Capsule New England

Wednesday, May 30, 2018

The Best Flower Nursery in Rhode Island

Flowers are my favorite, if it wasn’t already obvious! There is so much to love about them (the fragrances, the colors!) that it’s hard to not fill our home with fresh bouquets and our yard with beautiful bushes. My love for flowers has always stemmed from my grandmother and mom, who both placed so much effort and passion into covering the yard and our home with fresh stunning blooms. At a very young age, watching my mom and grandmother out in the garden (and, of course, after watching The Secret Garden) I knew that I would one day want a floral oasis of my own. Many hours have been spent daydreaming of ways to incorporate flowers into every aspect of our yard and until we purchased our first home last year these daydreams remained just that, dreams.

Just my favorite flowers ever! Aren't they just stunning?

Built in 1840, our charming historic home’s landscape had been neglected for some time. When we purchased our dream home, just a little less than a year ago, the amount of yard work that had to be done before we could even begin to think about flowers was immense. Chris has spent countless hours clearing bushes, cutting down over grown vines, trimming trees, removing old flower boxes or stumps that were forgotten by the previous owner and replanting grass (THANK YOU BABE!). The process has been long, but after a full summer of prepping we were ready to begin to incorporate all of our favorite flowers into our yard.

The Farmer’s Daughter was a no-brainer when we were deciding where we should go to find the best quality flowers, bushes and herbs. When Chris and I first moved in together in Providence we went to The Farmer’s Daughter looking for herbs and were blown away. We knew instantly that when we were to purchase our dream home and create the most lovely landscape we would have to come back. Almost four years to the day, we found ourselves this past weekend awing at their selection and adding countless items to our “wish list”. Lemon trees (I desperately want one!), varieties of fresh herbs and vegetables, rose bushes, hydrangeas, if I were to go on I’m afraid this post could turn into a novel. The variety is incredible and the staff invaluably knowledgeable.

This adorable little house!

More of these beauties!

Look at these planters! I want them all!

For years (and many many trips to Nantucket) Chris and I have been swooning over hydrangeas, but so unsure about how they would weather in our own yard. The staff at The Farmer’s Daughter put our minds at ease and went through every step necessary to care and maintain these gorgeous flowers (my favorite flowers ever!) and so in just one trip, we left with four hydrangea bushes, three tomato plants, jalapeno peppers, bell peppers, basil, rosemary and lemon thyme. Finally, I had come home with hydrangeas and not only are they a constant reminder of our getaways to Nantucket with my husband and best friend, but of my grandmother who also found these blue budding flowers to be her favorite.

Backyard goals?

These shoes are old! :( But if you scroll to the bottom I have some details on them!

Thank you Farmer’s Daughter for helping us adding a piece of us to our home! We can't wait to visit you again this summer!

Outfit Details: White Denim, Off-White T-Shirt - Similar (Here and Here), Cashmere Sweater available at A Summer Place in Watch Hill, RI....I work on Saturdays so make sure to stop in and we can order you a sweater in a variety of colors!, Shoes (Old) these shoes are Kelsi Dagger and you can't go wrong with any pair! Bag - Similar (Here and Here)

Mystic Seaport Day Trip

The Mystic Seaport is often overlooked by us because we are local, but this past weekend Chris and I thought it would make for the perfect day trip for Mother’s Day. We had last visited the museum during a field trip in middle school and were curious to refresh ourselves and see history through an adult lens.

The Mystic Seaport is predominantly located outside and, like most museums, requires a lot of walking so I wanted to keep my outfit as casual and comfortable as possible. Originally, I had planned to wear a dress with a pair of sandals paired with a basket bag (I’m a dress girl!) because I had thought it was supposed to be sunny and warm. I’m not sure what forecast I was looking at but I couldn’t have been farther off in my weather prediction. Sunday was cloudy and cold, definitely not dress weather. Without any preparation at all (planning is my life even when it comes to what I am going to wear) I pulled together, what I thought was a pretty cute casual outfit that lent itself to a chilly spring day.

