The Providential Gardener

Blithewold ~ A Rhode Island Treasure ~ Centennial Celebrations in 2008

Rhode Island is full of great places to explore and fascinating things to do, and I just can't keep up with it all! Much of my time these days is going into growing the comprehensive union Calendar of environment-related events called What Grows On in Rhode Island; yet I've got quite a backlog of ideas for Providential Gardener blog posts. The ones on the top of the list concern Bristol, RI ~ Blithewold and Coggeshall Farm. Here's Blithewold!

Blithewold's history is fascinating. It was the subject recently of a Providence Journal article in the Business section ~ finding good approaches in the mansion's management to Rhode Island's economic woes ~ see John Kostrzewa's Gloomy forecast hides state's potential, January 6, 2008. Its beautiful gardens are documented nearly every day in one the Rhode Island's best blogs, The Garden Blog. This is a journal that records what the gardeners see and do in the mansion's fabulous gardens along the shores of Narragansett Bay. If you live near Bristol or have the same climate, you have a great garden mentor ~ just follow along with what they do and your garden will thrive. Blithewold also offers many gardening workshops as well. 

I am delighted to present in its entirety Barbara Gee's wonderful description of Blithewold Mansion, Gardens and Arboretum today. Barbara recently published The Rhode Island Gardener's Companion, a must-have for Rhode Islanders who love their gardens.

As you probably know there aren’t many botanical gardens in the U.S. that lay claim to a historic landscape and that are celebrating 100 years. This 2008 Blithewold Mansion, Gardens & Arboretum in Bristol, RI, will be taking the year to celebrate its Centennial. Not only is this a commemorative year for Blithewold but an important milestone in American history, particularly that of Rhode Island. Blithewold’s rich history is woven into the fabric of life in its home state and throughout the region. 30 years ago, the house and grounds opened to the public. 10 years ago a group of concerned members united to raise funds and save the property from being sold for private development.

In a state as beautiful as Rhode Island Blithewold ranks as one of the largest tourist attractions in the state, attracting 32,000 visitors a year.

The sum of the mansion, gardens and arboretum is greater than the parts, and yet the gardens and arboretum stand alone as a wonderful horticultural resource to be visited in all the seasons. A staggering number of daffodils - 50,000 to be exact - appear to herald the early spring each year, and when the leaves fall from the more than 1,500 exotic and native trees the grounds blaze with color. The towering grove of bamboo, Phyllostachys aureosulcata ‘Golden Groove’, covers an area nearly the size of a tennis court and becomes a magnet for children and adults alike. The huge display gardens overwhelm visitors with a lavish array of flowers, many of which are cut for use in the house. The elegantly designed Rock Garden nestles beside the water’s edge flanked by The Oriental Water Garden and a sweeping 10-acre lawn that rolls down to the bay. It is one of two on the property.

And this is just a taste of what Blithewold has to offer the gardening enthusiast.

To celebrate Blithewold’s Centennial many events will be held throughout the year. Attached is press information from Sandra Carney, 2008 Events Coordinator, that will fill you in on some of the events.

Download blithewold_centennial_pr.doc

Please feel free to contact Sandra to answer any questions and provide further information. If you haven’t already visited Blithewold please do. If you want a personal tour let her know and she will arrange that. You can also learn more about Blithewold by visiting the website: www.blithewold.org

Sandi can be reached by email scarney1@cox.net or (401) 247-4220.

Photo’s to be credited, please, as follows: the aerial shot – John Corbett; the garden view – Kristin Green.

Warm regards,

Barbara

Barbara Gee  ~~  Writer & Author
Business & Corporate, Marketing & PR, Technical, Creative, the Web
Contributor, Yankee Magazine, Newport Life, RI Home, Living & Design...
Rhode Island Editor, People, Places & Plants - the Northeast Gardener's Magazine
Titles published for Globe Pequot Press:

  ~~ The Rhode Island Gardener's Companion: An Insider’s Guide to Gardening in the Ocean State
     ~~ The Massachusetts Gardener's Companion: An Insider’s Guide to Gardening from the Berkshires to the Islands
   
728 Bristol Ferry Road, Portsmouth, RI 02871
T.   401-683-0367  /  C. 401-297-9266  / www.barbaragee.com

Rhode Island Wanderments

If you are out in your automobile this weekend with no particular place to go, or you just like to invent your own events, here are some ideas for exploring Rhode Island (and if you are in your car or near a radio between 8 and 10am on Sunday, listen to the Garden Guys on 920 WHJJ):

• Take a picnic to one of Rhode Island's state parks.
• Stop by one of the farmstands that feature fuit or fruit and vegetables
• Check out an historic home with gardens, or a greenhouse:
  
  • Blithewold Mansion, Gardens & Arboretum (Bristol)
  • Coggeshall Farm (Bristol)
  • Linden Place (Bristol)
  • Prescott Farm (Middletown)
  • Smith's Castle (North Kingstown)

For more ideas of places to see, go to Visit Rhode Island's list of sites.

