Edge of the Woods Native Plant Nursery recently celebrated its 10th anniversary.

Louise L. Schaefer and Susan Tantsits, co-owners of Edge of the Woods, 2415 N. Route 100, Orefield, said the nursery began in Tantsits' backyard in 2003 then moved to its present location in 2007.

Schaefer and Tantsits were Master Gardeners with the Lehigh County Master Gardeners program and both worked at the Wildlands Conservancy, Emmaus.

"We ran the native plant sale at the Wildlands Conservancy," Schaefer said. "We saw how important it was for people to get these plants year round, not just one weekend a year."

The two, who saw a need for a retail native plant nursery, are both committed to helping people incorporate native plants into their landscape.

"It is so important to protect our native plants and insects," Schaefer said. "Plants provide habitat for butterflies, insects, birds, bees, beetles, bats and small wildlife. Insects are critical to our survival."

Schaefer said the mission of Edge of the Woods is to offer the widest possible selection of high quality, nursery propagated native trees, shrubs, grasses, ferns, aquatics and perennials.

"We specialize in plants native to the northeast and mid-Atlantic areas of the U.S.," Schaefer said. "A big part of our mission is education as well as to provide information to our customers so they can make informed environmentally sound decisions about their landscaping project."

In addition to the retail staff offering customers personalized assistance on its selection of more than 300 native plants on 10 acres of land, Edge of the Woods also offers garden landscaping and maintenance and pruning services.

Organic potting soil and a selection of gardening books are also available.

An introduction to native plants tour is offered 10 a.m. Tuesday mornings.

Schaefer, a graduate from Lehigh University, has served on the Advisory Board for Penn State Cooperative Extension.

She has been a horticulturist since 1990.

Tantsits, a graduate of Parkland High School and Bloomsburg University became a professional horticulturist after graduating from Temple University.

"I worked in the horticultural field since 1992," Tantsits said. "I became a horticulturist because I had a desire to understand the science of plants which lead to the importance of planting native plants and the benefits to the environment.

"I got started as a horticulturist from planting gardens with my father, to starting our gardens and propagating plants, to attending a horticultural degree program to managing the landscape at a wildlife preserve and finally to co-owning a native plant nursery,"

Schaefer and her husband Brent have lived in Emmaus since 1981.

They are the parents of three daughters Laura, Katy and Sarah.

Tantsits and her husband Stan, who have lived in Fogelsville for 22 years, are the parents of a son Pete and daughter Linda.

For information on Edge of the Woods go to edgeofthewoodsnursery.com or call 610-395-2570.