Private Newport - with Bettie Bearden Pardee

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In the Garden


My Summer Flower Garden

8 / 3 / 157 / 15 / 20

My gardens were designed with flower arranging in mind. Each plant, flower, bush (and yes, even some trees) were planted because they would enhance the mixed garden bouquets that I love… Read More

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7 Fanciful Garden Pavilions of Newport

7 / 14 / 157 / 15 / 20

Many are the charms of a Newport summer, but a particular favorite of mine are the fanciful garden houses, buildings and “follies” to be found on many properties. Enjoy this… Read More

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The Mystery of the Pink Hat

7 / 7 / 157 / 15 / 20

Greetings from Newport, hope your summer is going along swimmingly. If you are as fascinated as I am with mysteries, there’s one that has all of us in Newport stumped. It’s… Read More

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Bellinis and Blossoms

6 / 26 / 157 / 15 / 20

Summer is now in full play in Newport! To toast the official “start of the season” (which is kicked off by the Newport Flower Show) I hosted a garden party.… Read More

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A Fashionable Event in Newport

6 / 23 / 157 / 15 / 20

It was a celebratory weekend – the twentieth anniversary of the Newport Flower Show – worthy of sharing some of my favorite moments with you, each adding a note of… Read More

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Behind the Scenes at the Newport Flower Show

6 / 19 / 156 / 22 / 26

I’ve worn many hats over the years, all with pride in the Newport Flower Show which is now celebrating its 20th anniversary. As a former co-chair of this summer Show,… Read More

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My London Trilogy – Part I: The Chelsea Flower Show

5 / 27 / 157 / 15 / 20

The Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show (as it’s formally known) is the penultimate mecca for gardeners young and old, pro or novice and really, anyone who just loves flowers.… Read More

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Peony Madness: How to Make the Most of a Fleeting Season

5 / 20 / 153 / 23 / 22

It’s a frequent gardener’s lament…”Why don’t they last longer? What can I do to enjoy every second of their brief season?” And no one loves peonies more, or misses them… Read More

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10 Effective Tips for Photographing Gardens

4 / 22 / 157 / 15 / 20

My friend, Mick Hales, a genteel photographer, and a Brit, is acclaimed for capturing the essence of romance in gardens around the world, and for his roster of ” in-the-know” clients …Audrey Hepburn,… Read More

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Initial Thoughts About My Logo

9 / 11 / 148 / 14 / 20

There was never any question about what I would use for my first website’s logo. The wooden bench which now sits in its own stately place within my “winter garden”… 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

There are gardens you visit… and gardens you remember✨

Parterre is one of those rare places where every path, clipped hedge, and bloom feels intentionally timeless. It’s quiet, deeply personal, and a reminder that Newport’s greatest beauty often lives behind gates most people never pass through🍃

Save this for your next Newport daydream, and follow along for more of the hidden estates, gardens, and historic places that most visitors never get to experience. 🌿✨

#privatenewport #newportri #secretnewport #historicgardens #gardendesign

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Jul 7

268 13
Open post by privatenewport with ID 17971096749094876
There are gardens you visit… and gardens you remember✨

Parterre is one of those rare places where every path, clipped hedge, and bloom feels intentionally timeless. It’s quiet, deeply personal, and a reminder that Newport’s greatest beauty often lives behind gates most people never pass through🍃

Save this for your next Newport daydream, and follow along for more of the hidden estates, gardens, and historic places that most visitors never get to experience. 🌿✨

#privatenewport #newportri #secretnewport #historicgardens #gardendesign

privatenewport

The anticipation.
The symmetry.
The sound of the fountain.
Then… Rosecliff💫
@newport.mansions

Some places don’t need an introduction, they let the experience speak for itself.

If Newport is on your bucket list, save this reel for later and follow @PrivateNewport for more timeless corners of the City by the Sea🌊
#privatenewport #newportri #gildedage #rosecliffmansion #newportmansions

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Jul 6

103 7
Open post by privatenewport with ID 18086347259420231
The anticipation.
The symmetry.
The sound of the fountain.
Then… Rosecliff💫
@newport.mansions 

Some places don’t need an introduction, they let the experience speak for itself.

If Newport is on your bucket list, save this reel for later and follow @PrivateNewport for more timeless corners of the City by the Sea🌊
#privatenewport #newportri #gildedage #rosecliffmansion #newportmansions

privatenewport

Long before fireworks lit the harbor, history quietly began here.

