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Historic Homes and Glorious Gardens in Wickford, Rhode Island

October 25, 2023

by M.A. Barrett

Harborfront garden seen during the Wickford in Bloom Historic Home and Garden Tour, Wickford Village, R.I., 2023

Harborfront garden seen during the Wickford in Bloom Historic Home and Garden Tour, Wickford Village, R.I., 2023

I can't think of a better delayed Mother's Day celebration than walking around Wickford Village seeing lovely gardens and meticulously cared for historic homes this past June. Known for its large number of historic 1700's-1800's homes and churches, Wickford Village is a place that embraces history and wants to share it with you. HistWick is a local organization dedicated to educating people about the stories and events that happened here. HistWick members sponsor the Wickford in Bloom Historic Home and Garden Tour once every two years. It is a fundraiser in support of the local community and historic preservaton efforts. The Plum Beach Garden Club holds a gardener centric yard sale in support of their outreach projects as well. Docents, greeters and homeowners kindly direct visitors to view the beautiful gardens and storied homes that line Main, West Main, Brown, and Washington Streets, as well as the backlanes of downtown Wickford. Afternoon tea at Sweet Marie's Cottage was the icing on the cake for a delightful day spent in one of New England's most scenic towns.

Here are pictures from seven of the 15 points on the self-guided tour that occurred June 24-25, 2023 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There were 7 home gardens, 6 historic houses, the early 1700's Old Narragansett Church, the St. Paul's Church Memorial Garden, and in the center of town, Old Library Park. I didn't even have time to get to all the open houses and gardens that day, but I loved the ones I saw. I really enjoyed the restored architectural elements of colonial period housing such as the fireplaces, a beehive oven, the wide plank floors, the low ceilings, and the 12-over-12 glass paned windows. The kitchens and baths were updated but the living, dining and other rooms were kept intact as much as possible. Owners take care to populate homes with period antiques, prior owners' portraits and other clues about the home's past occupants and these properties' uses over the last several centuries.

Flowers on the patio at Benjamin Reynolds House, Wickford Village
Birch tree and gardens at Benjamin Reynolds House, Wickford Village, R.I.

Left: Flowers on the patio at the Benjamin Reynolds House, Wickford Village
Right: Birch tree and gardens at the Benjamin Reynolds House, Wickford Village, R.I.

And oh the gardens! There was so much to see. Great care had been taken to create and maintain the gardens we saw. It was quite magical to experience them. I took inspiration for my own garden projects. And the views! The first house/garden property on the tour that we chose to visit was a wonderful garden at a historic 1860's home, the Benjamin Reynolds House.

Leafy shade gardens being enjoyed by my family during Wickford in Bloom garden tour, Benjamin Reynolds House
Sculptures and shade loving plants in corner of the garden at Benjamin Reynolds House

Left: Leafy shade gardens being enjoyed by my family during Wickford in Bloom garden tour, Benjamin Reynolds House
Right: Sculptures and shade loving plants in the corner of the garden at the Benjamin Reynolds House

This garden was created by the late HistWick member, Michael Kraynak III. Among the many features is one of the largest birch trees in R.I., fountains, statues, shade loving plants, and a pretty patio adorned by roses, fuchsia and daisies. This year's event was dedicated to the memory of Michael and another HistWick member, Phillip Dyer. Both were passionate about preservation, landscape design and gardening.

Wickford House, Main St., Wickford Village
Courtyard at the Wickford House displaying  Mother Prentice sign

Left: Wickford House, Main St., Wickford Village
Right: Courtyard at the Wickford House displaying Mother Prentice sign encouraging travelers to TRY ONE OF MOTHER PRENTICE'S DINNERS

Nearby we visited The Wickford House, formerly an inn run by a beloved community matriarch known as Mother Prentice in the 1880's. George and Ellen Prentice operated this small hotel and restaurant, and Mother Prentice became famous for her excellent dinners. I liked the wide plank hardwood floors, pantry, restored cabinets and soapstone countertops in the period-loyal updated kitchen.

Kitchen in the Wickford House
Pantry and wide plank flooring off the kitchen at the Wickford House

Left: Kitchen in the Wickford House
Right: Pantry and wide plank flooring off the kitchen at the Wickford House

The living area and dining table in the long rectangular room looking out at the side entrance road and side porch were likely the liveliest part of the inn. A large garage in back housed visitors' horses and buggies while they stayed at The Wickford House.

Wickford House dining room overlooking courtyard and historic barn
Wickford House sitting area

Left: Wickford House dining room overlooking courtyard and historic barn
Right: Wickford House sitting area

Tucked away down a short path to the right of the Wickford Gourmet Factory Outlet on West Main Street is Sweet Marie's Tea Cottage. Spending a delightful time there for lunch was a nice respite as it was very rainy and muggy on the Saturday I attended the event. Sweet Marie's offers scheduled tea times in a cozy cottage atmosphere. Their scones, finger sandwiches and desserts were delicious.

Sweet Marie's Cottage, West Main St., Wickford Village, R.I.
Afternoon tea tray at Sweet Marie's Tea, West Main St., Wickford Village, R.I.

Left: Sweet Marie's Cottage, West Main St., Wickford Village, R.I.
Right: Afternoon tea tray at Sweet Marie's Tea, West Main St., Wickford Village, R.I.

