Being so small, Rhode Island isn’t a state that exactly known for road trips.
However, this place might be worth taking a short road trip for.
HGTV ranked the top 50 must-see roadside attractions in the United States, with one for each state, and the Home and Garden Network named a Portsmouth location as the Ocean State’s best roadside attraction.
“Most of these stops are located right off major highways for easy hop-out and hop-back in photos,” HGTV said. “But there are a couple of gems worth the county road detour that we couldn’t resist including.”
Here’s what HGTV picked as the best and most eye-catching roadside attraction in Rhode Island.
The Green Animals Topiary Garden in Portsmouth is known for its fanciful menagerie, as well as its formal flower beds, fruit trees and herb gardens that offer an evolving display.
Green Animals Topiary Garden
HGTV chose Rhode Island’s Green Animals Topiary Garden for its historical longevity in the Ocean State as well as the sheer-number of topiaries in the gardens.
What HGTV said about it: “We love a good topiary, and Green Animals Topiary Gardens claims to be the oldest topiary garden in the country. Overlooking Narragansett Bay in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, the more than 100-year-old estate grounds feature more than 80 animal-shaped topiaries as well as other whimsical figures. If you plan your visit in the spring, you’ll also be treated to around 37,000 colorful tulips throughout the gardens!”
The Green Animals Topiary Garden can be found at 380 Corys Lane in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. The Newport Mansions website said that the garden also has a varied selection of vibrant flowers blossoming and on display from May to October of each year.
“Let your imagination run wild at Green Animals Topiary Garden! Bring a picnic basket and enjoy a day of fun romping in the menagerie at this lush country estate,” the website said. “Can you spy the camel? Sneak a peek at the unicorn, but watch out for bears! And don’t worry, the dog won’t bite! Snap a selfie with your favorite!”
Rin Velasco is a trending reporter. She can be reached at rvelasco@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: HGTV named RI’s Green Animals Topiary Garden a must-see. Here’s why
