BLITEHWOLD MANSION AND GARDENS ~ BRISTOL, R.I.

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"Blithewold, located in Bristol, RI, is 33 acres of lawns, gardens, specimen trees, and historic stone structures. In 1895, Augustus Van Wickle and his wife, Bessie Pardee Van Wickle, purchased 70 acres of waterfront land in Bristol, RI and named it Blithewold (Old English for "happy woodland"). They built a large, Queen Anne style mansion, and moved in during the summer of 1896. They would reside at Blithewold from May until November. Bessie hired John DeWolf, Bristol landscape architect and Superintendent of Prospect Park, New York City, to help implement her vision of a horticultural sanctuary. "
"The sweeping 10 acre Great Lawn and its views to Narragansett Bay is the perfect setting for over 500 different kinds of trees and shrubs. Taking full advantage of the stunning water views and country setting, Landscape Architect John DeWolf designed the landscape starting in the mid 1890s, in an informal style with touches of formal elements."