Wolf Trap Nursery, the family-owned garden center at 9439 Leesburg Pike, is winding down after 54 years in business.

Owner Bill Kupp plans to end operations by the end of June 2027, as FFXnow first reported. He sold the nearly 6.5-acre property to Vienna-based developer Sekas Homes, which wants to build 13 single-family houses on the site.

A closing sale is underway.

Kupp's parents, Blair and Dorothy Kupp, opened the nursery in 1972 after Blair retired from a career in sales. The shop grew into a fixture for gardeners across the area, selling houseplants, seasonal flowers, trees, shrubs and seeds. It became especially known for bonsai, offering trees, soil, pots and workshops.

Kupp told FFXnow the physical demands of the work factored into his decision alongside the sale. "I'm getting up in age, and there's a lot of things that I can't do, and having a nursery — there's a lot of physical work," he said.

He said the nursery's emphasis on personal service helped it compete with big-box retailers for decades. Kupp described showing customers his plant books so they could learn how to care for their purchases. He said customers have expressed sadness about the closure, and the feeling is mutual.

Rezoning vote set for Oct. 27

The Fairfax County Planning Commission recommended approval of Sekas Homes' rezoning proposal during its Sept. 30 meeting, as FFXnow reported. The developer plans to rezone the property from low-density residential to a planned development district allowing up to two dwelling units per acre.

The planned development, called Castleton Hills, would have an average lot size of about 12,400 square feet and roughly 50 feet of separation between the homes and Leesburg Pike, according to the rezoning application.

Mike Van Atta, Sekas Homes' acquisitions and development leader, told the Planning Commission the layout would limit impacts on adjacent neighborhoods. County staff raised concerns about tree preservation.

Only about 5,381 square feet of tree canopy would be saved, falling nearly 40,000 square feet short of the county's requirement. Van Atta said 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 plan also calls for new sidewalks, a community gathering area and an updated shared-use trail along Route 7.

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors deferred a public hearing on the rezoning to Oct. 27 during its Tuesday, Oct. 13, meeting. That vote will determine the nursery site's future.