Northshore Home

Spring 2016

Northshore Home magazine highlights the best in architectural design, new construction and renovations, interiors, and landscape design.

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32 SPRING 2016 nshoremag.com/nshorehome/ cultivate ing down the sidewalk is as close as Marblehead comes to the Tournament of Roses Parade. The Dougovitos' hollyhocks are representatives of the historical single-flowering species Alcea rosea. The house was originally built in the 1920s, and the hol- lyhocks undoubtedly harken back to that era. Keeping the plants faithful to that time frame has always been a priority for Pam, and that's one reason why she never interfered with the pageant she was given. Why mess with perfection? Her hollyhocks include the full gamut of the white, pink, lavender, peach, yellow, and red spectrum, with central stripes and a vast array of mark- ings. The only color that is not in her repertoire is the nearly black version sometimes called 'The Watchman.' And frankly, that sober shade probably wouldn't work with the bright, cheerful compendium along her road. When the Dougovitos first bought the house, it was painted plain vanilla white with sea blue shutters. "But those colors really clashed with the hollyhocks," Pam decided, once she realized what her mission in Marblehead would be. By 1996, the Dougovitos were busy changing their palette with the hollyhocks in mind. Now the house is a pale yellow—which does the inherited hollyhocks proud while also complementing the 'New Dawn' roses that twine over the entryway arbor at the only gap in the 80-foot-long chorus line of overachievers. The duties inherent in maintaining the hollyhocks start in spring when the salt marsh hay mulch is removed. At that point, the earliest leaves are already showing promise just above ground. Given a breakfast of champions (generous compost), they start making headway immediately. By the Fourth of July, they are beginning to flower. That's when the Dougovitos get out their arsenal of six-foot stakes and begin lashing the spires against the offshore winds. Without continual guidance up the supports, the hollyhocks would be a whole different (raggedly unkempt) story. Meanwhile, the plants receive constant watering thanks to an underground spring that the Dougovitos harnessed specifically for that purpose. Now, the thirsty plants are quenched regularly. Even Pam admits that, given their long span of performance, hollyhocks are a handful. In Marblehead, the last blossom can be seen in No- vember. But that's not to say that the display remains prime. One reason why hollyhocks fell out of favor is their denouement. After the brouhaha is over, the stems still need to hang around making seeds. Because hol- lyhocks are biennials or short-lived perennials, letting seeds develop and fall to the ground is essential for keeping their momentum going. But that part of the picture isn't particularly pretty. "By late summer," Pam admits, "the garden has gone to seed." Hollyhocks have other issues, but Marblehead man- A mix of shrubs and perennials helps disguise the marred hollyhock foliage while the plants set their seeds. ages to sidestep many of their maladies and enemies. For example most gardeners must defend their hol- lyhocks against constant pilfering from deer. So far, Marblehead remains secluded from that browsing population of marauders. And sea breezes stave off the powdery mildew that notoriously blights hollyhocks. "It's not a problem," Pam has found. But the unsightly rust that mars hollyhock foliage (but does not shorten their life span) is a dilemma. She is working on it. To keep the hollyhocks company, Pam planted catmint, lady's mantle, roses, salvia, and snapdragons. To cover up during the hollyhocks' less-than-gorgeous seed-setting stage, she grows Hydrangeas, Rudbeckia, white Cleome, and Russian sage. Basically, the display has something happening throughout the season, although midsummer is the highlight, without a doubt. Do people notice? Well, let's just say that Pam Dou- govito spends more time dodging compliments than gardening when the hollyhocks are happening.

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