J e n H o c h h a d n e v e r g a rd e n e d in h e r life .
T h e n c a m e a c h a n c e e n c o u n te r w it h a
g a r d e n in g m a g a z in e a t h e r d o c t o r ’s o ffic e ,
fo llo w e d b y a g i f t o f o ld - fa s h io n e d p e o n ie s
fr o m a n e ld e r ly r e la tiv e w h o w a s m o v in g .
S u d d e n ly th e s ta y -a t-h o m e m o m fr o m
R o c k la n d , M a in e , w a s h o o k e d . U n d a u n te d
b y h e r la c k o f e x p e rie n c e , J e n re a d b o o k s a ll
th r o u g h th e lo n g w in t e r n ig h ts a n d a s k e d
n a iv e q u e s tio n s a t g a rd e n c e n te rs . I n s p r in g ,
s h e s ta r te d p la n tin g .
“ I w a n te d th e in s t a n t g a rd e n ,” sh e
re c a lls , “ so I p la n te d th in g s to o c lo s e
to g e th e r .” A n d s h e p u t in th e w r o n g
v a r ie tie s f o r h e r s m a ll g a rd e n , in c lu d in g
a v e r y la rg e b e e b a lm a n d a n a g g re s s iv e ly
s p re a d in g “ p ie c e o f s o m e th in g ” a fr ie n d
g a v e h e r. “ B e w a re w h e n g a rd e n e rs g iv e y o u
a p ie c e o f s o m e th in g ,” sh e la u g h s . “ T h e y ’re
t r y in g t o g e t r id o f i t ! ”
T h a t f ir s t a tte m p t a t g a r d e n in g w a s
a n o v e r g r o w n d is a s te r, b u t J e n q u ic k ly
le a rn e d fr o m h e r m is ta k e s . E le v e n v e a rs
J
la te r, v is ito r s a re a s to u n d e d a t w h a t s h e h a s
- *
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Jen Hoch,
above,
relaxes on her porch
swing. On sunny
mornings, she eats
breakfast by the
backyard gate,
right
,
alongside ‘W illiam
Baffin’ roses.
Flowers galore erupt
in the side yard,
left
,
where house and shed
meet. Peonies include
‘Majestic Rose’ and
‘Honey N ’ Cream’.
8 4
BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS |
MARCH
2011 | BHG
.COM
