Native Edge, LLC

09/03/2026

Behind the scenes with our greenhouse crew! The greenhouse is a wildlife magnet. Luke, greenhouse manager and plant expert, was trimming back some Swamp Milkw**d, and found NINE monarch caterpillars munching on them! (little helpers in the greenhouse 😊). He moved them to the older swamp milkw**d, where they are happily engorging themselves again today.

We’ve had a very successful first season and it’s exciting to see how we’re already making an impact before the plants have even left the greenhouse.

09/02/2026

We’re SO excited to see this project come to life next year!

Our team has been hard at work designing a reimagined Tassell Park that will become a true community hub and regional destination along the Thornapple River in the heart of Cascade. The plan celebrates the site’s natural character while adding new amenities, connecting additional parcels, and creating more opportunities for the community to enjoy the park.
And yes… there will be LOTS of native plant gardens!

Check out the article below to get a sneak peek at what’s coming!

The 3.2-acre Tassell Park will feature a new boardwalk, a pedestrian walkway, enhanced riverfront access along the Thornapple River, a splash pad and a natural playground.

08/26/2026

Amazing that one year ago this was a struggling lawn in the middle of East Grand Rapids. Now, look at all that habitat! This property is literally buzzing with life. The bees, butterflies, birds, and all the important, often overlooked, creatures that form the complex, interconnected natural systems that we all depend on so dearly.

You can choose to transform your existing garden, rethink a small unused area on your property, or get rid of the whole darn yard. The impact will be tremendous and meaningful.

08/19/2026

This beautiful modern farmhouse, tucked into a serene setting in the Ada countryside, deserved a landscape that matched the craftsmanship of the home while creating a seamless connection to nature. Native Edge transformed the property into an immersive natural oasis, with lush native gardens surrounding the new patio and inviting you to feel immersed in the landscape.

The backyard was previously soggy and prone to poor drainage, but the new native plantings were designed to embrace these conditions. Deep-rooted native plants help absorb excess moisture, improve soil conditions, and transform a challenging drainage area into a lush, thriving habitat.

Plants: Cardinal flower, marsh blazing star, orange coneflower, mountain mint, palm sedge, and purple coneflower are a few of the species blooming right now.

08/18/2026

Many plant and animal species have co-evolved over millennia and developed specialized relationships. One wonderful example is between the hummingbird and the bright red cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis). The hummingbird is the primary pollinator of this native plant and is a pollinating powerhouse. The cardinal flower attracts the hummingbird with the red flowers and provides yummy nectar. In return, the cardnial flower is pollinated to ensure future generations of plants.

Cardinal flower thrives in moist soil and partial to full sun.

08/14/2026

Sites like these are proof that you can create beautiful, thriving ecosystems that work for people and nature!

We had the honor to work with this wonderful client in Spring Lake, who wanted to transform their property that had too much lawn and too little life. The goal was to reduce as much lawn as possible and replace it with beautifully designed native gardens that would add color, beauty, and habitat and support local ecosystems.

Our team planted large masses and drifts of native perennials and shrubs to show high levels of design intentionality while still allowing the dense planting to function as a natural system. Now in its third year, this landscape is truly coming into its own and is breathtaking to behold.

The Native Edge team continues to maintain and guide this garden to ensure it is thriving and in line with the original artistic vision. Seeing the hummingbirds, butterflies, bees, and other wildlife enjoying this garden truly captures how meaningful these landscapes are to the natural world all around us.

PLANTS: Cardinal flower, orange coneflower, purple coneflower, mountain mint, nodding onion, marsh blazingstar, Joe pye w**d, and horsemint.

08/13/2026

Meet the Native Edge greenhouse team! Out in the wild (Left to right) Lillyanna, Vanessa, Mackenzie, and greenhouse manager, Luke! This group has been busy this summer transplanting, watering and helping our greenhouse grow! Pun intended 😜 This week they got to visit a few of our project sites to collect seed and see how the mature plants behave and function as part of the greater native landscape/ecosystem. The seed they collected will go into creating more beneficial native plants for our greenhouse next season!

Luke has been mentoring the team, guiding all greenhouse work with his deep knowledge of plant propagation and passion for native plants. He is helping build the foundation of the Native Edge greenhouse operation and creating a culture of excellence, hard work, and enjoyment of the process.

We are so grateful for this team and all they do!

08/11/2026

From a wall-to-wall lawn to a thriving natural oasis, this employee courtyard at a prominent Grand Rapids manufacturing facility was transformed in both appearance and purpose. Adams Plastics envisioned creating a beautiful outdoor retreat where employees could relax, reconnect with nature, and enjoy a meaningful space dedicated to the memory of their late grandmother, an avid gardener whose love of plants inspired the project.

Beyond its visual transformation, the landscape also solved a longstanding drainage issue. The courtyard had been prone to frequent flooding. The deep-rooted native plantings now absorb and infiltrate stormwater naturally, replace standing water with vibrant seasonal beauty, and create a healthier environment for both people and pollinators.

Plants blooming: marsh blazing star, mountain mint, swamp milkw**d, orange coneflower, fox sedge, and palm sedge. So many plants will bloom at different times throughout the season!

08/07/2026

Did you know Native Edge offers environmental services like wetland delineations, tree surveys, and permitting? Wetlands are critical habitats that are protected on the federal and state level.

When land is proposed for development, or any type of land improvements, and wetlands may be present, the area needs to be surveyed to determine the exact extent of those boundaries so they can be protected during the development process.

Our team will analyze the vegetation, soils, and hydrology to determine exactly where the weltland boundaries are located to keep these critical habitats safe and protected.