Garden Inspiration from the Italian Lake District

For all the many reasons we love traveling, my top one is bringing home new ideas for the garden… or new ways to do something I’m already doing! “If we…

The Intriguing Garden at Villa di Balbianello

For many reasons, Villa di Balbianello and its terraced gardens are arguably one of the most impressive sites on Lake Como (if not the). The breathtaking location on its own…

Postcards from the Magnificent Lake District of Northern Italy

How many of us have fallen in love with a place or part of the world and promised ourselves we would return “soon.” Such is my love affair with the…

Welcoming The Daffodils

Daffodils, those “harbingers of spring,” delight us with their welcome, cheery color. In addition to this asset, they provide a dressing up of landscapes and residences, affording a new look…

Shadows in the Garden: A Spring Revelry

We all await these magical moments in the garden, so unexpected and therefore, so bewitching. And I know exactly when this one took place…5:11pm on the afternoon of Monday, April…

A Cheery, Cherry Spring at Parterre

You’ve heard me speak often about serendiptiy, and this spring it was a welcome and constant happening, specifically as regards those harbingers of spring, cherry blossoms. The timing of celebrations…

Introducing Newport’s Gardiner House Hotel

As one would expect of a destination as high profile as Newport… from yachting regattas to extravagant weddings…our “City by the Sea” boasts many hotels and inns, most of them…

A Trip Down Memory Lane

Sometimes we take a personal, sentimental tradition for granted, until a friend offers up, “you should do a blog on those!” The “those” is an annual calendar that I create…

Easter at Parterre 2024

I can’t remember the last time that I so anticipated the week leading up to Easter. Perhaps it’s because our weather and the insistent winds have kept me from going…

Palm Beach, the Greenest of Enclaves

March in Newport is certainly living up to its reputation…”coming in like a lion and going out like a lamb” (I’m anxiously awaiting the lamb part). Sometimes the brightest note…