Hot Summer, Cool Garden
One need only enter an exquisite jewel box of a tiny, shaded garden on a hot day to appreciate the adage that “less is more.” Even before I opened the… Read More
Author: Bettie Bearden Pardee
People, Places & Privileged Precincts Part 2
Part two of this perspective on being a gracious weekend hostess comes with warm thanks to all my friends who have hosted me, from Palm Beach to Nantucket to the… Read More
11 Magical Summer Spaces: Newport’s Private Side
A veranda, a ballroom, an orangerie, a loggia…these are the settings I dream of as summer is approaching. Each one marks the experience of living in Newport in this idyllic… Read More
People, Places & Privileged Precincts Part 1
Having been a house guest a few times this summer, as well as a hostess, I’ve enjoyed gathering thoughts for each role…as well as some favorite images of “privileged precincts”… Read More
The Making of a Mini Vegetable Garden
What are two young darlings to do when dwelling in the eighth oldest home in Newport and desperate for a garden of their own? I am delighted to share with… Read More
Hydrangeas: Summer Favorites
Hydrangeas are usually such an iconic flower in Newport but for the last two years (due to weather and other “acts of Mother Nature”) there has barely been a bloom… Read More
Innisfree Garden in Nantucket
On a small peninsula on the northern coast of Nantucket is a view so compelling that uber architect, Robert Venturi, was coaxed into doing one last residential project…for clients, Susie… Read More
Window Boxes of Nantucket
When I landed in Nantucket, navigating my way through the charming narrow streets of downtown became a frustrating exercise (there was a funeral and three blocks of the center of… Read More
Blue and White: At Home in Newport
With all the focus on the use of blue and white in today’s world of design, I thought it time to focus on Newport’s classic take on this beloved color… Read More
Newport for Children: Adventures, Outings and Activities
Our gorgeous summer weather provides opportunities galore for children of all ages (as well as the “child within you”) to enjoy a vast potpourri of activities, sports, soon-to-be-pastimes, adventures and… Read More