Topiary Garden: Green Animals Rhode Island

Topiary Garden: Green Animals
Rhode Island

(Welcome Sarah! Our newest New England blogger posting from Providence, Rhode Island!)

While topiary sculpture may not be the hippest idea in landscape design — especially when it comes in the shape of elephants or teddy bears — its execution requires a kind of mad genius that we find oddly captivating. Green Animals Topiary Garden in Portsmouth, Rhode Island (featured in Errol Morris’ 1997 documentary, Fast, Cheap, and Out of Control) can provide much inspiration to someone hoping to add a little modern art menagerie (think Jeff Koons’ Puppy) to their yard.

Ok, so a living sculpture garden might not be for everyone — not to mention that topiary can take years to grow and requires attentive pruning and maintenance. But, for the patient soul looking for some truly unique lawn ornaments, they might just be the perfect thing.

Green Animals is open from May through October.
Visit the Newport Preservation Society for more information.

380 Cory’s Lane
Portsmouth, RI 02871

(Images: Sarah Rainwater)

Comments (7)

Thanks so much for posting the Green Animals. This is one of my very favorite places in the world. No photos can do justice to how magical it is. It's like being in Alice in Wonderland.

posted by Lisa (Montreal) on June 15th 2009 at 11:44am
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I loved that movie and can't even imagine how beautiful Green Animals must be in person. Now I want to make a little topiary miniature pinscher for my yard.

posted by 950 on June 15th 2009 at 11:49am
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On one hand, I see a lot of badly done topiary and am wary of it. On the other, I loved Chris van Alsburg's book "The Garden of Abdul Gazazi."

posted by whytephoenix on June 15th 2009 at 11:54am
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Perfect post - thanks.
Yippy Little Rhody has someone blogging from Providence.

posted by thedeanery. on June 15th 2009 at 12:59pm
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OMG, these are amazing. I wish I were closer to the East Coast... I would love to spend a day with the Green Animals! Will have to get someone to do this out in CA...

posted by RedBirdCabin on June 15th 2009 at 2:20pm
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You have to see Matt Larkin's work at http://blackbarnfarm.com/projects/

He is amazing. And their farm is beautiful.

posted by eg on June 15th 2009 at 2:31pm
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Disney World/ Epcot has so many cool plants like this. It is one of my favorite things to look at when I go there.

posted by baileyb on June 15th 2009 at 7:09pm
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