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Gardening How-Tos


Convivial Oakwood: Gathering in the Garden

8 / 1 / 248 / 1 / 24

This summer of ’24 is dedicated to Newport in all its many manifestations from entertaining to interiors to gardens to “happenings.” All coming under the nostalgic name, My Newport Diary…bringing… Read More

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Confessions of a Gardener

9 / 23 / 219 / 22 / 21

A perennial favorite, this is the blog where I “dish the dirt,” or rather, confess my horticultural missteps. I long ago found that in formal gardens it is more difficult… Read More

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Sharing Garden Secrets with a Good Friend

5 / 6 / 215 / 4 / 21

My lovely friend, Andrea, at the chic Glam Pad blog, invited me to pen my thoughts about planning a garden as a novice (I’ve been there before…). One of those… Read More

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12 Ideas to Borrow from St. Louis Gardens

6 / 7 / 187 / 27 / 20

There is inspiration in every garden, if perhaps only as confirmation, but “visiting and viewing” is the very best way to up your garden game. For me, it is one… Read More

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A Fall Centerpiece: Intriguing Combinations with Garden Favorites

11 / 14 / 177 / 27 / 20

Even though Parterre’s gardens are formal in a design sense, I always find a few spots where I can include certain plant material that is not usually associated with French… Read More

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All Around the House: Decorating with Pumpkins

11 / 9 / 177 / 27 / 20

Who doesn’t love driving past a farm stand packed with those jolly, fat fellows that always signal “it’s fall.” And I’ve noticed this year that more of the quirky, odd-colored… Read More

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The Making of a Mini Vegetable Garden

8 / 3 / 177 / 27 / 20

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

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Planning Your Summer Garden: 9 ‘Oops’ to Avoid

5 / 16 / 177 / 27 / 20

Spring, and its established ritual of “opening the garden,” is surely a gardener’s favorite time of the year. Top of my list is to check my “to do” notes and update… Read More

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Dressed in Autumn Finery

10 / 6 / 167 / 17 / 20

It’s the end of the growing season; time for cutting back, pulling out, bedding down. And thinking about making an arrangement with leftovers from the garden and “roadsidia” (a gardener’s… Read More

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Creating Your Own “Iris Apfel-Inspired” Dahlia Arrangment

9 / 15 / 167 / 17 / 20

Table centerpieces are probably my favorite part of the entertaining process, made all the more satisfying when the flowers are fresh from the garden. At this time of the year… Read More

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About Bettie

Author of Private Newport and Living Newport, designer of the Parterre Bench, national lecturer, and entertaining expert.
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privatenewport

Details reveal themselves in the quiet of early dawn…
the soft petal-pink of the cherries playing against the warmth of the stucco, defining this French Normandy house. The start of early spring at Parterre - fleeting, familiar, and no less captivating each time💕🌸
#privatenewport #springinnewport #privatehomes #privateliving #springcherryblossom

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Apr 14

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Open post by privatenewport with ID 17872510551596789
Details reveal themselves in the quiet of early dawn…
the soft petal-pink of the cherries playing against the warmth of the stucco, defining this French Normandy house. The start of early spring at Parterre - fleeting, familiar, and no less captivating each time💕🌸
#privatenewport #springinnewport #privatehomes #privateliving #springcherryblossom

privatenewport

It’s Daffodil Week in Newport, and no where is it more gorgeous than at Bellevue House, home to Ron Fleming, the gentleman to whom we have to thank for starting this event many years ago💛🌼💐
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#privatenewport #privatehomes #newporthistoricalsociety #springinnewport #newportflowers

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Apr 12

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Open post by privatenewport with ID 18088915532462569
It’s Daffodil Week in Newport, and no where is it more gorgeous than at Bellevue House, home to Ron Fleming, the gentleman to whom we have to thank for starting this event many years ago💛🌼💐 
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#privatenewport #privatehomes #newporthistoricalsociety #springinnewport #newportflowers

privatenewport

Soon, soon, soon our gorgeous pairs of matched ‘Hally Jolivette’ cherries will be coming into bloom. Always a reason for celebration here at Parterre, when other trees don’t even have leaves. Their delicate pink flowers herald what spring is all about! 🌸💕
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#privatenewport #springhassprung #privatehomes #springgardens #springinnewport

