Boston Flora

Category: Rhode Island

  • Friday, June 19 – Sunday, June 21 – The 30th Newport Flower Show: Pearls of Newport

    “Pearls of Newport” is the perfect theme for the 30th anniversary Newport Flower Show, taking place June 19–21, 2026, at Rosecliff. This milestone event will feature exquisite floral exhibits inspired by the rare beauty and hidden treasures of the City-by-the-Sea. Just as pearls symbolize elegance and sophistication, the show will spotlight stunning floral designs, botanical arts and horticulture displays that reflect Newport’s rich heritage and refined charm. The theme will also connect naturally to the city’s coastal identity and maritime history.

    In a graceful nod to the Gilded Age, when fashionable Newport women often wore pearls as a symbol of refinement and status, the show will blend historic elegance with modern creativity.

    “Pearls of Newport” promises a celebration of floral excellence wrapped in coastal beauty and timeless style.

    Don’t miss your chance to secure tickets to the Flower Show Opening Night Party on Friday, June 19, at 6 pm – the kickoff to Newport’s summer season! Tickets available now at NewportMansions.org

  • Saturday, May 2, 9:00 am – 2:00 pm – Sakonnet Plant Fair

    The Fifth Annual Sakonnet Plant Fair will take place on Saturday, May 2, 9:00 am – 2:00 pm at 3 Meeting House Lane in Little Compton, Rhode Island. This event is a benefit for the Little Compton Village Improvement Society, and over 35 vendors and specialty growers are expected to attend. There will be coffee, music, food, book signings, and the opportunity to purchase annuals, perennials, herbs, native plants, vegetables, trees, bulbs, and tropicals. For more information visit https://www.sakonnetgarden.net/

  • Now through Sunday, May 3 – Full Circle

    Fifty-one years after “Monumenta” transformed Newport with one of the world’s first large-scale outdoor sculpture exhibitions, “Full Circle” revisits that groundbreaking moment through the work of Richard Fleischner, one of the last living participating artists, and his contemporaries.

    Centered on Fleischner’s enduring site-specific “Sod Maze” at Chateau-sur-Mer, the exhibition presents original sketches, notes and archival materials that illuminate his early career alongside influential figures such as Christo, David Smith, Claes Oldenburg, Alexander Liberman and Barnett Newman.

    Complemented by encaustics and works related to Fleischner’s ongoing Rowdy Meadow earthwork – home to contemporary masters like Richard Serra, Anish Kapoor, and Andy Goldsworthy – the exhibit traces a compelling arc from the pioneering vision of “Monumenta” to the continuing relevance of modern art and contemporary sculpture today.

    The exhibit is at Rosecliff, 548 Bellevue Avenue in Newport, and the exhibition is included with admission to Rosecliff. For more. information visit https://www.newportmansions.org/events/full-circle/

    Image above: Richard Fleischner, aerial photograph of “Sod Maze” in winter, Newport, Rhode Island, 1974. Courtesy of the artist.

  • Saturday, March 28, 8:30 am – 2:30 pm – The Art of Biodiversity Gardening

    Sakonnet Garden invites you to The Art of Biodiversity Gardening: A Gardening Symposium, on Saturday, March 28, featuring speakers Hanna Packer, Uli Lorimer, and Fergus Garrett. The Symposium will take place at Wilber & McMahon Schools, 28 Commons Street in Little Compton, Rhode Island.

    This year’s symposium brings you three speakers who will open a conversation about the art of biodiversity gardening. Our goal in selecting these diverse and complimentary individuals is to foster thought about your own gardens and your own gardening aspirations. Perhaps you will learn that the nurturing of biodiversity is more complex than merely selecting natives over non natives, and that design and beauty in a garden can encourage biodiversity as a direct result or a by-product. In a world where we seem to have little control, Sakonnet Garden hopes that you take away something from this day which will encourage you to be more deliberate in how as gardeners you can make a difference in however small a way intention leads you in the garden.

    Tickets $75. Register at https://www.sakonnetgarden.net/events

  • Thursday, December 18, 11:00 am – 12:00 noon – Behind the Scenes: The Breakers Holiday Decorations

    Join Jim Donahue, Curator of Historic Landscapes & Horticulture of the Preservation Society of Newport County, on Thursday, December 18 at ll am at The Breakers for a behind the scenes tour of the holiday decoration process. Preservation Society members $20, general public $25. This is an Adult Event. Two other dates, December 4 and 11, are already sold out, but you may add your name to a waiting list. To register visit https://www.newportmansions.org/events/behind-the-scenes-the-breakers-holiday-decorations-3/

  • Saturday, September 20, 4:30 pm – 6:30 pm – In Conversation with Chef Marcus Samuelsson

    Internationally renowned chef Marcus Samuelsson, who’s headlining the Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival in September, had a remarkable journey to culinary stardom. Samuelsson will share his stories during a special event, “In Conversation with Chef Marcus Samuelsson,” on Saturday, September 20, from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at Rosecliff.

