Initial Thoughts

Fall door Decor at Parterre

Fall Decor at Parterre

One of the most anticipated treats of Fall for me is creating the front door decor! Capturing the colors of my favorite season is a form of therapy. And there’s…

October in New York, Part 2

Openings, Re-Openings, Shows, Restaurants, Exhibits…New York in October is vibrant and buzzing, just when you’re looking for a good pickup after a Newport summer. Two re-openings prompted this trip and…

October in New York, Part 1

There’s nothing more glorious in the fall than a trip to New York City…especially when the sun is beyond brilliant and “strong” breezes hint at seasonal changes. It has been…

The Stars of Fall: ‘Limelight’ Hydrangeas

It is October 9th and the grounds and gardens are still in full bloom, all dancing blithely along. And speaking of dancing, it is this time in the fall season when a 114′ hedge…

It’s a Beautiful Day in The Neighborhood

This perfect early fall weather (and a calmer pace after the freneticism of summer) has prompted many walks around my favorite neighborhoods, each route including one architectural treasure after another.…

Fall’s Fresh Occasions for Delight

From the greater parklike landscape to the tiniest garden container, this time of the year provides such a wealth of details. I find myself stopping the car as I wind…

Dahlias, a Prelude to Fall

September is the most beautiful month of the year, as Newporters will assure you. One of its highlights is the dahlias that are at the height of their season throughout…

“Bellevue and Beyond” Garden Tour

I’ll start this post not with my own words, but with kind observations from a visitor to Parterre over this past weekend during the garden tour….”The lovely French inspired design…

Postcards from Edinburgh

Arriving back in Newport from our Scotland trip just as Labor Day weekend started…so this post was created a bit on the fly, sharing “Postcards,” as I like to call…

Dunrobin Castle and Garden, Scotland

While we would usually be in Newport mid-August, a lovely invitation prompted a re-consideration. So off we went to visit Edinburgh and then cruise the eastern shores of Scotland and a…