June 22 column: Jennifer Tiegs

Here is a link to my column in today’s edition of The Spokesman-Review. When creating new landscape, keep long-term plan in mind. This one is a profile of WSU/Spokane County Master Gardener, Jennifer Tiegs. (You can also read my column below.)

I wanted to write about her approach to landscaping her new garden. It will help anyone who is either setting up a new landscape, or renovating an old one. Jennifer has plenty of great ideas on how to come up with the best design.

I hope you’ll agree. And thank you, Jennifer, for sharing your knowledge with us!

Column:

by Susan Mulvihill

Whenever I profile local gardeners, I usually write about their lush established plantings and interesting plant collections. That isn’t the case today.

Instead, as you read about Jennifer Tiegs’ garden, I am certain you will learn just as much, if not more. That’s because she was willing to share the thought processes she’s gone through in designing her new garden.

Meet Jennifer Tiegs

A WSU/Spokane County Master Gardener since 2010, Tiegs purchased a 1930s Millwood home last August. Sitting on a little over one-quarter of an acre, the lot had been neglected for many years.

“I bought the house because of the large deck and outdoor space,” Tiegs explained. “I started tackling the outside projects in early fall. Since everything was so overgrown, it wasn’t hard to figure out what needed to be done.”

First priorities

The first projects she focused on were eliminating the vinca vine that was running rampant. She also set up a composting system and removed some of the lawn to create a new perennial bed.

Jennifer Tiegs hired a certified arborist to address problem trees on the lot. Two old apricot trees, heavily shaded by a maple, needed to be removed. A maple crowding out a mountain ash had to come out, too. The arborist will return in the fall to do more clean-up and remove more maples for her.

Over the winter, she developed her three- to five-year design plan.

Creating the design plan

“The winter was all about planning, plotting and developing a rough idea of what I wanted to accomplish in my garden and how I was going to do that,” she said.

She made both rough and measured drawings. Tiegs searched online plant databases and asked herself whether she wanted a “mishmash of plants” or some type of theme. She frequently consulted the reliable Sunset “Western Garden Book.” Another favorite source was the Spokane County Master Gardener publication, “Landscape Plants for the Inland Northwest.” If a plant caught her fancy, she did a web search to determine if it would fit into her landscape.

“I also knew I needed to put in foundation plants first so I’d have a base to start from. Then I could see how they filled up the space. Some of my choices include ninebark ‘Diablo’, several varieties of Spirea, a variegated Japanese maple, and snowberry bushes,” she said.

Many of her selections are doing double duty since they are geared toward attracting birds to her garden.

First projects

This spring, she built a 4-foot by 8-foot raised bed that she’s growing tomatoes and peppers in. She’s also been buying plants for a new perennial bed. Her priority has been to determine her water consumption since she lives in an irrigation district.

“My main focus is to make sure the plants I’ve invested in get enough water so they can become established this year. I almost feel like a babysitter because of caring for and nurturing the plants.”

When asked what advice she’d offer those wanting to plan a new landscape or renovate an old one, Tiegs said this:

“Think about how you’re going to use the space. Sit down with pencil and paper and sketch it out three or four times. Then sketch some more. When you’re ready to put everything in the ground, be flexible.

“And always keep an eye toward the following year. I understand all of my plantings won’t be done at once, and that it’s not going to look good in two years. That’s OK.”

From this thoughtful beginning, I can imagine a wonderful garden emerging in a few years.