Wednesday, March 23, 2011

A Gardener's Tea

Hello everyone!
       
           Come on in and enjoy a cup of tea with me and we can do some garden planning at the same time.


We can enjoy the sunshine in the sunroom that is decked out in some new spring colors. I hope you like lavender!.




I know I shared this old teapot with you yesterday but it went with the color scheme and the light was better so I couldn't resist.  There are no markings on the teapot or the plate so all I can tell you about it is that it was a couple of dollars at a yard sale.
I made us some lemon lavender cookies to go with our tea today. 

If you would like the recipe for these cookies I simply added about a teaspoon and a half of grated lemon and a couple of teaspoons on dried lavender from our garden to my sugar cookie recipe which you will find here .I would have added a bit of lemon flavor if  I had some but I was out and they tasted good without it-just ask my Mom!





Now lets get down to the business of planning our gardens shall we?

Now, I know you are all very observant so did you notice that is our garden terrace on the cover of this little planner from the Canadian Gardening magazine we were featured in several years ago. This winter the heavy snow actually broke the roof off it and my husband and son are out working on it now. I have a pic of my husband standing on the top of it making me very nervous just to watch -I tell you the man is fearless! Last week he got up on the roof of our two story house to put chicken wire over the chimney because a bird came down a couple of times and got into our basement.Thankfully, he didn't fall off!
  Thank you Jen, at A Garden of Threads for those pretty seed packages. I was the lucky winner of a beautiful giveaway at Jen's awhile ago and I will share that with you later.

You probably noticed that the cup and saucer are not a perfect match but do we really care?

I have a little bundle of cookies to take home with you.
 Well, now what are you hoping to add to your garden this year? I am hoping to get the Boomerang lilac that is supposed to bloom spring and fall and a little bit in between .I would love to enjoy a bouquet of lilacs from spring to fall and what about the pink Invincibelle Spirit hydrangea it looks like a great addition to the garden don't you think. The Forever and Ever series of hydrangea sound good for our climate-has anyone tried them? Oh! I could go on forever and ever myself once we start talking gardens but you might be getting bored with me so I will let you go and visit with Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for her Tablescape Thursday where I know you will never be bored!

Take care,

Carolyn

33 comments:

Angie@Echoes of Laughter said...

Oh my dear lady! Your tea parties are just the prettiest in blogland! I adore your parties! I am in Edmonton and there is still lots of snow on the ground and flurries in the air...therefore I am really craving your delightful spring tea party! Happy Wednesday! Angie

my cup of tea said...

Awww so beautiful! You put me back into the spring mood! It is snowing here right now. I would love to have one of those cookies right now!
~Donna~

Chari at Happy To Design said...

Hello sweet lady...

Ohhh yes...I love lavender, my friend! And...your sunporch just looks sooo pretty all done up in that lovely color! I couldn't help but notice your beautiful lavender toile pillows on the chair...GORGEOUS!!! Well dear friend, you have certainly set another fabulous tea for all of us to enjoy! I really like the pretty lavender table covering that you used! Sooo many pretties!!! I thought that maybe your teapot was Wedgewood but I guess not. It sure does remind me of it though. I soooo enjoyed getting a peek at a few of your lavender teacups as well! Ohhh...and the lemon lavender sugar cookies look and sound scrumptious! I really will have to give your recipe a try...thank you for sharing it with us!

Carolyn, I always love coming to your place! I stand in awe of you, dear friend! Your home is sooo beautiful and you have the prettiest things! I'm so glad that you share them with us...it is always a treat!!!

Warmest spring wishes,
Chari @Happy To Design

Pamela Gordon said...

I love lavender! What a pretty table - dishes, table cloth, and that teapot and plate! So lovely. A boomerang lilac?? Sounds intriquing. My lilac has not produced for 3 years so it may be dug up this year. Should I try it somewhere else or get another? It is old and we had to cut half back last year as it just died. I love your tea party today. Pam

Lacy said...

I would love even a little patch of grass in our back yard! We live in climate 5. Very cold and snowy winters and very warm dry summers. I tried the forever and ever hydranga. It's still alive and Had one bloom last year. It's three years old and on my east side of my house.
I don't know if this will help you. I keep hoping one year it will take off and amaze me, but I'm not holding my breath.

Olga Poltava said...

Such a gorgeous tea setting. I love that teapot; it's so lovely.
This year, I want to add hydrangeas to my garden too. Also a few days ago, I bought gladiolus bulbs and I plan to plant them when it stops raining.
Thank you for sharing with us this beautiful tea!

