The first time Bridget Sampson saw the formal English garden at the Lambert’s Cove Inn, she fell in love with its potential to become a vibrant wedding venue. The structure was there – the tall cedars for privacy, the two wide flower beds creating an aisle. This was in the winter of 2022, when she and her husband, chef Galen Sampson, toured the historic West Tisbury inn prior to becoming managing innkeepers of the property. 

The garden was dormant, and Bridget could find no photographs of past seasons in the garden, but she could envision the colors and textures she wanted to bring to life. She had a particular vision of dahlias in the English garden. And, with the patience of a gardener and the eye of a floral designer, Bridget began observing and planting. 

Galen and Bridget each bring different talents to the inn: Galen is renowned for his creative farm-to-table dishes, and Bridget has a way with flowers, from seeds to bouquets. They have been working together for years, in restaurants and farms in Maryland, Virginia, New York, and Vermont, to hone their skills for taking care of people and plants. In each place, Bridget started or improved flower gardens.

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Mairead McGonagle and Mark Machesky held their wedding in the English garden at Lambert's Cove Inn in West Tisbury. Photographs: Arletta Charter

“When we came here, I could tell that in this position I would be able to use all of my skills,” said Bridget. She leads the gardening crew, in addition to running the front of the inn. Bridget laughed, admitting, “My fingernails. That’s the giveaway that I am a gardener. And that I walk around with my clippers in my back pocket when I think I have gotten cleaned up.”

A period of observation in the beginning of their time at the inn led to a tall deer-proof fence surrounding the English garden, as well as planting perennials and annuals for continuous bloom. It is a floral procession, starting in spring with daffodils, tulips, peonies, anemones, and ranunculus. The summer features hydrangeas, black-eyed Susans, echinacea, cosmos, daisies, and bee balm – a colorful wildflower bouquet on display as the wedding party walks the path to the altar, past guests on either side of the flowers. Dahlias bring both strong and soft colors to autumn weddings, and asters and zinnias complement the golden foliage.

Photograph: Arletta Charter

In addition to a wildflower pollination garden, Bridget started a cut-flower “farmette” on the old tennis court, which was fenced in and conveniently sunny. Using raised beds, each year she was able to grow more flowers for the inn and for events. She credits other local flower farmers and floral arrangers with their generosity in sharing flowers and knowledge. Without using pesticides or commercial fertilizer (only llama droppings, she said), Bridget was working toward her goal of offering flowers to the wedding couples who take over the inn most spring and fall weekends. 

Last fall, Mairead McGonagle and Mark Machesky were married in the English garden, using flowers from the inn for bouquets and centerpieces. Mairead said she immediately trusted Bridget. “The planning process felt like we were friends working closely. They were flexible and considerate of our budget.” The wedding took place in November, which was a risk in terms of temperature and flowers, but the day was warm and the dahlias, fall foliage, and faded hydrangeas were a beautiful backdrop to the ceremony. “For our guests, our college friends, the best part was all of us being together for the weekend,” Mairead said. 

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Photographs: Arletta Charter

Christina Revilla Chacon and John Rezabek were married in the garden this past spring, surrounded by daffodils and tulips. Bridget grew hundreds of extra tulips to create the bright palette the couple wanted for their bouquets and centerpieces. Christina said that college friends who had never been to the Vineyard before stayed at the inn and it was “like a little village, seeing our friends hanging out on their porches. It was homey and peaceful to be there all weekend…and the food was phenomenal!”

Bridget says that her staff is flexible and helpful. She, Galen, and the inn’s events coordinator, Jess Wyckoff, work with each of the couples in the months leading up to the wedding – planning and hosting a tasting, creating a run of show, and coordinating with vendors. 

“We encourage couples to contact the vendors and then, once those decisions are made and contracts signed with vendors, we become the primary point of contact. Jess leads the staff and all logistics on the day of the wedding,” Bridget said. “Some couples hand it over to us and look to us for lots of advice. Others are very involved and decisive about what they envision, and we follow their lead for design and execution.”

Fortunately for Island diners and couples who want a relaxed and intimate venue for their wedding, Bridget and Galen have settled in for keeps. Bridget has goals for each garden at the inn and is looking forward to many seasons of deer-resistant plants and bountiful blooms. 

Photograph at left: Arletta Charter; Photograph at right: Adeline Rock

Pick Your Season

Each season offers different colors, scents, and special blooms to enhance your wedding, as described in the list below. Supplementary greens are foraged from the property. Bridget Sampson is also happy to add annuals depending on a couple's palette and desires, she said. 

Spring
Focal flowers: Ranunculus and tulips
Filler Flowers: Anemones (blue/red), bleeding hearts, columbine, daffodils, geum, hellebores, Icelandic poppies, and violas 

Early Summer
Focal flowers: Delphinium and peonies
Filler Flowers: Blue hydrangeas, Chinese forget-me-not, feverfew, nasturtium, nigella, roses, and scented geranium

Late Summer
Focal flowers: Cosmos, early dahlias, white hydrangeas, and zinnias
Filler flowers: False alyssum, Queen Anne's lace, rudbeckia, and Veronica

Fall
Focal flowers: Dahlias and heirloom mums
Filler flowers: Cosmos, delphinium (second bloom), Japanese anemones, marigolds, and zinnias