Promoting Native Plants Since 2003
Edge of the Woods Native Plant Nursery, LLC a Certified Woman Owned business, was founded by Susan Tantsits and Louise Schaefer in 2003. Our retail nursery is open from April-October. We sell native trees, shrubs, and perennials in containers to the general public as well as to landscape professionals.
Our services division assists with ecological restoration projects throughout the greater Lehigh Valley. Our services are offered to homes, businesses, and non-profit organizations.
The nursery has been certified as a Way Station for Monarchs by Monarchwatch.org, and also as a Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. We have helped create countless habitat gardens throughout the Lehigh Valley, overseen conversion of a 20 acre cornfield to wildlife habitat, assisted in meadow creation and restoration, and other similar projects.
Founders
Louise Schaefer has a B.S. in Biology from Lehigh University. She is a PA Certified Horticulturist, and has served on the Advisory Board for Penn State Cooperative Extension as well as on the board of Stonehedge Gardens, Tamaqua PA.
Susan Tantsits
Sue Tantsits – Sue works with clients to create sustainable horticulture designs through restoration, installation, and maintenance of the native plant garden. And a large part her work is educational programing at the nursery and for community organizations within the Lehigh Valley; native plant programs for the Penn State Cooperative Extension and other conferences. Sue is a PA Certified Horticulturist and is Sustainable Landscape Certified. She has a BS degree in Horticulture from Temple University and a BS degree in Education from Bloomsburg University. She works closely with conservation organization in the area such as Lehigh Gap Nature Center, Hawk Mountain, youth groups in schools and for Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops. Sue also volunteers her time on advisory boards for the Girl Scouts of Eastern PA, the Lehigh Career and Technical Institute, WDIY Community NPR station, Lehigh Gap Nature Center, the Kayhart Arboretum at Luthercrest and Board Member for PASA Sustainable Agriculture
Our Staff







Memberships
- Hawk Mountain
- Lehigh Gap Nature Center
- Pennsylvania Landscape and Nursery Association
- Pennsylvania Native Plant Society
- Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture