In the garden: McElroy encourages making plan, but not being married to it

If you’re a fan of the Saturday morning “Garden Report” on KHQ-TV, you know that Master Gardener Julie McElroy is a frequent guest of reporter Matt Rogers. During the segments, she dispenses information on all aspects of gardening.

Have you ever wondered what her own garden is like? I recently received an invitation to tour it and loved her planting style.

Julie McElroy and her husband, Bill, live on 11 acres in southwest Spokane County. After their house was built, she sought some guidance on how to landscape their property.

“It’s so hard to start with a blank slate,” she said. “I contacted Lisa Hill, a landscape design maintenance consultant, and asked her to develop a plan for us.”

Working from that plan, McElroy focused on locating the trees and shrubs first.

“Every night and every weekend, I was driving all over Washington and Idaho visiting nurseries,” she said. “I really enjoyed looking for the specific cultivars Lisa had recommended.”

McElroy planted everything using the spacing guidelines from the plan and branched out from there. Different areas of her garden get differing amounts of light, which influences her plant choices.

The shady beds near their front door are filled with an eye-catching mix of hostas, hellebores, astilbe, cranesbill, boxwoods, a tricolor beech and a statuesque Japanese maple.

“I pay careful attention to what each plant needs,” she said. “If it doesn’t do well, I’ll move it. Some plants get moved several times.”

It’s hard to choose my favorite part of their garden but the stream and pond immediately drew my attention. Both look very natural, and the stream – with its small pools of water cascading over rocks – adds a soothing sound to the peaceful surroundings.

The elevated patio takes center stage and affords satisfying views of most of the landscape. It is surrounded with a blend of perennials, shrubs and ornamental grasses, with the occasional blueberry plant added in for snacking purposes.

There is also a large raised bed garden – surrounded by a tall deer fence – where tomatoes, carrots, lettuce, squash, beans, onions and other vegetables are growing. McElroy has found the raised beds require less maintenance.

While she has a good eye for color and composition, her realistic, no-nonsense approach to gardening is refreshing.

“My biggest challenges are controlling the grass seeds that blow in and the invasive plants in my flower beds,” she said. “You either have to have a gaggle of gardeners working on everything all the time, or you have to just get over it.”

She also feels gardeners should go easier on themselves when something doesn’t go according to plan.

“If you like a perennial and you nurture it, and you think everything is fine but it dies, don’t beat yourself up,” she said. “You buy cut flowers and they die, right? Well, if you like the perennial, buy it again and pretend it’s an annual. You have to be OK with plants not being perfect.”

Aside from a few challenges, McElroy is content with how the garden has progressed over the years.

“I really love the scent of the fragrant plants I’m growing because it just puts you in a zone,” she said. “It’s so open out here, with the big sky, and it’s quiet. I love the sound of the water, too. It’s so nice to have a place to walk around with your cup of coffee.”