Woodland Edge Garden Expanded (15 Plants)

Layered woodland planting · Spring through fall interest

Available June 20 & June 27 · Pickup at the Montclair Farmers Market (Walnut Street Station)

This expanded 3 x 9 foot shade planting deepens the calm, layered feel of the Shady Layered Garden while adding greater texture, bloom diversity, and seasonal rhythm. Anchored by a flowing sedge foundation and woven with spring wildflowers and fall asters, the design creates a cohesive woodland-inspired planting that brings gentle structure and evolving color to dry shade spaces.

As with all Hope Grows gardens, this planting was designed for Northern New Jersey landscapes — helping shaded areas grow fuller, softer, and more ecologically connected over time.

What's included

• 15 native plants
  • 5 × Long-Beaked Sedge (Carex sprengelii)
  • 3 × Heart-leaved Aster (Aster cordifolius)
  • Please note: This kit includes Symphyotrichum shortii (Short's Aster) in place of Symphyotrichum cordifolium (Heart-leaved Aster). Both are woodland asters with blue-lavender flowers and exceptional late-season pollinator value. S. shortii is particularly well-suited to dry shade, making it a resilient choice for challenging garden spots.
  • 3 × Green-and-gold (Chrysogonum virginianum)
  • 3 × Jacob's Ladder (Polemonium reptans)
  • 1 × Sky-blue Aster (Aster azureus)
• A professionally designed planting layout showing spacing and placement
• A rendered garden image to help you visualize the finished planting
• Individual plant cards with growing conditions and ecological notes

Optional add-on:
A lifesize roll out template that shows exactly where each plant goes.

What this garden needs

• Sun: Part shade to full shade
• Soil: Average to dry (adaptable)
• Care: Regular watering during the first growing season to help roots establish

Why we love this garden

• Long-Beaked Sedge creates a continuous foundation and gentle movement
• Green-and-gold provides bright spring flowers at the ground layer
• Jacob's Ladder adds early-season bloom and distinctive textured foliage
• Heart-leaved Aster brings abundant blue flowers in fall
• Sky-blue Aster adds height and extends bloom into late fall
• Layered heights and bloom times create a planting that feels balanced and complete
• Designed to bring structure and seasonal change to shaded spaces

Why wildlife loves this garden

• Continuous nectar from spring through fall
• Host plants that support butterflies and moths
• Seeds provide food for birds and small wildlife
• Layered structure creates shelter and habitat
• A diverse insect community that supports birds through foraging