Pollinator Garden

And So It Begins..

I started this garden in 2016 on a strip of grass along the upper curve of the driveway. I started to dig and prepare the soil and quickly realized I was back in Tennessee with hard, clay soil. So I started collecting that ubiquitous cardboard, covered it with mulch, and after a few months started digging holes and planting. It worked! The theme is purples and whites, and like most, I’ve redesigned it multiple times (most recently inspired by Piet Oudolf) , transplanted most everything at least once, killed many things, and…am never satisfied. Getting the combination of structure, leaf styles and bloom times right seems a creative impossibility. But I’m amazed to see it come to life in the spring, watching it change daily, and seeing all the pollinators enjoying the fruits of my labor.

About Me

Theresa Tillinger

After careers in IT and education in the Northeast, my husband and I returned to the rolling hills of Middle Tennessee. We built our dream home, which we named “Homecoming”, on 3o acres containing woods, pastures and and a spring fed pond.

I finally had time to explore various interests, including gardening, bee keeping, raising chickens, and even paper making. I have since learned so much about pollinators, the importance of native plants, as well as sustainable and regenerative gardening. I am grateful to my fellow gardeners and a host of other resources who have generously shared their wisdom. I have discovered the tangible, and even more importantly, the intangible and soul filling benefits of all that nature so generously provides.