In 1781, General George Washington and French Commander Rochambeau departed Newport for the remarkable 14-week march south to Virginia, where they joined Lafayette and ultimately secured the decisive victory at Yorktown, helping shape the birth of a nation.

Tonight, the same harbor reflects fireworks instead of warships, but its place in America’s story remains unchanged.

Happy Fourth of July from Newport. 🇺🇸✨

Follow @privatenewport for the history, homes, and hidden stories that continue to define this extraordinary city💫
#privatenewport #fourthofjuly #250thanniversary #happybirthdayamerica #newportsummer

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Jul 4

935 20
Open post by privatenewport with ID 18018225521854726
Long before fireworks lit the harbor, history quietly began here.

In 1781, General George Washington and French Commander Rochambeau departed Newport for the remarkable 14-week march south to Virginia, where they joined Lafayette and ultimately secured the decisive victory at Yorktown, helping shape the birth of a nation.

Tonight, the same harbor reflects fireworks instead of warships, but its place in America’s story remains unchanged.

Happy Fourth of July from Newport. 🇺🇸✨

Follow @privatenewport for the history, homes, and hidden stories that continue to define this extraordinary city💫
#privatenewport #fourthofjuly #250thanniversary #happybirthdayamerica #newportsummer

privatenewport

Most visitors walk through Rosecliff @newport.mansions admiring the grand rooms. The ones who look up discover the real masterpiece✨

Hand-painted skies. Intricate plasterwork. A chandelier that has watched over more than a century of Newport history☁️

It’s details like these that make Newport’s Gilded Age estates feel less like museums and more like works of art🎭

✨ Save this for your next Newport visit, and follow @privatenewport for the details most visitors never notice.
#privatenewport #newportri #gildedage #newportmansions #rosecliffmansion

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Jul 1

257 9
Open post by privatenewport with ID 18107910049995446
Most visitors walk through Rosecliff @newport.mansions admiring the grand rooms. The ones who look up discover the real masterpiece✨

Hand-painted skies. Intricate plasterwork. A chandelier that has watched over more than a century of Newport history☁️

It’s details like these that make Newport’s Gilded Age estates feel less like museums and more like works of art🎭

✨ Save this for your next Newport visit, and follow @privatenewport for the details most visitors never notice.
#privatenewport #newportri #gildedage #newportmansions #rosecliffmansion

privatenewport

The grand rooms of Rosecliff @newport.mansions weren’t built to be silent…

During the Newport Flower Show, one of the mansion’s most captivating details quietly came to life, a self-playing piano filling the halls as guests wandered through rooms once designed for America’s wealthiest families.

It’s the kind of moment that reminds you these homes were never museums… they were meant to be lived in..

✨ Save this for your next Newport visit, and follow @privatenewport for more hidden details inside the city’s most extraordinary historic estates.
#privatenewport #newportri #gildedage #newportmansions #privateliving

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Jun 29

166 11
Open post by privatenewport with ID 17933663904090998
The grand rooms of Rosecliff @newport.mansions weren’t built to be silent…

During the Newport Flower Show, one of the mansion’s most captivating details quietly came to life, a self-playing piano filling the halls as guests wandered through rooms once designed for America’s wealthiest families.

It’s the kind of moment that reminds you these homes were never museums… they were meant to be lived in..

✨ Save this for your next Newport visit, and follow @privatenewport for more hidden details inside the city’s most extraordinary historic estates.
#privatenewport #newportri #gildedage #newportmansions #privateliving

privatenewport

Some rooms don’t demand attention, they quietly earn it..

Beyond Rosecliff’s @newport.mansions grand staircase is a space wrapped in rich wood paneling, hand-carved ceilings, and stories that have unfolded over generations. It’s easy to miss if you’re only looking for the ballroom.

These are the details that make Newport unforgettable.

🤍 Save this for your next mansion visit.
Follow @privatenewport for the Newport most people never get to experience✨
#privatenewport #newportri #newportmansions #rosecliff #privateliving

View Instagram post by privatenewport

Jun 28

694 13
Open post by privatenewport with ID 18101117891267002
Some rooms don’t demand attention, they quietly earn it..

Beyond Rosecliff’s @newport.mansions grand staircase is a space wrapped in rich wood paneling, hand-carved ceilings, and stories that have unfolded over generations. It’s easy to miss if you’re only looking for the ballroom.

These are the details that make Newport unforgettable.

🤍 Save this for your next mansion visit.
Follow @privatenewport for the Newport most people never get to experience✨
#privatenewport #newportri #newportmansions #rosecliff #privateliving
Follow Bettie on Instagram

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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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