Autumn in Newport, R.I., brings vibrant colors and a full calendar of events centered on the city’s famous seaside mansions. The Preservation Society of Newport County is offering two lecture series at Rosecliff Mansion that highlight architecture, landscape history, and cultural life from the Gilded Age.
The Fall Lecture Series, titled “Great Ideas of the Gilded Age,” features speakers who examine social customs and literary culture. On Oct. 12, Ellen Easton, a specialist in tea and etiquette, will present “Luxurious Consumption: The Ritual & Artistry of Afternoon Tea,” tracing the origins and social meaning of afternoon tea. On Oct. 26, Melanie Dawson, Ph.D., from the College of William & Mary, will deliver “Picturing Edith Wharton’s Work,” exploring how illustrated versions of Wharton’s stories in women’s magazines helped shape their popularity.
Alongside those talks, Rosecliff will host a new series, “The Evolution of The Breakers Landscape,” focused on landscape design and tree care. The series opens Oct. 11 with “Ernest Bowditch: Out of Olmsted’s Shadow,” in which Jim Donahue, the Preservation Society’s curator of historic landscapes, examines the contributions of 19th-century landscape architect Ernest Bowditch. On Oct. 25, landscape architects John Grove and Leslie Carter will review the history and future plans for The Breakers as presented in The Breakers Cultural Landscape Report. The series concludes Nov. 2 with Bartlett Tree Experts’ Bruce Fraedrich and Christopher Fletcher presenting “Managing Newport’s Veteran Trees,” a talk about the mature and exotic tree species that define the grounds of the Preservation Society’s historic properties.
For visitors seeking hands-on activities, the Fall Workshop Series at Green Animals Topiary Gardens offers seasonal, morning classes. On Oct. 21 participants can create pumpkin decoupage, and on Nov. 18 floral designer Liza Chung will lead a session on making holiday table garlands.
With lectures on architecture, cultural customs, landscape history, and practical workshops, Newport’s autumn offerings provide engaging ways to explore the city’s historic estates and gardens throughout the season.