John Gwynne trained as a landscape architect and is a designer of exhibits that bring people closer to nature; Mikel Folcarelli is an independent global brand designer. Together, they created Sakonnet Garden, an exotic cottage garden embedded within a native coastal-fields landscape. Sakonnet is an ongoing experiment in design, scale, and plantings, an experiment spanning many decades. The acre-size main woodland garden is subdivided into a series of fourteen spaces separated by high windbreak hedges and stone walls. Each space has its own mood and horticultural objective. The whole has been described as an outdoor folly.

Sakonnet is a secret garden embedded within a native coastal fields landscape. At the diminutive scale of a cottage garden, it is conceived as an intimate place to explore, with multiple paths leading one onward to unexpected experiences.

“When you pass through a hedge or open a door, an unexpected whole world is revealed on the other side. Gardens should be fun.”

---

Introducing the Tiverton Library Foundation 2026 Speaker Series. Each program will be held at 6:30 PM at the Tiverton Library at 34 Roosevelt Ave in Tiverton. There is no cost for admission but the space is limited and advance reservations are required. Please register at your earliest convenience if you are able to attend. Please see our events calendar for a full list of 2026 speakers.