After tea we ventured on. I loved so many of the memorable properties but I'll focus on a few here to try to give you a sense of what to expect at this enjoyable once every two years self-guided tour.

Up a hill at Newtown Avenue off of West Main St. was a beautiful garden that had been the site of an 1800's cemetery. This garden included raised beds of vegetables, plus lots of garden art and colorful sun loving flowers. Old stone walls surround the space. Another feature of this impressive garden is that it has been named a Certified Wildlife Habitat meaning that among other requirements, it had mostly native plantings that attract birds, butterflies and other wildlife. In addition, the owners had a lemonade stand which I much appreciated on this hot day!

Certified Wildlife Habitat Garden on Wickford in Bloom self guided tour
Flowers and outdoor sculpture in walled garden on the tour

Left: Certified Wildlife Habitat Garden on Wickford in Bloom self guided tour
Right: Flowers and outdoor sculpture in walled garden on the tour

Heading toward Wickford Harbor once again to the end of Main St., we were excited to see two gardens on the right side of the street overlooking the water.

Wickford Harbor view from backyard garden on Wickford in Bloom tour, Wickford Village, R.I.

Wickford Harbor view from backyard garden on Wickford in Bloom tour, Wickford Village, R.I.

The first waterview garden we saw had a stunning view of Wickford Harbor. Sun and shade plants were equally happy and well established here. The Whale's Tale Sculpture in the water right off the edge of the property was made by artist, Ken MacDonald. Gardiner's Wharf and marinas could be seen as well.

Harborfront fairy garden, Wickford Village, R.I.
Harborfont view and whale's tail sculpture, Numbanda by artist Ken MacDonald, seen on tour, Wickford Village, R.I.
Capt. Thomas S. Baker Store, historic home on Main St. in Wickford Village, R.I.

Left: Harborfront fairy garden, Wickford Village, R.I.
Right Top: Harborfont view and whale's tail sculpture, Numbanda by artist Ken MacDonald, seen on tour, Wickford Village, R.I.
Right Bottom: Capt. Thomas S. Baker Store, historic home on Main St. in Wickford Village, R.I.

Walking next door I entered the historic house known as the Capt. Thomas S. Baker Store, circa 1862. Many houses like this one had us wear booties that the docents provided so as not to track mud. This unique house which had been a store at one point was designed to resemble a ship with its multiple levels, and window openings between rooms. The powder room had an extensive family tree dating back over a thousand years. The kitchen area with its inviting fireplace opened up to a waterfront garden. Two Adirondack chairs, a dining table and lovely plantings adorned the waterview outdoor space.

Updike House, Wickford Village, R.I.
Period dining room, historic home, Wickford Village
Fireplace in historic colonial home, Wickford Village

Left: Updike House, Wickford Village, R.I.
Right Top: Period dining room, historic colonial home, Wickford Village
Right Bottom: Fireplace and bee hive oven in historic colonial home, Wickford Village

The Pleasant Street home known as the John Updike house was next on the tour for me. This home built around 1745 is the second oldest home in Wickford. The center chimney Georgian style colonial had a living room and enclosed porch looking out over Wickford Harbor. It was constructed in the style of grand Newport houses of the day, and the owners proudly display Newport antique dishware, period furniture and previous owners' portraits. I realized what a labor of love it is to care of these historic beauties. I'm grateful these owners opened up their homes to us so we could also soak up the historic details and try to imagine the lives of those who have come before us.

Gazebo and waterfront garden on tour, Wickford Village, R.I.
Historic 1800's colonial in Wickford Village, R.I.

Left: Gazebo and waterfront garden on tour, Wickford Village, R.I.
Right: Historic 1800's colonial in Wickford Village, R.I.

Along Washington St. which runs parallel to Main St., close to Wickford Cove, two properties showcased their gardens. The John Pearse House of 1808 which replaced an early 1700's structure on the spot featured a big grassy lawn with a white gazebo and an award winning garden. Nearby on Washington, an array of plantings to attract pollinators along with a decorative carousel horse on the porch adorn this tour stop.

Garden viewed on Wickford in Bloom tour

Garden viewed on Wickford in Bloom tour

Finishing up our tour in the center of town, near Old Library Park, we looped back onto Elam St. to view the large garden at the back of the John Hull House and later Baptist Parsonage, which is a colonial cape, circa 1847. The large rectangular gardens back up onto Academy Cove. There were vegetable gardens, native perennials like rhododentrons and azaleas, plus lilies and hostas.

John Hull House, Elam St., Wickford Village, R.I.
Vegetable garden at the John Hull House, later Baptist Parsonage, Elam St., Wickford Village

Left: John Hull House, Elam St., Wickford Village, R.I.
Right: Vegetable garden at the John Hull House, later Baptist Parsonage, Elam St., Wickford Village

Finishing up a fabulous day, I savored the time seeing these gardens and historic homes with my family. They were so beautiful and inspiring. I wondered what projects I could pursue at my own house to capture a bit of the whimsy and artistry I saw. The afternoon tea was a special treat too. Putting off my Mother's Day celebration was worth it so I could gather us all together to experience Wickford in Bloom 2023.