Diane Stutzman is the owner of Desert Jewels Nursery

 

This guide explains how Spokane and the wider Inland Northwest combine summer drought, winter cold, and spring wind so you can read the archived Desert Jewels galleries with realistic expectations.

Start on the Desert Jewels Nursery home page for the site overview, then open the category that fits your project.

For woody structure and vines, use Trees & Vines. For mid-height massing, try Medium Shrubs. For carpets and crevice work, browse Low Shrubs & Ground Cover.

Water in two bursts, deep in May and again in July when soils warm, instead of light daily sprinkles that keep roots shallow. Group plants by rooting depth so a single irrigation zone does not drown dry banks while thirsty plants upstream go thirsty.

Mulch with crushed rock or fine gravel on berms where you want reflected heat for grasses and silver foliage, and use wood chip mulch only where you want cooler root runs for perennials and annuals.

Snow load and freeze-thaw cycles reward broad, shallow bowls instead of tight corners where ice wedges against hardscape. Keep air gaps between stem crowns and pavement so winter salts applied on walks do not migrate into root zones.

Pair this guide with the Landscape Design page for layout examples, rebates, and the Spokane-Scapes program context that shaped many local conversions from lawn to low-water beds.

https://www.spokanecd.org/spokanescape-program/