A Gilded Age Christmas , Part 1

It is glorious in Newport any time of the year, but especially at Christmas! And with all the attention “The Gilded Age” series has garnered I thought I’d begin my…

Thanksgiving ’23

As we head into the Thanksgiving holiday, my heart is full…not only is my only sibling making her annual “turkey trot” to Newport, but a lifelong friend will also be…

Out and About in Paris

It had been five years since I’d last been in Paris…so you can imagine my exuberant state of mind. Even despite the on and off rain, I strolled and took…

Autumn In Paris

I have been very fortunate to have visited Paris in almost every month of the year…and she never disappoints!! But this trip was charmed in ways that I could not…

Classical Shindig, New Orleans-Style

Halloween is behind us, and the long holiday season with its many occasions and opportunities for celebration, is upon us. Where better to look for new inspiration than one of…

Hampton Court Gardens

The first thing that might come to mind when you read “Hampton Court Palace” may be King Henry VIII and his unfortunate wives (of those six, Jane Seymour was the…

Early Fall at Parterre

Even if fall will probably be late (or very subtle) this year, there are still those signatures in the gardens that announce the season is changing. One is the pair…

Entertaining in the Orangerie

Well, by the enthusiastic response to last week’s post on our Orangerie, I bet you’ll love seeing this whimsical “folly” in her main role –party central. For, once finished with…

Romancing the Orangerie

What could be more romantic than four rare ‘Hally Jolivette’ cherry standards, swathed in tiny individual shell-pink blossoms that sway in the soft breezes of a mid-April dawn. They are…

The Orangerie at Parterre

The Parterre Bench and the Orangerie are the two most important non-floral entities in the garden. But at times I realize the Orangerie can be more of an unsung hero,…