Garden Party
Last year, my daughter and I took a day trip down to Rhode Island to visit a garden I’d seen on a YouTube channel. Sakonnet Garden is located in a bucolic town called Little Compton. We had an amazing time exploring this magical place. You can see that trip here in pictorial post I had made. No jibber jabber, just photos. We had planned on checking out the little coffee shops and antique stores we had seen on the way to the garden, but soon found out that everything rolls up in this town at 4:00pm!
We resolved to return and have an overnight girls’ trip to insure that we would be able to see more of what Little Compton has to offer. We also wanted to see the rhododendrons in bloom so this time we went earlier in the season. We secured a hotel (more on that later) and set out to tear up Little Compton!
First things first, we wanted to have breakfast at the Groundswell Bakery. This is a compound of cute shops all owned by the same entity. Truth is, this is actually in Tiverton Rhode Island, not Little Compton. I did not realize this the first time out.
This Parisian-inspired café is located in a historic nineteenth century building.
We took our cappuccinos and provisions out to the sunny porch.
Then, happily fortified, we ventured across the street to Groundswell Garden + Home.
We moved on to the Garden section of the compound, just across a side street.
After our time at Groundswell we headed over to the hotel. When I say THE hotel, I mean it’s the only hotel in Little compton. The Stone Forge Inn is a beauty and perfectly located with a view of Round Pond and a short distance to Tappens Beach.
Our room was not quite ready, so the host recommended we head to the aforementioned beach which is about a mile away and only accessible by foot. We’re young and healthy! Let’s go.
This was a simply gorgeous walk. The weather on this visit could not have been more perfect.
We lounged and skipped a few rocks before it was time to head back and check in.
Our room was gargantuan! Seriously, nearly as big as my house.
After a bit of freshening up we took the jaunt over the Sakonnet Garden. I do highly recommend a visit here if you’re ever in the area. Though it’s small, you’ll be immersed in a maze of pathways leading to artistically themed garden rooms.
As I mentioned before, we were here specifically for the Rhododendrons. We timed it pretty well, but we were just on the cusp of blooms. some had gone past, but there was definitely a show to be seen.
We finished up our tour, said goodbye to the resident mini-horse and set about finding some ice cream.
There is no ice cream in Little Compton. Back to Tiverton, right across from our breakfast spot is Gray’s Ice Cream.
We had decided earlier in the day that we’d have our dinner at the hotel, seeing that there were no restaurants close by. However, the day was still young and the weather was sublime so we weren’t ready to head back. Meghan found a potential spot to have a drink and chill for a bit in Portsmouth, Rhode Island.
Once you walk through there is a patio and an expansive lawn right on the water. Meghan went and got us drinks while I pounced on two adirondacks. It was right here where we stayed for hours enjoying the view alongside some excellent live music and good conversation. Turns out that this spot was the last place that Jimmy Buffet performed before he passed in September of 2023.
Well, we eventually did leave, reluctantly. We had spied a sign for a Tavern at the hotel that also boasted some snacks. The lovely hotel manager had to leave her post at the desk to scoot down to the bar to play bartender.
While she served us we asked her about the function space and I mentioned that they must be really busy with weddings at a place as beautiful as this. Surprisingly, she said no. That’s when we got the full tea on why Little Compton is devoid of restaurants, bars and really anything other than homes, a few farm stands and a small lunch counter. This was not always the case. The current town board of selectmen don’t want any tourists. They used to have weddings at the Inn but the town took away their parking permits. There was also some live music and the local vineyard, but that was a big nope, so the parking permit was yanked there too. This “little” town wants to maintain its namesake, for better or worse. On to dinner!
We decided on the charcuterie board seeing we just had a huge ice cream not that much earlier. Oh my goodness gracious, it was HILARIOUSLY large! Seriously, if I were hosting a party for a dozen people I would put this amount of cheese out and still have leftovers.
We ate as much as we could and still had to leave $25 worth of parmesan on the board.
The next morning we rose and shone and had a lovely croissant and coffee in the breakfast room before heading out for a brisk walk on one of the recommended trails in the area.
The boardwalk led us out o an expansive field. It was bursting with songs of the creatures and critters in the marsh….and Meghan sneezing.
On the way back to the hotel we saw this green house and screeched in to check it out. They had tons of unique house plants and gorgeous displays not for sale.
We checked out of the idyllic Stone Forge Inn and stared our return journey. Meghan had done a little research and found a place we could stop by on the way back home, Blithwold Manor.
We took a quick walk through the home, but the gardens were the draw here. What was going to be a quick visit turned into an extensive walk through thirty three acres of remarkable seaside gardens.
The most impressive part of the property were the humongous old growth trees.
Hunger began to set in so we tore ourselves away from he gardens. We found A charming spot by the water to enjoy lunch before the final jaunt home. I have no recollection of the name of the place.
We had plans to hit a plant sale in Meghan’s neighborhood, but it got so out of hand, the cops had to shut it down. Shut it down! We gardeners are hard core.
As much as I thoroughly enjoyed the gardens, the ocean views and lounging over tasty bites, it was the time away with my daughter that is the real gift. When your grown kid wants to spend time with you, you drop everything and go. Until next time.
