I think the card is pretty good at base. It's really nice to have a card with big impact on turn 7 as well as solid options sooner than that.
Totally agree. I'm probably trying to gas it up too much, I'd just prefer a MDFC that drafters get as excited about the front as much the back. I might pick
Disciple of Freyalise pretty highly because I have a lot of sac synergies alongside cards like
Monoist Sentry, or
Stump Stomp or your Orzhov duel early because I want removal, and that helps pull me into those colors.
I think your WU duel you have falls into that same potential trap that I'm mostly just picking it as a land if I'm in those colors already, unless maybe there's some angel synergy to reward there too?
I still think that pattern is good enough for smoothing out 'non-games' of magic, and ensuring some fixing goes around later into packs, it just doesn't get me excited to draft it, you know?
I think most your other cards reward both sides pretty well though, and I like your use of official but oft unseen art to blend in well with the rest of the cube.
My main concern is that this makes every fetch into a double fetch if it earthbends itself. Maybe "if it entered from your hand" or something makes sense here to nerf that interaction a little bit?
Thank you for catching this! That's definitely not what I want going on, but I also don't want to nerf the main appeal of the card which is popping off with your
Hedge Shredder,
Aftermath Analyst, or
Lumra, Bellow of the Woods.
Here's a fixed version (I hope?)

I also changed up the art, if you don't mind weighing in with a preference!
I run out of room for the reminder text (which unfortunately happens with
Earthbender Ascension too) but that's the point of bringing in enough cards that it isn't a one-off keyword.
Here's one other custom meant to support the archetype:

Not quite sure of the balance on this one either. It might be a little overstated and undercosted on it's ability, but it follows the formula of the actual
Hedge Whisperer and
Bitter Work to a T.
I could be talked out of the passive ability, and the 'Plant Boar' piece is mostly unnecessary, but I just love the flavor of making a 'Hedge Hog' and there's a universe where it actually matters with
Insidious Roots and
Nissa, Voice of Zendikar.