Want to transplant some favorite perennials but unsure of the best time to do it? Come to Blithewold Mansion, Gardens & Arboretum on October 18 at 10 am and learn from Blithewold’s horticulturists as they begin the yearly process of editing and changing the gardens. The address is 101 Ferry Road in Bristol, Rhode Island, and the cost is $35 for Blithewold members, $45 for the general public. Email jcleveland@blithewold.org if you are interested in attending.
Be inspired as the coming generation of horticultural innovators shares how they are breathing new life into the green industry. On Monday, June 4, from 2 – 6 at Blithewold Mansion, Gardens & Arboretum, 101 Ferry Road in Bristol, Rhode Island, visit under the tent for discussions on horticulture, landscape design, arboriculture, cut-flower farming and how these young professionals have adapted their businesses and have found success. Enjoy food truck, live music and networking during the dinner/cocktail hour. $55 Members (Blithewold, RINLA, ISA, APLD, ASCFG, NOFA) $65 Nonmembers. Register at https://www.blithewold.org/event/industry-innovators-next-generation-horticultural-rock-stars/ or email jcleveland@blithewold.org
Sparkle! Enjoy Blithewold’s marshmallow-roasting-Christmas-carol-singing-cocoa-sipping-strolling-through-the-twinkling-garden-paths-fun-for-the-whole-family event at the Gardens located at 101 Ferry Road in Bristol, Rhode Island.
Free Hot Cocoa. S’mores kits are 1 for $2, and 3 for $5 (a part of the proceeds benefits the Boy Scouts). Carol-singing around the fire performances at 6 and 7 pm.
The beautifully illuminated Gardens and lavishly decorated Mansion are fragile and can suffer from too many visitors. This year they’ve set up 3 Sparkle sessions at 5 pm, 6 pm and 7 pm that will help us better control the flow of traffic and help preserve the House and Grounds.
Pre-registration is required:
Member Adult $2
Member Child (3 years and older) $1
Member Family (2 Adults and 2 Kids) $5
Non-Member Adult $16
Non-Member Child (3 years and older) $3
Non-Member Family (2 Adults and 2 Kids) $36
Please select your arrival time during registration. Admission to the Mansion is included. To register call 401-253-2707, or visit https://www.blithewold.org/sparkle-an-outdoor-family-event/
Join Tower Hill Botanic Garden on Thursday, December 7 for a field trip to Rhode Island. Enjoy the charm and beauty of Bristol at Christmas Time with guided tours of Blithewold and Linden Place, both decked out in holiday splendor, and lunch at the Lobster Pot with spectacular views of Narragansett Bay. Tower Hill member price $125, nonmembers $150, includes transportation, lunch, and guided tours. Register online at http://www.towerhillbg.org/trips-and-tours/
Take advantage of an opportunity to see Blithewold’s incredible grounds through the eyes of Executive Director, Karen Binder, on Saturday, June 13 from 10 – 11. On a leisurely stroll, Karen will highlight the outdoor elements, including exciting updates to buildings and grounds, as well as seasonal specimens.
Families with children are welcome to attend. Register today at www.blithewold.org. Group Size limit to 20. Participants will meet at the Blithewold Visitor Center. Admission, plus $3 Children, $5 Adults. (Pay admission at the door) Blithewold is located at 101 Ferry Road, Rt. 114, in Bristol, Rhode Island.
Learn how to stretch your garden budget by taking advantage of nature’s generosity. Kristin Green, Blithewold horticulturist and author of Plantiful: Start Small, Grow Big with 150 Plants that Spread, Self-Sow, and Overwinter, will present a gardener’s guide to opportunism followed by a demonstration on how to root tip cuttings using a Forsythe pot—a propagation tool that is simpler than an expensive greenhouse mist system, more reliable than glasses of water on the windowsill, and can be easily made from stuff stashed in the potting shed. The event will take place Saturday, May 9, from 1 – 2 at Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston.
