Boston Flora

Category: Rhode Island

  • Sunday, June 19, 12:00 noon – 4:00 pm – Juneteenth Event and Rhode Island Slave History Medallion Unveiling

    Join Historic New England on the Juneteenth holiday to honor the contributions of people of color to the growth of Casey Farm and to Rhode Island. At this family-friendly day, explore the farm on foot or on a hayride. Listen to music by the Nettukkusqk Singers, the URI African Drummers and Dancers, and Sidy Maiga & Afrimanding. Hear Lorén Spears of Tomaquag Museum, Casey Farm’s historians, and R.I. Black Storytellers speak about Indigenous and African American culture. Learn about the region from the Narrow River Preservation Association. The highlight of the day is the unveiling of a R.I. Slave History Medallion on the front lawn. Bring your chairs or picnic blanket and enjoy lunch purchased from local BIPOC-owned food trucks.
    Please dress for the weather and leave pets at home.

    Free Please call 401-295-1030 ext. 5 for more information. Casey Farm is located at 2325 Boston Neck Road in Saunderstown.

  • Saturday, June 18, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Landscape in Translation: Arts & Crafts Ideals in the 21st Century

    With sweeping views of the Narragansett Bay, Blithewold was created as a seaside summer retreat in the 1890s and remained in the same family for almost 100 years. Today, this 33-acre estate evokes the romance of the Country Place Era. The landscape itself reflects the Arts and Crafts style with harmony between house and grounds and amongst the various gardens; garden rooms of an intimate scale ranging in character from mysterious to exotic, poetic to practical; carefully designed and locally crafted details including stonework, wellheads, and fountains; and a remarkable collection of more than 500 species of trees and shrubs. On June 18 at 1 pm, explore this landscape and its rich history in a Digging Deeper walking tour with Garden Manager Betsy Ekholm and Gail Read (gardens and greenhouse manager). The program is sponsored by the Garden Conservancy, and is $30 for Blithewold and Garden Conservancy members, $40 for general public. For more information, please contact the Garden Conservancy by telephone 845.424.6500, M-F, 9-5 Eastern, or sign up at www.gardenconservancy.org

  • Saturday, June 11, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Rose Memories

    The Rhode Island Rose Society’s 23rd Rose Show will take place Saturday, June 11 at Shepherd of the Valley United Methodist Church, 604 Seven Mile Road, Hope, Rhode Island. The free public viewing will be open from 1 – 3, with award presentations between 3 – 4. If you are interested in entering your roses, you are welcome to come early between 7-930AM
    and we will assist you with your entries. Members of the public who wish to “attend” one of our virtual meetings prior to joining
    may request to get a link to an upcoming Zoom meeting by writing to the society email HERE

  • Friday, June 17 – Sunday, June 19 – The Newport Flower Show: Eden … A Personal Paradise

    From Fantasy Gardens and Modern Farms to Community Plantings and Plant Parents, the concept of a personal Eden has been redefined. Visit Rosecliff from June 17 – 19, 2022. The Opening Reception will take place Friday, June 17. Tickets information may be found at https://www.newportmansions.org/events/newport-flower-show Presenting Sponsor is Bartlett Tree Experts. Group tours are welcome. For groups of 20 or more, advance reservations are required. Proceeds will benefit the preservation and rehabilitation of the historic landscapes of The Preservation Society of Newport. All visitors ages five and older must be fully vaccinated, and visitors will be required to provide proof of vaccination and photo ID at the entrance – no exceptions. Proof of a COVID booster shot for all visitors 12 and older also required. Masks required indoors.

  • Tuesday, December 14, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm – Creating a Holiday Floral Centerpiece Workshop

    Blithewold Mansion, Gardens & Arboretum are not too far to drive from the Greater Boston Area.

    Take some time to enjoy a workshop with Blakely Szosz who has a decidedly informal approach to formal design. We will create a stunning and long-lasting floral centerpiece to dress up your seasonal decor.

    We are excited to note that designs will be assembled without single-use floral foam. Multiple techniques and tricks will be discussed and shared so that participants can practice eco-friendly design at home all year long. The workshop will take place on December 14 from 6 – 8 at Blithewold, 101 Ferry Road in Bristol, Rhode Island, and is $55 for Blithewold members, $65 for nonmembers plus fee. Register at https://www.blithewold.org/event/creating-a-holiday-floral-centerpiece-with-blakely-szosz/

  • Saturday, September 18, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm – East Providence Open Day

    The Garden Conservancy will host an Open Day in East Providence, Rhode Island on September 18 from 10 – 4.

    Tucked into a lot on Bullocks Cove, adjacent to the East Bay bike path, this Native Coastal garden is a wildlife refuge. Where a parking lot once met the cove, a rain garden edged by a sand dune now slopes to a little beach and a native buffer. Phragmites have been replaced by cordgrass and high-tide bush.

