Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, May 28, 1995                   TAG: 9505300009
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV3   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

NEW TO THE VALLEY

Owner:Bob Kesler

Location: 75 Nursery Lane, three-quarters of a mile north of exit 118 on U.S. 11/460

Phone: 382-3600, 382-6160.

Hours: 9 a.m.-7 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. weekends.

Mission: Accent used to be solely a landscaping and wholesaling business, but because most of the plants it uses in its landscaping are grown on-site, Kesler decided to begin selling retail. Notably, Accent sells plants suited to the New River Valley's climate, which can be as much as 10 degrees colder than that in Roanoke, a temperature difference that means some of the plants that thrive there will die here. The 14-employee company still does most of its business in landscaping, with about 30 percent of its revenues coming from retail sales of plants, shrubs and trees.

Products & Services:Trees, shrubs, ground covers, perennials, herbs, some water plants. No annuals or vegetables, but Accent does have fruit trees, and information and landscaping services.

Prices: Perennials range from $3-$10; shrubs $15-$25, and various types of shade trees from $40-$200.

Owner's bio:: Bob Kesler graduated from Virginia Tech in 1978 with a degree in forestry and wildlife. Less than two years later, he bought into a landscaping business with a partner. A few years ago, Kesler launched Accent Landscaping on his own. His wife, Carter, has her own business ventures and also works part-time at the nursery. Kesler takes pride in the fact that most of the plants he uses in landscaping are grown at his nursery. "We're primarily growers here."