour. We will get to go into the green houses and other spaces with signage “employees only.”  ~ Pick a partner and go together … Drive a golf cart around the large nursery and select your plant(s) if you would like to purchase some (not required).  Bring a sack/picnic lunch – A highlight of our day is that Sandy invited us to eat our lunches at a table in her back yard. What a fun treat! 

 

Check out the website for Sandy’s Plants at https://www.sandysplants.com/

Itinerary: 

6:00 am – Board The Nature Bus at 6:00 am at REI, 350 Independence Blvd, VB. It will take 1/2 an hour to get everyone checked-in, waiver’s signed, and then you all can go back to sleep while we drive

6:00 – 7:45 (traffic permitting) – Travel on board The Nature Bus to Sandy’s Plants (a 15 min restroom break at the half-way point; there is no toilet on board the bus)

8011 Bell Creek Road Mechanicsville, VA 23111 (804-746-7092) 86 miles 31 1 hour 30 min drive (64 W, merge 295 N toward Washington, exit 37A onto 360 E toward Tappahannock, 0.6 mls L on Sandy Lane, L on Bell Creek Rd, destination on L.

8:00 am Sandy’s Plants opens – hurry to get your golf carts as they are limited in number and the nursery is also open to the public. Two people ride together on the cart. There is a large tray on the back for storing your plant selections (if you want to purchase). Take 1.5 hours to ride around the stunning grounds, viewing fields of colorful plants, flowers and herbs.

9:30 or 10:00 ish – Sandy will take us on a behind-the-scenes tour!

11:30 or 12 noon – We will be escorted to Sandy’s back yard where there will be tables and chairs set up for our group. We can eat our lunches there (bring your own sack lunch and drink).

1:00 ish  – depart from Sandy’s Plant nursery (use restroom before boarding)

1:00 – 3:00 (traffic dependent) – travel back to REI, Virginia Beach (a 15 min restroom break at the half-way point

3:00-ish end of trip

 What to bring:

While traveling, you can store your items either under your seat or on the overhead rack. It’s easiest for you if you pack everything into a bag or backpack. Bring a soft pillow and a blanket to make the ride extra comfortable. You may want to sleep during travel times. It is windy on the bus with the windows open (like an open-air tram due to covid safety considerations).

Pack your lunch, snacks, drinks and please label them with your name on them. We have 3 medium-sized coolers on board the bus. Lunches, snacks & water bottles will be stored in a separate part of the bus in these designated coolers. They are given back to you at our destination. NO FOOD OR DRINK PERMITTED ON THE BUS.

Dress for the weather. Rain gear if needed for light rain. Comfortable closed-toe walking/hiking shoes. Umbrella for sun or rain is recommended.

Insect Repellant and sunscreen as needed.

 

COVID SAFETY MEASURES: We care about the health and safety of those participating in our nature experiences. The Nature Bus has been outfitted with dividers between rows of seats. The bus is sanitized between each tour. Your temperature will be taken and you will be asked to sanitize your hands before boarding. Please stay home if you are not feeling well or have a fever. Masks are required to be worn over both nose and mouth at all times when social distancing of 6 feet is not possible. We ride with all of the windows partially open for optimal air flow. You are always welcome to ride in your own vehicle and follow the bus to the nature experience. 

WHAT’S INCLUDED:
– Air conditioned/heated new vehicle
– Transportation
– All fees (excluding food/drink)
– Expert pre-planning services

THINGS TO BRING:
– Pack a lunch; we have coolers on board the bus
– Your printed/digital ticket (or your cell phone ticket)
– Printed/signed waiver (or you can sign one on the bus)
– Another specialized covid waiver (you will be asked to sign it on the bus)
– Photo ID
– Cash tips for guide and driver (it is customary to cash tip for tours)
– Water bottle
– Rain jacket/umbrella if needed
– Closed-toed/tennis shoes/boots (if could be muddy in the fields if it rained the day before)
– Snacks for your pocket when touring around on the golf cart (please no eating on the bus)

*We go rain or shine, see our weather policy FAQs  page.  ALL SALES FINAL/ NO REFUNDS Please dress for the weather. In the case of rain, we simply take cover and wait it out.

*YOUR FEE INCLUDES TRANSPORTATION, PROFESSIONAL PRE-PLANNING SERVICES, ADMISSION FEES AND TOLLS. FOOD/DRINK NOT INCLUDED. PACK YOUR SACK LUNCH. WE HAVE COOLERS ON BOARD. LABEL WITH YOUR NAME.
*RULES: Eating, drinking, chewing gum is not permitted on the bus. Please arrive 15 min before departure. We do not wait for latecomers because we must adhere to our planned itinerary. Therefore we must pull away at the exact departure time. We cannot receive telephone/text calls to let us know you are running late because we will driving. Please plan on a slightly flexible return time; other factors may adjust the return time slightly.
*ALL OUR TOURS INVOLVE WALKING; GUESTS SHOULD EXPECT VARYING DEGREES OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. *WE GO RAIN OR SHINE, SO DRESS FOR THE WEATHER. TICKETS ARE NOT REFUNDABLE. *WE DEPART EXACTLY ON TIME PLEASE ARRIVE 15 MIN BEFORE SCHEDULED DEPARTURE

 

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Venue:  

Address:
350 Independence Boulevard, Virginia Beach, Virginia, 23462, United States

  •  May 1, 2021
     6:00 am - 3:00 pm