Of course, you could ditch the car and grab your bike for a ride on one of Rhode Island's bikepaths. Also see the Greenways Alliance bikeways page.

Or ditch the car at a parking lot and take a ferry on the Bay. RIPTA has ferries running between Providence and Newport, and between Point Judith and Block Island. There's also one trip between Newport and Block Island each day.

Then there's the Bay Queen, and Blackstone River tours. (Did you jump when you clicked on this link? I always do, but I like the music.) This link is for the Explorer on the Blackstone, but it does not have music. Many more cruises and ferries are listed on the Visit Rhode Island Sightseeing Boat page.

Then there are city parks to wander, like our wonderful Roger Williams Park and Zoo in Providence, with its new Botanical Center. A walk around the lakes is two or three miles. Very lovely. And don't forget Westerly's Wilcox Park. If you didn't get to the Master Gardener Tour last weekend, you can still see the botanical garden at URI.

If you don't have the "Walks & Rambles in Rhode Island" books by Ken Weber, you might want to pick them up soon and start taking the walks. His latest book gives weekend walk ideas in Rhode Island.

• Walks and Rambles in Rhode Island: A Guide to the Natural and Historic Wonders of the Ocean State
• More Walks & Rambles in Rhode Island

 

So enjoy Rhode Island on your own homemade excursion this weekend or any day this summer!

What's Happening ~ June 15-17

So much is going on this weekend, I wish I could clone myself! Alas, I will have to choose. But so can you. I hope you can make one or more of these cool events!

Fri Jun 15, 2007

09:00	Warwick Farmers' Market
11:00	Providence Farmers' Market (Downtown)
12:00	Newport Secret Garden Tour
14:00	Bristol Farmers' Market
18:00	Mount Hope Farm Garden & Antiques Preview Party

Sat Jun 16, 2007

09:00	Paving with Brick and Stone
09:00	Pawtuxet Farm & River Day
09:00	Warwick Cove Cleanup
09:30	Providence Farmers' Market (Hope High)
10:00	HYDRANGEA - NEWPORT'S FLOWER
10:00	Mount Hope Farm Garden & Antiques Show at Bradford Fields
10:00	Newport Secret Garden Tour
10:00	Rivers Day on the Blackstone
10:00	Secret Gardens by the Bay
10:30	Water Quality Testing Workshop
11:00	Providence Open Market
12:00	Ask a Master Gardener Booth
12:00	Pine Top In June
12:00	Strawberry Festival
13:00	Orchid Dividing & Potting Workshop
13:00	RI Rose Society 2007 Annual Rose Show

Sun Jun 17, 2007, Father's Day

09:00	Narragansett Farmers' Market
10:00	Mount Hope Farm Garden & Antiques Show at Bradford Fields
10:00	Newport Secret Garden Tour
12:00	Pawtucket Farmers' Market

Major Garden Tours & Flower Shows

Rhode Island is home to some fabulous gardens, and if you are going to be in the state on these dates, get your tickets now! All but one events are in June.

Garden Tours:

• June 13 ~ Little Compton Garden Club: Stone Walls & Water Views: Gardens of Little Compton.
• June 15, 16, & 17 ~ Newport Secret Garden Tour
  
• July 14 & 15 ~ Master Gardeners Tour of 34 gardens around the state. Tickets are limited, so get yours soon by mailing this form or purchasing at one of these locations.

Flower Shows:

• June 16 ~ RI Rose Society Rose Show
• June 22, 23, 24 ~ Newport Flower Show

My roses look pretty to many passersby and to me, but I don't know that they'd make much of an impression if entered in the Rose Show. But the Rose Society is very encouraging and welcoming to those of us beginning to take roses seriously. If you love roses, go to the show and get to know the Rhode Island rosarians. It's a great group!

Did I miss a major show or tour happening in June or July? Please fill me in! Send email, or add a comment to this post.

Rhode Island Participates in National Geographic's Geotourism Charter Program

On May 16, 2007, Rhode Island became the sixth destination to sign National Geographic's Geotourism Charter Program, joining one other US state (Arizona) and 4 countries (Honduras, Romania, Guatemala, and Norway) in this commitment.

In a press release, National Geographic defined geotourism as "tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place -- its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage and the well-being of its residents." Also in the press release is the list of 18 organizations, led by Preserve Rhode Island, that will collaborate to develop plans for this program under National Geographic's Center for Sustainable Destinations.