Kristin Green is an interpretive horticulturist at Blithewold Mansion, Gardens & Arboretum, a 33 acre non-profit public garden on the Narragansett Bay shore in Bristol, RI. Working as a part of a small staff and with a group of 25-30 volunteers, she helps plan, design, propagate, plant and maintain their five main garden areas, and has been author and photographer of Blithewold’s garden blog since 2007. Kristin is also head-gardener and curator of plants for her own tiny estate in Bristol. She writes a regular column called Down to Earth for area newspapers, her own blog at trenchmanicure.com, and has contributed articles and photographs to Fine Gardening and other magazines. Kristin will be available to sign her book, carried in Tower Hill’s gift shop, after the presentation.
Tower Hill members – $20, non-members – $35. Register online at www.towerhillbg.org, or call 508-869-6111.
Join Blithewold Mansion’s fun and informal plant walks, each of which will get you familiar with the plants and trees spread over Blithewold’s 33 acres of lawns and gardens. Led by members of the talented professional horticultural staff, this introductory, easy-paced walk covers a variety of topics. You will enjoy learning about various plants, garden topics, habitats, and seasons at Blithewold. Your guide will introduce you to perhaps new-to-you gardening techniques, trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants as well. People of all ages and levels of gardening experience are welcome. Dress for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes that can get wet. The Pruning Practices and Winter Interest Plant Walk will take place Sunday, November 2, from 1 – 2:30 pm, at the Gardens at 101 Ferry Road, in Bristol, Rhode Island. $5 for Blithewold members, admission plus $5 for nonmembers. For more information and directions visit www.blithewold.org.
As part of a small and informal group, discover the story behind Sculpture Embraces Horticulture, a site-specific sculpture exhibit created to highlight Blithewold’s exquisite landscape. We will view diverse exhibits, and Blithewold, through the eyes of Allison Newsome, the show’s curator, as well as one of the seven participating artists.
As we go through the entire collection, Allison will share information about each artist, as well as give us a glimpse into the process of creating a large-scale sculpture installation.
Please register early, as tour groups are kept small. Wearing comfortable footwear is encouraged. The tour lasts approximately 1.5 hours, after which refreshments will be served on the terrace. Tours will take place Thursdays, August 7, 14, 21 and 28, beginning at 3 pm. Blithewold Gardens & Arboretum is located at 101 Ferry Road, Route 114, Bristol, Rhode Island. Members $20, nonmembers $25. Register by calling 401-253-2707.
Join The Polly Hill Arboretum for a visit to southeastern Rhode Island September 24 – 26. This historic area is rich with diversity, natural beauty and culture. We will be based in the Narragansett Bay town of Bristol for two nights. Thursday we travel to Little Compton to visit three spectacular private gardens, with lunch included. Friday we have a special tour at nearby Blithewold Gardens concluding with a boxed lunch at the mansion. Plan your trip to include extra time to explore many other area attractions on your own, including Green Animals Topiary Gardens, Herreshoff Marine Museum/ America’s Cup Hall of Fame, self-guided town tree tour, and more!
Tour includes:
Two nights at the Bristol Harbor Inn; continental breakfast included
Transportation to Little Compton gardens
Evening wine and cheese reception
Boxed lunch both days
Garden admissions: (Sakonnet Garden, pictured below, and Blithewold special tour fee)
$150 tax deductible donation to the Polly Hill Arboretum
Tour Price: $500 Per person, based on double occupancy $650 Single
Tour size limited, sign up early! Call 508-693-9426, or visit www.pollyhillarboretum.org. You may also email karin@pollyhillarboretum.org.
Join Blithewold Mansion, Gardens and Arboretum for an illustrated talk by Peter J. Hatch on Thomas Jefferson’s Revolutionary Garden at Monticello, Virginia. The luncheon and presentation will be held at the Rhode Island Country Club, 150 Nayatt Road in Barrington, Rhode Island on Thursday, November 7, from 10 – 2. Members of Blithewold pay $75, non-members $85. Reserve by calling 401-253-2707, or email kwilson@blithewold.org.
Peter is the former Director of Gardens & Grounds at Monticello, an award-winning author, and advisor to First Lady Michelle Obama on the White House kitchen garden.
The talk will be followed by a delectable luncheon as well as a book signing.
