Few colors are as lovely in the landscape than true, vibrant red. While red roses and carnations are Valentine icons, let’s not forget some of Eastern North America’s stunning red flowers. Attractive to you and to garden visitors such as hummingbirds and butterflies.  These red flowers are certain … [Read more...]

Spring ephemeral plants bring beauty and charm to the earliest part of the growing season, and also have important value to the ecosystem.  These plants put a lot of energy into producing blooms, creating large blossoms relative to the size of the plant.  They emerge quickly in spring, taking … [Read more...]

Part One: What are Spring Ephemerals? After a long winter, gardeners are eager to get out of their houses and into their gardens.  In the stark, tawny woodlands of early spring, emerging through the fall leaf litter, little green shoots and tiny, delicate blossoms decorate the forest floor. These … [Read more...]

You've heard "fall is a great time for planting" but perhaps you haven't been told why.  Obviously, the time to plant annuals and most vegetable crops has passed, but fall is indeed prime planting time for native perennials, shrubs, and trees.  At Edge of the Woods we see autumn as a wonderful … [Read more...]

We’re going to call this species the ‘King of the Native Trees’.  Its stature alone merits the designation.  They can grow up to 75 feet in height and attain a massive girth --  up to 15 feet in diameter!  Add to that it’s mottled bark and stark white upper branches that light up the winter … [Read more...]

No, they aren’t artichokes…and they aren’t from Jerusalem either! The Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus) is a perennial wildflower known for its edible tubers, hence its species name “tuberosus”. Like true artichokes (Cynara cardunculus), the Jerusalem artichoke is a member of the … [Read more...]