In a frantic rush to get ready I reached for dark black denim jeans (they are by far the softest pair I own), a white peplum tee (I could live in these), my jean jacket which has been on repeat for weeks now (bored yet?), white classic Keds, a yellow and white scarf and a white eyelet clutch. This outfit was created in the shower on a whim because I woke up late and needed to be on time. I was so happy it turned out the way I was hoping, not all my last minute wardrobe decisions are the best, but with a white tee and jeans you can’t go wrong! Overall, I was comfortable all day and I love how the my jean jacket looked paired with black denim, usually I tend to pair jean jackets with white pants, but wanted to try something new.

After what seemed like a hectic morning, we made it to the Mystic Seaport on time! Chris and I both really enjoyed our time there and our parents enjoyed it as well. There is a little piece of history for everyone to appreciate and there is no doubt that the landscape is just stunning (even on a cloudy day). How did you all celebrate Mother’s Day and what did you choose to wear?

Outfit Details: Jean Jacket (ON SALE @ J.Crew use the code ADDTOBAG), Black Denim, White Peplum Top, Scarf (Similar), Sneakers, Eyelet Clutch (Similar)

Fresh Blooms for your Home

Filling our home with fresh flowers is simply my favorite. There is something so beautiful about bringing the outdoors inside and I find any excuse I can to come home with new blooms. Hydrangeas, Tulips or Roses you name it and I will gladly take them all! While we have always found a way to incorporate a tiny piece of the outdoors into our home throughout the year, it is truly during the spring and summer months where not only our flowers are blooming but our house as well. During this time especially, I seek out cute local spots to find flower arrangements for our mantle and table tops to bring our hibernating home back to life. There are so many quaint shops and small farms that we hardly find time to go to them all. This year, after years of the spring months passing us by and us continue to say, “next year” we purchased tickets to visit Wicked Tulips.

Wicked Tulips Flower Farm is and was simply stunning with five acres of picturesque land covered in freshly blooming tulips! The u-pick farm in Rhode Island is the perfect day trip destination to find flowers to fill your home with. Rows upon rows of brightly colored tulips wait to be hand picked to make the most delightful bouquets. Bulbs are also available to take these beauties home with you to grow in your own personal garden. Each type of tulip that is available by bulb can be seen in the Wicked Tulips show garden. We spent a good portion of our day in a wonderful tulip daze as we walked the show garden to get some ideas for our own gardens at home and picked dozens of tulips to bring back with us. The entire day was spectacular and there is no doubt that this will be a spring tradition.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when planning your visit!

Tickets sell out incredibly fast (understandably so), but tickets are required and must be purchased in advance. To ensure that you receive the first updates on ticket availability make sure to sign up for their newsletter, you can do so here.
Sunscreen is a must! I don’t know about you, but at this point in the year I am craving time in the sun despite the heat and I easily forget to protect my skin. Even the few short hours we were out picking tulips left my skin slightly burnt. Here are a few of my favorite sunscreens.

Day travelers should bring a small vase of water depending on how many flowers you intend to pick. This was a thought that never crossed my mind, which is so silly because I’m not sure what I was expecting to happen to the flowers once they were picked and put into a toasty car (lol). Although Wicked Tulips does provide a bucket of water for you to dip your tulips in before you leave on our way home (an hour drive) some of our tulips would have benefitted from a little extra water to keep them hydrated.
There are picnic tables! This was our very first time at Wicked Tulips and even though I read the FAQ only a thousand times I wasn’t sure what to expect as far as bringing food, but once we arrived and saw all of the perfect picnic spots next year we will definitely be bringing a blanket and some lunch. If you are traveling from southeastern Connecticut make sure to check out a few of our favorite local sandwich shops that are along the way! Here and Here.

Tickets to the farm are sold out through Mother’s Day, but make sure you head over to their website to see if they will be open for a third week this season. I hope you all have a chance to visit and if you aren’t able to this year that you can in the years to follow! All outfit details are below!