Dressing the Library in Fall Color
Fall is my favorite season, though it looks like it will be very late this year (the leaves are all still happily green). So to tide me over, I’ve gathered… Read More
Author: Bettie Bearden Pardee
Oops! in the Garden
This annual post has proven to be as much a confessional as it is a reality check, always prompting me to remember that without these learning experiences there couldn’t be… Read More
Celebrating 20 Years at Parterre
Parterre and its gardens celebrated their 20th anniversary this summer. And yet, it seems like only yesterday that we were creating our own little “paradise” on what had long ago… Read More
Reuniting with Downton Abbey
Our beloved Downton Abbey television series ended in March of 2016 and since then millions of Americans (including this writer) have been patiently anticipating some sequel or follow-on. Finally, on… Read More
Entertaining at Home: Inspirations from Celebrated Hosts
One never knows where life’s chance meetings might lead. Five years ago, Ronda Carman and I were signing our respective books at the Theta Antique Show in Houston. Two weeks… Read More
Boston Townhouses in their Summer Finery Part 2
Aaah, the happy memories that these posts have brought back. We lived at 61 Commonwealth Avenue, in the heart of Back Bay, and I treasured every moment. My childhood dream… Read More
Boston Townhouses in their Summer Finery Part 1
Having lived in Boston for a few years, I’m very partial to the term “Boston Proper” as describing the old in-town neighborhoods that included Back Bay, Beacon Hill, South End,… Read More
Romancing our Summer Garden
The Orangerie in Parterre’s garden was a most special surprise Christmas gift in 1997, given to me by my husband, Jonathan, as we began our house building project. While originally… Read More
Seafair, a Hurricane’s Tale
There’s always a story in Newport and as we head into hurricane season, this gripping tale from my book, Private Newport, deserves to be retold. Few in Newport recognize Seafair… Read More
Hidcote: of Hedges and Vistas
While I have been very enthusiastic about visiting many gardens, both here and in Europe as time permits, my list of “to see” seems to be getting longer and longer.… Read More