    But there is more. A roof garden with a little dune and prickly pear cactus. Another rain garden that collects water from the street to support swamp azalea. A small rectangular fishpond set into the only formal lawn serves as a dooryard, and creates privacy for a terrace below. The garden is a haven for people, birds, and insects that could not have been sustained by a parking lot.

    Conservancy members $5, general admission $10.

    • Pre-registration is REQUIRED for each garden. Pre-register for each on this website, except where specifically indicated otherwise. Children under 12 are free and do not need to be pre-registered if accompanied by pre-registered adult.
    • Capacity is limited. Sorry, no walk-ins allowed; no paper tickets or cash payments will be accepted on-site.
    • Masks are required, at the discretion of the garden owners, and social distancing is encouraged at all in-person events.

    Register at https://www.gardenconservancy.org/open-days/garden-directory/native-coastal-garden

  • Friday, September 17 – Sunday, September 19 – Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival

    Join the Preservation Society of Newport County on September 17 – 18 for the Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival.

    Wonderful wines from around the world, fabulous food from local and regional chefs and an exquisite ocean view are all included in this year’s festival at Rosecliff. Seminars, wine-pairing dinners and Sunday Brunch are all returning. 

    The full schedule of Seminars and Wine Dinners along with Tickets Sales may be accessed at www.newportmansions.org.

  • Sunday, August 22, 9:30 am – 6:00 pm – Sakonnet Garden Open Day

    Sakonnet Garden is a hidden exotic garden within a native coastal fields landscape, a long-term project of John Gwynne and Mikel Folcarelli. This ongoing experiment in design, scale, and plantings began as an acre-sized spring woodland garden and is subdivided into spaces separated by high windbreak hedges and stone walls that enable growing of many Zone 7 plants. Each space has its own mood and horticultural objective. These woodland areas are very different in summer, mostly shady and green, but with the “subtropical quadrant” at peak of exuberance. Open for the first time on August 22 for the Garden Conservancy, a new “pollinator plus” summer garden is a colorful walk through perennial border conceived as a biodiversity maze. Thousands of flowers produce nectar for butterflies, bees (especially native bees), and other insects important for pollination. Clipped topiary Ilex begins to mimic the Nupé house posts from Ghana.

    For more information about the garden, visit www.sakonnetgarden.com.

    Registration will be via the Sakonnet Garden’s website; booking will open soon.

  • Friday, June 18, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Back in Bloom Opening Reception

    The Preservation Society of Newport County invites you to the opening reception of Back in Bloom, A Ballroom Floral Fantasy, on Friday, June 18 from 6 – 9 at Rosecliff in Newport. Enjoy delicious hors d’oeuvres, cocktails and conversation while taking in the beautiful sights and scents of the floral exhibits and garden vignettes inside Rosecliff. Advanced ticket purchases only. Following state gathering guidelines, ticket quantities are limited and will sell out.

    The Salon and Ballroom of Rosecliff will be transformed into a magical experience to delight the senses with sights, scents and sounds. The Salon will feature the very popular Botanical Arts design classes, where talented designers will base their creations on expressions of a garden at nighttime. The Ballroom will be a stunning garden oasis featuring floral designs interpreting classes with titles like Garden Nymph, Fireflies and Harvest Moon. For the first time, the Horticulture Division of cut flowers and creative garden containers will be brought indoors and arranged around the central garden in the Ballroom. Finally, the Terrace will be transformed into a conservatory garden space and will feature al-fresco exhibition tables created by local event and floral designers.

    This will not be like any other Flower Show presented at Rosecliff. It is a special installation created to meet today’s special circumstances. Unfortunately, we are not able to include the Oceanside Boutiques shopping or food concessions at this year’s show, but the Newport Mansions Store will be open at Rosecliff.   The opening party is $150 for Preservation Society members, $175 for nonmembers. Register at https://www.newportmansions.org/events/newport-flower-show

  • Friday, June 18 – Sunday, June 20 – The Newport Flower Show: Back in Bloom: A Ballroom Floral Fantasy

    Many have asked about The Newport Flower Show, which usually takes place in June. Unfortunately, COVID safety restrictions prohibit The Preservation Society of Newport County from hosting the show with the popular opening cocktail party and dinner, luncheons and lectures, and Oceanside Boutiques Marketplace. But that doesn’t mean they’re giving up on flowers!


    From June 18-20, 2021, at Rosecliff, they will present Back in Bloom: A Ballroom Floral Fantasy – an extravagant floral installation inside Newport’s most famous ballroom, creating a unique fantasy of sight, scent and sound.


    Beautiful floral arrangements and lush indoor garden vignettes will be created by members of area garden clubs and other enthusiasts. Patricia H. Fernandez returns as Chair of the event and brings with her an experienced group of volunteers to oversee the design and installation of the exhibits. An assortment of best-in-show ribbons will be awarded and displayed during the event. Bartlett Tree Experts continues its generous support as the Presenting Sponsor of the event.


    Details of Back in Bloom are being finalized and tickets will be available soon for purchase through the Society’s website at www.newportmansions.org/events.