    The eight-time James Beard Award winner was born in Ethiopia, raised in Sweden and trained in Europe before he headed to New York at age 23. He took the culinary world by storm, creating flavorful new cuisine that reflected his multicultural identity.

    Within a year, Samuelsson was named executive chef at Aquavit and soon became the youngest chef ever awarded three stars by The New York Times. Samuelsson’s trajectory had only begun. The “Top Chef Masters” champion now operates a dozen restaurants around the world, has written multiple cookbooks and a memoir, and won an Emmy Award.

    Guests will enjoy a tasting plate and wine pairing during the Conversation and will have access to the festival Tasting Tent before the event. $250. Register at https://www.newportmansions.org/events/in-conversation-with-chef-marcus-samuelsson/

  • Saturday, September 20, 10:00 am – 11:00 am – Tree Walk at Chateau-sur-Mer

    The Preservation Society of Newport County will host a tree walk at Chateau-sur-Mer, 474 Bellevue Avenue in Newport, Rhode Island, on September 20 at 10 am. The walk will be led by Jeff Curtis, Director of Gardens & Landscapes. We will examine Chateau-sur-Mer’s mature arboretum with specimen quality trees including Japanese maples, weeping hemlocks, Turkish oaks and European beeches, among others.

    This is an outdoor event, rain or shine. Participants will meet at the front door of Chateau-sur-Mer to begin the tour. Members $15, nonmembers $20. Registration is required at https://www.newportmansions.org/events/tree-walk-at-chateau-sur-mer/

  • Thursday, September 18 – Sunday, September 21 – Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival

    Three days of fun and educational seminars, tastings, dinners and the fan-favorite Sunday Jazz Buffet Brunch await you in Marble House and Rosecliff at the Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival on September 18 – 21.

    Celebrated Chef Marcus Samuelsson will join us as host of the elegant Vintner Dinner and as featured guest for a conversation in the Rosecliff Ballroom. For complete listing of events, and links for registration, visit https://www.newportmansions.org/events/newport-mansions-wine-food-festival-2025/

  • Bio-Absorption (Rain Garden) Unveiled at Marble House

    The new bio-absorption garden – aka rain garden – next to the Marble House visitor parking lot in Newport was officially dedicated in June, though with recent rains it had already been doing its job of preventing stormwater runoff.

    A project of Scenic Aquidneck (The Preservation Society of Newport County, Aquidneck Island Land Trust, Preserve Rhode Island and the van Beuren Charitable Foundation), the garden was constructed by O’Connor Design Build in Middletown.

    This 2,800-square-foot garden will capture and filter stormwater runoff, reducing pollution and mitigating flooding. It is functional and environmentally friendly but also beautifies the space with an array of new native plantings that will promote biodiversity while attracting birds and pollinators. Preservation Society CEO Trudy Coxe noted that this new rain garden is the latest in a series of important projects completed by Scenic Aquidneck. Others include rebuilding hundreds of feet of stone wall, a project to bury power lines along Second Beach in Middletown, documenting historic barns across Aquidneck Island and pushing for historic tax credits at the state level. For more information on properties managed by The Preservation Society of Newport County, visit https://www.newportmansions.org/. Photo credit to Natasha Harrison of the Newport Tree Conservancy, far left.

  • Friday, June 20 – Sunday, June 22 – The Newport Flower Show: A Floral Fair

    The 2025 Newport Flower Show, themed “A Floral Fair,” will shine at Rosecliff from June 20-22, 2025, celebrating two enchanting and vibrant themes. Inside the elegant rooms of Rosecliff, guests will be transported back to the Gilded Age, honoring the legacy of Theresa Fair Oelrichs, the mansion’s original owner. Exhibitors in Floral Design and Botanical Arts will draw inspiration from her 1913 fairy tale-themed dinner, creating captivating displays of imagination and elegance. Adding a fun twist, the first floor will also bloom with playful arrangements reminiscent of a cheerful summer county fair.

    The festivities continue outdoors on Rosecliff’s rear terrace and lawn overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Here, the Horticulture Division and Garden Displays will bring the themes to life with competitions of delightful plants, vibrant cut flowers and inspiring displays crafted by skilled amateur gardeners and local garden clubs.

    After soaking in the floral splendor, don’t forget to visit the Marketplace for some well-deserved retail therapy! From the ever-popular Newport Mansions Stores to carefully selected vendors offering unique treasures, there’s something for everyone.

    Mark your calendar to join us this summer to celebrate creativity and the beauty of nature. Preservation Society members $35, nonmembers $45. Additionally, join the celebration on Friday, June 20, 2025, at 6 pm and step into the breathtaking interiors and garden displays at Rosecliff, transformed into a fragrant wonderland of blossoms and lush displays. Sip refreshing cocktails, savor delectable small bites and shop exclusive finds, all while mingling with fellow flower lovers. With live music, stunning floral designs and the magical summer ambiance of Newport in full bloom, this is the must-attend garden party of the season. $250 members, $275 nonmembers. Tickets available for both the Show and the Party at https://www.newportmansions.org/events/the-newport-flower-show-a-floral-fair/. Photo below from 2024 taken by Sandra Gilpatrick.