F. Scott Fitzgerald didn’t elaborate much about the gardens that presumably surrounded Gatsby’s mansion. We can only guess they must have been fabulous. The Newport Flower Show could certainly give one grand ideas.
Held last weekend at Rosecliff, the 30th Annual Newport Flower Show celebrated its milestone anniversary with the theme “Pearls of Newport.” The concept highlighted the rare beauty and hidden treasures of the City-by-the-Sea, drawing together floral design, horticulture, botanical arts, and Newport’s rich maritime heritage.
Wandering among the outdoor garden installations and imaginative displays inside Rosecliff, with sweeping views of Sheep Point Cove beyond, was a delightful way to spend a summer day and a reminder to reserve a place on next year’s calendar.
One of the most striking exhibits greeted visitors in Rosecliff’s grand ballroom: a magnificent floral sailboat created through a collaboration between Sparkman & Stephens and the Herreshoff Marine Museum. The dramatic centerpiece celebrated Newport’s enduring connection to the sea and served as a fitting focal point for the show’s anniversary theme. It feels right that the show’s opening coincided with the Newport to Bermuda race, a 636-mile sailing competition established in 1906.
True to form, the show offered fresh interpretations of floral elements. One such was a jaw-dropping centerpiece running the length of a banquet size dining table and studded with sculptures of exotic birds and place settings of a China pattern inspired by the Mildred R. Mottahedeh Collection featuring vibrant botanical artwork and butterflies.
In an anteroom adorned with full length portraits of former ladies of Rosecliff looking down at the proceedings, a display of delicate, bejeweled (actually dried plant material) dress costumes and botanical stomacher panels were displayed along with quahog pearl jewelry.
Horticultural displays of cut flowers and creative containers along with a judged amateur photo competition – a mainstay to flower shows– led the way to the outdoor displays as well as the marketplace where vendors ranged from footwear to hats and a bountiful assortment of plants and other horticultural products. I had an interesting conversation with a shepherdess (yes, a female shepherd) who told me how she began with three sheep and now has over 300 at her Middleburg Virginia Gum Tree Farm, turning fleeces into garments and wool pieces for the home.
As visitors wound their way along the many creative displays outdoors – among them a series of botanically accented door fronts, a blue and white themed garden by Roger Williams Park Botanical Center drew lots of attention. Guests balanced their champagne flutes as they examined the lovely features of this central display. Their award-winning exhibit, “Lunaria: A Garden After Dark,” earned the Garden Club of America’s Bulkley Medal. Featuring white blossoms and fragrant evening plants, the exhibit highlighted the importance of nighttime pollinators while demonstrating how gardens can enchant the senses after sunset.The result was a vision of the garden as both sanctuary and fantasy – a place where artistry and nature meet.
It is important to note that the show also serves a larger purpose. All proceeds benefit The Preservation Society of Newport County and support the restoration and stewardship of 88 acres of historic gardens and landscapes, including the grounds of Rosecliff and other landmark properties representing more than 250 years of American architectural history.
The Newport Flower Show is a wonderful reminder that gardens are never truly finished – they are always evolving, shaped by experimentation, shifting tastes, and fresh ideas. Two friends who joined me on the visit reflected that some of the greatest gardening triumphs often begin with the courage to try something new, even when there’s a chance it won’t work out.
It’s also a lovely reminder that you don’t have to go far to “get out of dodge.” Newport may be only 45 minutes away, but it feels worlds apart. For a few hours, visitors can step into a landscape where history, horticulture, and imagination are beautifully strung together – like pearls on a necklace.
“There was music from my neighbor’s house through the summer nights. In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars.” – The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald.
The Seaside Gardener
By Laura McLean