Shopper’s Diary: Newport Glamor on a Side Street, at Cottage and Garden

Newport, Rhode Island is no stranger to glitz and glamor. Home to gilded mansions with breathtaking ocean views and meticulously groomed gardens, this is a town that knows how to put on a show.

Tucked away on a quiet residential street, not far from the throngs on the main tourist drag, Cottage and Garden brings the glamor, but with a light hand and an eye for simplicity.  During the holiday season, the shop comes alive with twinkling lights and glittering vignettes.

Photography by Christine Chitnis for Gardenista.

Above: Topiaries spy on passersby. It’s hard to believe that the shop was formerly an auto repair garage. (Cottage and Garden has called this location home for 15 years.)

Above: In the front of the shop is a collection of terra cotta pots, vintage watering cans, and potted evergreens. Hawthorn trees, with their bright red berries, lend holiday cheer. 

Above: Elegant pots and stamped terra cotta plant markers sit in front of evergreens wearing twinkle lights.

Vintage and antique finds, such as this wire harvest basket, are part of the shop’s eclectic offerings.

Above: A collection of topiaries sits next to a vintage wire rack decorated with a simple boxwood leaf wreath.

Above: Moss and boxwood balls would look nice on anybody’s mantel.

Above: Throughout the shop new and vintage items come together to form charming vignettes.  The stylist and buyer, Michael, finds interesting pieces during his travels throughout New England and abroad, including his annual pilgrimage to the Brimfield Antique Show.

Above: Shopping for the beekeeper on your holiday list? 

Above: A glass Hunter wellie ornament for the gardener in your life. If you’re curious about the history of European Glass Christmas Tree Ornaments, Megan offers an Object Lesson to explain all.

Above: Cottage and Garden is at 9 Bridge St. in Newport, R.I. For hours and directions, see Cottage and Garden.

Are you visiting Rhode Island over the holidays? For more of our favorite spots, see:

• The Dean Hotel: Providence’s Answer to the Ace
• Shopper’s Diary: Cluck! Urban Farm Supply
• No Ordinary Kitchen Shop: Stock Culinary Goods in Providence