GREEN ANIMALS TOPIARY GARDEN

Green Animals Topiary Garden is a 7-acre garden of more than 80 topiaries (animals and shapes) and thousands of flowers that bloom at different times throughout the year. It was created and landscaped by a father-son gardening pair with Portuguese and New England garden traditions in mind, starting in 1905.

A topiary is a plant, like a tree or bush,
that is cut or grown into a decorative shape.

When I was planning a trip to Newport, Rhode Island, I caught a glimpse of an animal-shaped shrub in a brochure of the Newport Mansions and knew I wanted to visit the garden. While our experience wasn’t ideal (it was raining and some of the shrubs were bare), we enjoyed the full topiaries and walking around the property.

Some of my favorites were the giraffe, the unicorn, the pineapple, and the bears.

We visited at the end of May which may be why some of the topiaries were bare. According to The Preservation Society of Newport County’s website, the garden transforms every three weeks with the transition of the seasons.

Although Green Animals is located in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, about 25 minutes north of Newport, the garden is actually affiliated with the Newport Mansions. The Brayton House on the property was purchased in 1872 by Thomas E. Brayton who was treasurer of the Union Cotton Manufacturing Company in Fall River, Massachusetts. His daughter Alice named the estate and made it her permanent home in 1939. When she passed away at the age of 94 in 1972, she left Green Animals to The Preservation Society of Newport County.

Green Animals overlooks Narragansett Bay and has a nice ambiance. We actually passed the estate while pedaling with Rail Explorers Rhode Island.

Know before you Go!

Dress for the weather!
Except for the ticket booth and the Brayton House (if it’s open), Green Animals is completely outside with very little coverings. I would recommend closed-toed shoes, and as you can see, umbrellas are permitted.
The Brayton House was not open when we visited in May 2020.
I would suggest calling ahead if you really want to take a tour.
Get a grounds map.
Stop by the ticketing hut to pick up a map of the grounds to read more about each topiary.
Tickets:
Purchase the two-property pass for $34 if you plan on visiting a Newport Mansion (like The Breakers), otherwise admission is $26. You can purchase tickets on site.
Location:
380 Cory’s Lane
Portsmouth, RI 02871
Hours:
Open daily from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Last admission is at 5 p.m.
Parking: Free
Tour: Self-guided.