For gardeners the ultimate pleasure is to be able to cut flowers from their own garden to beautify their home and give it a fresh look and feel. At Blithewold, located at 101 Ferry Road in Bristol, Rhode Island, which has tended a cutting garden for over 100 years, flowers from the garden have been brought into the Mansion for everyday pleasure as well as for special events, or given away to friends and family. Others who keep a cutting garden love to have home-grown blossoms, foliage, and seed heads handy for fresh or dried floral arrangements and crafts, and even for cooking.

Guests at this Friday, September 27 session, beginning at 10 am, will meet at Blithewold’s Greenhouse, then accompany Gardens Manager Gail Read into the Cutting Garden, where she will share what she likes to grow for cut flowers. The June session of the two-part series highlighted cutting-garden annuals and planting plans; a walk around the property highlighted a variety of flowers worthy to be cut and brought into the home. The cutting bed comes into its own in July through September. September is Gail’s favorite time in the cutting garden—the flowers are so exuberant! And, it’s a great time to demonstrate cutting techniques as well as the possibilities for favorite foliage cuts. $20 for Blithewold members, $25 for nonmembers. Sign up by calling 401-253-2707, or online at www.blithewold.org.   Photo from www.theruralsociety.com.