Borough Gardens: The Peleg Hancox House
Story and photographs provided by the Stonington Garden Club
One of the most iconic homes and gardens in Stonington Borough can be found on the corner of Water and High Streets. This elegant, white clapboard, mid-19th century house is framed by a spectacular garden, which has been featured several times in the Stonington Garden Club’s triennial “Gardens by the Sea” tour. In 2019, the garden was also accepted into the Garden Club of America’s Archives of American Gardens maintained by the Smithsonian Institution.
The front portico of the Peleg Hancox house
The stately Greek Revival home was built in 1848 by Peleg Hancox, a wealthy whaling merchant. His father, Sgt. Peleg Hancox, served in the militia defending Stonington from the British during the War of 1812. The home features a lovely front portico supported by Corinthian columns and pilasters outlining the house. The grounds of the house consist of a quarter acre of interconnecting garden “rooms” with shrubs and trees arranged to set off the house and to provide privacy to those in the gardens and on the porch. The property is bordered by a white picket fence and outside the fence is a flagstone sidewalk.
This lovely bench beckons to relax and enjoy the view
The original 19th-century landscape plan is unknown, but it is believed that the basic structure has survived relatively intact along with the house. The grounds were renewed periodically throughout the 20th century, and no visible structural changes were made other than the addition of a one-car garage and single-track driveway in the 1920s. The gardens began undergoing renovation soon after the property was purchased in 2002. Work took place gradually over the ensuing decade, with major renovations undertaken between 2005 and 2008.
The homeowners worked with local landscape architect Christopher Thorp in the overall design and execution of the plans. Chris planned the basic design, hardscaping, movement of existing shrubs and installation of new ones, and locations for the new borders. All the perennials within those borders were chosen, sourced, and planted by the homeowners.
To create uniformity, nearly thirty large Boxwoods were installed around the south and east sides of the house. Existing Alberta spruces, a privet hedge, and shrub roses were retained as anchors. In the spring of 2008, on the north side of the house, the main side garden, viewed from the porch, was renovated. Important trees and shrubs were retained, some major shrubs were moved, and the hardscaping was entirely redone. New pathways were created, a new yew hedge separated the garden from the driveway, the lawn was reduced and edged with bluestone, a place for a bench was created at the end of the lawn panel, and new perennial borders were created. A trellis supporting a climbing hydrangea was added to the exterior wall of the house, and a diamond-shaped topiary of ivy was installed on the fence.
The variety of plantings create texture and interest
The Peleg Hancox House on a sparkling winter day
The gardens, maintained entirely by the homeowners, continue to evolve and provide the family with enjoyment and privacy, only steps away from a busy village. The property is a prime example of the many gracious and beautifully restored sea captains’ homes and gardens that line the streets in Stonington Borough.
To make sure you will not miss the Stonington Garden Club’s next “Gardens by the Sea” tour of the Borough’s extraordinary gardens, be sure to mark your calendars for June 10-11, 2022. For more information, visit www.stoningtongardenclub.org.