When you own a landscape company bearing your name, there’s just a little bit of pressure to have gardens and grounds that reflect your capabilities. When Jeff Farrell of Narragansett-based Farrell Landscaping and his wife Susan first moved to historic Kinney Bungalow at Sunset Farm, he admits there was nothing there but grass in the yard – something they vowed to change as soon as possible. “We’ve been working on it for 12 years,” he says. “We started with the patio and we landscaped around it.”
Managed by the Narragansett Land Conservancy Trust, Kinney Bungalow and Sunset Farm serve as a popular location for events and gatherings including weddings, community affairs and more. Built in 1899 by a tobacco and real estate mogul, the property’s history is a lauded one, and the Farrells have started a new, more beautiful chapter as the farm’s caretakers.
Those who subscribe to a “go big or go home” ethos will appreciate Jeff’s lot. Five thousand tomato plants are in their glory right about now (and for sale at the farm’s stand), and everyone from chefs to moms who love serving dishes featuring fresh, delicious ingredients are lining up to enjoy the bounty. “Heirloom, standard, hybrid, plum, grape, yellow...” Jeff trails off, mentioning just a few of the varieties ripened to South County perfection. In fact, he says, the temperature in this part of the state can be beneficial to plants. “Here by the ocean, we don’t get a frost,” he explains. But that doesn’t mean it’s always idyllic. “A storm can bring a blight with it... You have to stay on it. The biggest thing is fungus; you have to keep up the fungicide,” he explains.
High tunnel greenhouses, unheated greenhouses that act as a growing shelter for the tomatoes, extend their growing season. Nutrient-rich compost can also be found throughout the garden, helping plants to stay strong and healthy.
Arguably, the most iconic plants on the property are the colossal hydrangeas, which not only captivate visitors to the farm, but serve as the backdrop for the many couples who wed at Kinney Bungalow. Before you try and imitate the look, know that the plants don’t require much maintenance, but they do demand patience. “It takes time,” Jeff says. “You just don’t get seven-foot hydrangeas the first year.”
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