Along with Reed Hilderbrand Landscape Architecture, the Aslan Foundation Property Team has been hard at work transforming the grounds of the Eugenia Williams House. Horticulturalist Tiffany Sutton oversees the planting of thousands of new plants on site. With this in mind, we asked for her “Top Five Plants” and sat down with her to talk about her experiences working on the project.
TIFFANY’S TOP FIVE PLANTS
What is your background? What made you want to become a horticulturalist?
Tiffany: “I have always been a lover of nature. It started with me growing up in the Mojave Desert in Southern California. I love the desert sage and the smell when it rains once a year.
I received my B.S. degree from Auburn University in Agriculture/Horticulture with a concentration in Nursery/Greenhouse Management and Production. Choosing a major at wasn’t difficult; I knew it had to be something outdoors-related. My motto is “A bad day outdoors is still better than a good day inside.” I have worked in all aspects of horticulture throughout the years, including nursery production, high-end landscape design, and as a curator at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. I was welcomed to the Aslan Foundation family in 2022.”
What is your favorite part of your work at the Eugenia Williams House?
Tiffany: “Watching the property evolve from the overgrown state I witnessed the first time I walked onto it to where it is now has been pretty outstanding. There were curtains of ivy hanging from the trees to the forest floor that you would have to part to walk through. You couldn’t see five feet in front of you—now you can gaze upon the beautiful riverfront. Finding newly emerging native perennials, bulbs, and ferns that had been hidden for years due to the forest floor being so densely packed with weeds and invasive plant material. Stumbling across new paths and trails, discovering millstones covered with YEARS of dirt and debris…Sometimes, I feel like an archaeologist.”
Where is your favorite spot on the property?
Tiffany: “Oh goodness, naming one ultimate is extremely difficult. If I have to pick, it is under the swooping branches of the magnolia. It is very peaceful and quiet; it has a magical feeling. The magnolia is so large the branches make a little room, and it feels like it’s hugging you.”
How many plants have you and the property team planted?
Tiffany: “Tens of thousands of new plants will be planted all over the property by the time the project is done. For just one section along the riverfront, our team planted 923 different species of plants. We will soon plant 700 rain lilies. The Millstone garden will have thousands of perennials, countless ferns, and bulbs. We are working hand in hand with Pride Land Inc., which is also planting the larger specimen trees. The landscape is going to be amazing once finished.”
What one thing do you wish local gardeners knew about helping plants thrive in East Tennessee?
Tiffany: “I wish local gardeners understood why it is important to plant native plant material. You will be so much more successful in your personal landscape. Native plants thrive in our climate, with our summer heat, winter cold, and rain levels. They provide habitats and food for birds and mammals. Using native plants goes hand in hand with eradicating invasive plants from the landscape. Invasives outgrow our natives, so if we do these two things together, we can work to better our landscapes, town green spaces, and forests.”