The The Newport Flower Show Comes is coming to Rosecliff Mansion this June. This year the show will be held at the end of June and is a “must see” event. If you have never attended the Newport Flower Show let me tell you a few things about it.
The 2019 Newport Flower Show, themed Audubon: Artistic Adventures, will take place at Rosecliff from Friday, June 21 through Sunday, June 23, 2019. America’s premier summer flower show will celebrate bird expert and painter John James Audubon (1785-1851), who declared that he only came alive when “in the field” of this “wild new land” now known as the United States. Audubon’s artful hand created a pictorial journal not only of the birds he loved but also of their habitats. Newport Flower Show attendees will travel with this visionary naturalist on their own “Artistic Adventure” throughout the weekend.
For more information and to purchase tickets for the Newport Flower Show, as well as special events and featured lectures throughout the weekend, visit NewportFlowerShow.org. You can also follow the Newport Flower Show on Facebook and Twitter and follow the Newport Mansions on Instagram.
Free lectures and demonstrations by noted plant experts, flower designers and gardeners will also be presented throughout the weekend.
What to Expect at the Newport Flower Show
First, it is held at the fabulous Rosecliff mansion in Newport, Rhode Island. That, by itself, is enough reason to attend each year. The opulence of the mansion, and the mansions of Newport in general, is something to behold. To think that royalty, or at least the very rich, used to live this way, is sometimes hard to imagine. You are brought right back to the time when Kings and Queens ruled the land with a visit to the Newport mansions.
The fully-restored Rosecliff mansion sits on Bellevue Avenue along with the many other fabulous mansions. The flower show sets up a parking area and provides a free shuttle as well, which is really nice if it is too hot out. If the weather is good, just walk the few blocks to Rosecliff.
On the front lawn they have some of the garden vendors and garden displays setup. It was quite nice because it separates the actual garden and flower portion of the event from the vendors selling clothes and jewelry. You will find benches out on the front lawn. Sit a spell and soak up the view.
Stop and smell the roses, literally, when you walk through the side garden of Rosecliff Mansion.
And then of course, there are the hats! Hats are the order of the day at the Newport Flower Show. Hats are big, bold, and have flowers attached. If you aren’t wearing a hat you can buy one from The Hat Lady.
Yes, pets are allowed. We saw all kinds of dogs, some even dressed up in their finest. Make sure they are on a leash though or being carried around in a doggie bag.
Outside in one of the large tents there are garden demonstrations going on throughout the weekend. Some demonstrations costs while others are free. There is also a children’s tent and children are encouraged to submit flowers for judging as well. There are also special lectures and teas as well as an opening night party.
The Newport Flower Show showcases flowers from local gardeners inside of the mansion. You will see common and exotic flowers, roses, Iris, and floral arrangements too.
One of the highlights of the Newport Flower Show is the garden cocktail party on Friday night. The garden party is an annual gathering of Newport society’s elite but the public is also welcome to attend. You will feast on fine cuisine and mingle with the rich and sometimes famous. You will also get a chance to shop at the vendors who stay open during the party to sell their wares. Enjoy a delicious cocktail buffet while reviewing the fresh floral arrangements and horticultural extravaganzas and shopping at the Oceanside Boutiques and the Gardeners’ Marketplace.
From fashion to flowers you will find everything you never knew you needed at the Newport Flower Show. You can buy a pair of earrings for $1,000 or a bundle of dried lavender for $15. There’s something for everyone and every budget at the Newport Flower Show.
After you are done shopping, sit in a chair on the back lawn, listen to the music, as you look out over the ocean. You will also want to try some Del’s Frozen lemonade and have a sandwich from the Mansion’s food tent.