Pandemic lockdowns inspired some people to bake bread, braid rugs, or learn Arabic, but you wouldn’t necessarily know what they’d been up to by casual observation of their homes. In Andrea Lok’s case, though, her yard underwent major transformations as she did a one-eighty in the sphere of landscaping.
“I used to hate everything having to do with outdoor work,” said Lok, a Greenfield resident who grew up near Hartford, Connecticut. “I did zero work in the yard.”
When Lok purchased her Wells Street home in 2004, the exterior had asphalt shingles. “It was sound,” said Lok, “but ugly. After 16 years, we had the exterior renovated, including a new roof, siding, and porch.” They also had stone steps put in by a family friend, Curtis Gray.
“Curtis is a fabulous stonemason,” said Lok. “He said that, in this area, most people see flat stones and assume they’re from Goshen. But there are four quarries in the area, and for our steps, he used materials from Ashfield Stone and Sugarledge Stone.”
Lok and her longtime partner, Theodore “Ted” Boyer discovered that, following work on their home’s exterior, changes began taking place just beyond their backyard, which abuts the railroad track running between Chapman and Wells streets.
“The railroad company started cutting down trees, so I cleared some brush along our property line, as well,” said Lok. “That, along with lockdown, got me started.”
After clearing out back, Lok decided to work on the front yard, as well. “I found I loved researching plants,” she said. “I’m super organized, so when I put in plants, I label them so I won’t forget what they are.” Lok created a scene right out of a botanical garden, and manages the tableau with a firm hand.
“The previous owner had perennials,” said Lok, “all of them aggressive spreaders. That’s not my style. I wanted low maintenance, with little weeding or watering. When I researched rock gardens, it became a passion.”
Lok enjoys cooking, painting, and many other art forms. She ran a bookbinding business for 15 years, but eventually grew weary of the all-consuming grind of running a business out of her home. She now works as the practice coordinator for Northampton Area Pediatrics. “At the start of Covid, there was a lull when we weren’t in the office,” she said, “so I had extra time at home for about six months.”
She found that caring for low-maintenance plants provides her with great focus. “Parts of it are a lot of work,” said Lok, “but I was shocked that gardening is actually fun. I really get into Zen moments.”
Lok found a wealth of information on the internet. “I searched for drought-resistant plants that don’t spread. I Googled rock gardens, and was inspired by what I found.” She also started noticing different styles as she drove past local gardens.
“I do a lot of research, but gardening doesn’t have to be rigid,” she said. “You can wing it, and you can always move plants.”
Lok’s rock garden includes many of the plants known as “hens and chicks.” She orders specialty varieties from Mountain Crest Gardens in California, and obtained plants with monikers like jade rose, sunset, killer, chick charms, gold nugget, and key lime kiss.
Another favorite is pasque flower, or pulsatilla, producing beautiful white blossoms. Lok’s garden features reticulated iris, a catmint (Nepeta subsessilis) called prelude purple, and a red ombre echinacea, or coneflower.
The labels make viewing even more fun; observers can know that little yellow flowers belong to sedum, and that a gorgeous two-shades-of-pink columbine is known as a kirigami. Labels also foretell coming blooms like black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia), balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorus), and lavender (Lavandula).
Low to the ground are a hybrid spring phlox known as Rocky Road Magenta and a creeping phlox called Eye Shadow. The thyme has purple blossoms and, although crocuses have gone by, the tag shows where they’ll bloom next year.
The dianthus label designates where red or pink blooms will appear, along with sea thrift (Lok’s is known as “Victor Reiter”). Ornamental grasses can look all about the same to the untrained eye; the label for blue fescue helps.
“I aim for different heights,” said Lok. “I’m about to put in a dwarf mugo pine, which is good for rock gardens.”
Greenfield has “lots of clay soil, quite compacted,” according to Lok, “but I’ve done no soil amending. I look for plants that tolerate poor soil.” She also seeks those requiring little or no watering, except for the first week after planting. She’s learned that “some plants don’t like their feet wet, not even a little bit.”
Lok loves that rock gardens require less weeding than traditional ones. “When I weed, I pull big stuff by hand, but for smaller stuff, I use my favorite tool: the flame weeder.”
Fueled by propane, the tool enables Lok to burn tiny weeds. “In a rock garden, there’s nothing, really, to catch fire. The flame weeder is also great for cracks in the sidewalks and asphalt.”
Lok’s partner introduced her to the flame weeder. “Ted suggested it, and now I can’t stop,” said Lok. Boyer knew of the tool due to his lifelong connections to farming. Some farmers use flame weeders prior to planting to heat up soil and kill weed seeds.
“Ted also introduced me to gardening. He’s spent most of his life working outdoors. He grew up in Whately and worked for Nourse Farms for 14 years,” said Lok. “Now he’s starting his own tree nursery, Mallory Brook Trees, in Northfield.” Additionally, Boyer works in property management.
Having earned a plant soil science degree from UMass, Boyer is fascinated by horticulture. “He has no interest in flowers,” said Lok, “but if I want to discuss soil types or fertilizers, he’s right there.”
Boyer’s raising Christmas trees in response to what’s become a shortage. He starts them from seed, which isn’t easy. He also does rototilling for hire, a fact advertised by a sign planted in Lok’s rock garden.
“Ted was totally surprised when I got into plants,” said Lok, “but he loves that I’m now willing to take care of our yard.”
Lok and Boyer grow food, too. “I generally focus on ornamentals, but I also grow tomatoes,” said Lok. “Ted put in an asparagus bed, and we have blueberries and rhubarb.”
In addition to gardening, Boyer introduced Lok to canoeing and fishing. “We enjoy it, but have been too busy to do much of it lately. Ted has so many interests; he’s even tried his hand at boat building!”
Lok, too, has more interests than hours in a day. “I’m getting my planters ready,” she said. “Last year, I planted datura and want to do so again this year.”
That means neighbors can look forward to showy white blooms as they pass by the tidy Wells Street home with a rock garden full of plant labels out front.
Eveline MacDougall, the author of “Fiery Hope,” is an avid gardener, artist, musician, and mom. Readers may contact her at eveline@amandlachorus.org.