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Apr 9

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Open post by privatenewport with ID 17943130740178794
Soon, soon, soon our gorgeous pairs of matched ‘Hally Jolivette’ cherries will be coming into bloom. Always a reason for celebration here at Parterre, when other trees don’t even have leaves. Their delicate pink flowers herald what spring is all about! 🌸💕
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#privatenewport #springhassprung #privatehomes #springgardens #springinnewport

privatenewport

Early whispers of spring are starting to show themselves in Newport… though the real season is still just out of reach along our coastal shores.

This in-between moment always brings back memories of the many beautiful spring landscapes I’ve encountered across the country during my book travels, each destination marking the season in its own unforgettable way. The Gardens of the North Shore of Chicago will always be memorable🌷🌸🌿
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📸credit: Scott Shigley Photo
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#springtimeinnewport #privatenewport #springhassprung #privateliving #gardensofthenorthshoreofchicago

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Apr 7

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Open post by privatenewport with ID 17926927095087301
Early whispers of spring are starting to show themselves in Newport… though the real season is still just out of reach along our coastal shores.

This in-between moment always brings back memories of the many beautiful spring landscapes I’ve encountered across the country during my book travels, each destination marking the season in its own unforgettable way. The Gardens of the North Shore of Chicago will always be memorable🌷🌸🌿
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📸credit: Scott Shigley Photo 
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#springtimeinnewport #privatenewport #springhassprung #privateliving #gardensofthenorthshoreofchicago

privatenewport

Easter arrives early this year, just as the first signs of spring begin to appear. Snowdrops, crocus, and muscari quietly announce the season of renewal - each delicate bloom a reminder of nature’s simple blessings🐰🤍

For me, Easter has always been a signal to bring on the flowers… celebrating the beauty, joy, and promise that spring brings🐣🥂
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#happyeaster #privatenewport #springishere #privateliving #newportspring

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Apr 5

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Open post by privatenewport with ID 18069457085302148
Easter arrives early this year, just as the first signs of spring begin to appear. Snowdrops, crocus, and muscari quietly announce the season of renewal - each delicate bloom a reminder of nature’s simple blessings🐰🤍

For me, Easter has always been a signal to bring on the flowers… celebrating the beauty, joy, and promise that spring brings🐣🥂
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#happyeaster #privatenewport #springishere #privateliving #newportspring

privatenewport

At Parterre, even Easter arrives with a sense of occasion. 🌸🐣💜

Pastels, polished silver, and a table set as if spring itself were the guest of honor… soft lavender linens, garden-fresh florals, sugar-dusted confections, and chairs dressed for the occasion in their holiday best. A reminder that some of the most memorable celebrations aren’t the grandest, but the ones thoughtfully set.

As Newport prepares for another beautiful spring season, gatherings like this at Parterre feel like a quiet welcome back to spring… where entertaining is truly an art form and every detail feels intentional.

Wishing you a beautiful Easter filled with elegance, renewal, and just the right amount of something sweet✨
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#privatenewport #happyeaster #parterre #easterinnewport #springdécor

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Apr 2

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Open post by privatenewport with ID 17913630363161652
At Parterre, even Easter arrives with a sense of occasion. 🌸🐣💜

Pastels, polished silver, and a table set as if spring itself were the guest of honor… soft lavender linens, garden-fresh florals, sugar-dusted confections, and chairs dressed for the occasion in their holiday best. A reminder that some of the most memorable celebrations aren’t the grandest, but the ones thoughtfully set.

As Newport prepares for another beautiful spring season, gatherings like this at Parterre feel like a quiet welcome back to spring… where entertaining is truly an art form and every detail feels intentional.

Wishing you a beautiful Easter filled with elegance, renewal, and just the right amount of something sweet✨
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#privatenewport #happyeaster #parterre #easterinnewport #springdécor
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Bettie's Faves

  • Charlotte Moss
  • La Dolce Vita
  • My Beautiful Paris
  • The Enchanted Home
  • The Glam Pad
  • The Lush List
  • The Potted Boxwood
  • Vicki Archer
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