In 2007 The Historical Society of Santuit and Cotuit voted to establish an early 19th Century landscape on the grounds of the Dottridge Homestead. The first phase of this project was completed in July with a Kitchen Garden on the south side of the property. Seven raised beds were created, running east to west, for maximum sun exposure.

Jared McMurray of Cotuit Landscaping oversaw the excavation and soil preparation. HSSC Board member Stephen Whalen, of Building, Remodeling and Restoration Solutions, constructed the raised beds from rough sawn lumber. Crushed seashells line the pathways. We thank these two Cotuit businesses for volunteering their expertise and time.

Heirloom plant varieties, grown in New England prior to 1850, were chosen from lists in the publication Landscapes andGardens for Historic Buildings by Favretti. The Kitchen Garden interprets domestic life with herbs, flowers, vegetables and fruit. It is a small sample of plants that would have been tended by Mrs. Dottridge. With a busy household of seven children, the Dottridges would have had a much larger garden to sustain their family.

Some of the plants include:

• Culinary herb-Sage for stuffing
• Medicinal herb-Feverfew as a tea for headaches
• Household herb-Santolina, a moth repellent
• Salad greens-Sorrel, Chicory, young Spinach leaves
• Root vegetables-Carrot, Onion, Radish
• Cutting flowers-Globe Amaranth, Heartsease
  Fruit-Strawberries

Two purple lilacs were planted at the front of the Dottridge Homestead and were a gift of the Osterville Garden Club. An irrigation system was installed to maintain the site. Future plans include an ornamental display garden of flowering bulbs, annuals and perennials.

Marian Nicastro
Curator
Jan. 2008