Hello...
Welcome to Jen's Garden Solutions! I am Jennifer Hodge-Williamson, a Horticulturist based in Southwestern Ontario where the beauty of our natural surroundings attract many visitors all year long. From the shoreline of Lake Huron & Georgian Bay and the cliffs of the Niagara Escarpment to the fertile farmland and rolling country hills of the Saugeen River, I am truly fortunate to live where biodiversity is a natural gift. The importance of maintaining and recovering our balance with nature has never been more urgent. My company's mission is to Bring People and Nature Together in a sustainable way.
My Story
After 30+ years as a medical language specialist and working at a computer I was looking for a change...but to what? My husband and I moved to the town of Durham in the Municipality of West Grey eight years ago where we continue to reside in our century home and where I nurture my acquired, and much loved, English style cottage garden. One evening on returning from the garden I stated “I’m happiest when I’m in the garden. Maybe I could do this for other people.” And that was the beginning of the change. I had always enjoyed gardening but little did I know that I was about to take it to a whole new level.
I advertised and quickly had eight weeks of full-time work in garden maintenance and design. I was doing what I loved and loved what I was doing. However, I wanted to be sure that I would be providing the very best for my clients and so as a way to challenge myself and to measure myself against my peers, I enrolled in the Horticulture Program through the University of Guelph. In 2021 I achieved my Horticultural Diploma with Distinction in addition to completing a further
course on Arboriculture in 2022 with the intention to add Arborist Consultation as a specialist service through my company.
At this point in time, I boast eight years of professional experience through my own business, a season as assistant lead-hand for a public garden in New Brunswick, as well as a season as a horticulturist and assistant supervisor for a landscape company. I am currently a member of the International Society of Arboriculture and the ISA Ontario chapter. I continue to build my portfolio of garden designs and I never tire of learning because of my desire to bring the most
up-to-date knowledge and practices to my clients. The expansion of technology, especially over the past few years, not only feeds my passion for learning but has proven that consultation and design can be performed remotely enabling me to reach out and build clientele from anywhere in Canada, North America, or in fact, the World.
I see a need for expert horticultural consultation, environmental teaching and leadership at all levels in the community, government and industry. As a horticulturist, I have a chance to work with others to guide them and improve practices in supporting biodiversity right on our own doorsteps. It’s a responsibility I do not take lightly. Ultimately, I see the opportunity to change the world, one garden at a time.