Judith @ Lavender Cottage said...

Hi Carolyn
I have the 'Bloomerang' lilac and hydrangea 'Invincibelle', from GardenImport. Both are doing well and I just love the light pink blooms of 'Invincibelle'.
After reading the comments on your lilac 'Beauty of Moscow', there it was for sale in a mail order catalogue here, so of course I ordered one.
The lavender cookies look yummy, would love to have one with tea.
Judith

Suzann said...

Goodness Gracious!! I don't think that even on my best day I could create anything half as lovely as what you show us all.
Oh to have a garden of any size!!! I was hoping for this year, but things are not looking good right now. I will just enjoy yours

Beth said...

I love this post! Your sunroom is fabulous. Love the tea table you set up, the teapot, the tea cup and the cookies. It all looks SO pretty!
Blessings, Beth

Susan said...

Oh, Carolyn, your lavender theme was so refreshing. The tea pot and plate you got for a couple of dollars? That was a steal. Everything looked appealing and springy.

Tonight we have snow! Bummer. Spring sprang back into hiding. Susan

Victorian1885 said...

Love the Lavender China pieces! Happy Spring Carolyn!

Bella's Rose Cottage said...

Hi caroly,
I am loving the lavender, perfect in your bright cheery sunroom! The tablecloth is a beauty, but the mix match teacup and saucer are so gorgeous, I love purple trasnsferware, so hard to find!! Mmmmm thanks for the cookies:-)
Hugs,
Bella

Anonymous said...

Dearest Carolyn,

Too bad that some of your photos don't load and they all take very long to load but it's worthwhile to wait (while reading some other blogs). Gilda was very kind for posting about you!
Your tea setting and cookies are lovely as usual.
Lots of love and sunshine coming your way I hope.

Mariette

The Tablescaper said...

Your cookies and tea give me hope that Spring is coming (and staying) soon. We had snow today!

- The Tablescaper

Stina said...

prachtig, alleen jammer dat je bij jou niet kan vertalen, helaas.

gr Stina

Diana (Apple Pie) said...

Wow! I read about you in Gilda's blog (sweet sweet home) and I will thank her forever!!!

My best wishes..

Diana

lory said...

Dear Carolyn I love lavander and your post is a dream for me....kiss lory

theromanticrose said...

Stupendo!Bellisimi questi colori sul tono del lilla e dell'azzurro,un amore la teiera,dolce la tovaglia.Un saluto,Rosetta

Vintage Gal said...

Oh my ~ what a lovely table. I would love to have a cup of tea with you here. So serene ~ I LOVE lavender and those cookies look yummy ~ I could talk gardening all day too ;-)

Lounging with a Latte said...

You must have so much fun putting your teascapes together, they just look beautiful. I hope your busband and son got down from the roof without any mishaps!

Ann@A Sentimental Life said...

love the lavendar colors! I got the boomerang lilac last year. The blooms are smaller but is is nice to have blooms throughout the year. and I have the everblooming hydrangea, they did fairly well last year and again..great to make arrangements.

Jacqueline~Cabin and Cottage said...

So much fun catching up to your last few posts! So sweet to see your darling grandchildren together! What a houseful of joy! Your lavenders are beautiful. It's so enjoyable to see the limitless ways you use color with your wonderful collections.

Anonymous said...

A Gardener's tea? I'm in. :) I so love the colors of blue with lavender very refreshing. I believe you should have your own show that would make it much easier to stay a while longer with plenty of walks through your gardens for those of us who live further away. However, this visit was just a relaxing and enjoyable as the others so hard to leave though...
I'm out to shovel myself out, that darn snow!
Rosemary...XX

A Garden of Threads said...

Hi Carolyn, Beautiful pictures. I am also planning additions to the garden, had to take down a large blue spruce, and your suggestion of the Boomerang Lilac sounds great. If I remember right it does not get too tall, perfect. Take care and happy garden planning. hugs, Jen.

Red Door Home said...

This room is a perfect space for tea - light and bright. We still have snow on the ground but I am looking forward to when I too can do some garden planning.

Jocelyn said...

Oh wow! Everything is so beautiful. What a lovely way and place to enjoy a Spring Tea.

Jocelyn
http://justalittlesouthernhospitality.blogspot.com/

Alycia Nichols said...

Hello, Carolyn! What a refreshing color to see!!! Lavender is so pretty, so feminine, so eye-opening (and still somehow wonderfully calming), and yet it is so rarely seen. You put it in just the right setting! Fabulous! I have never tried to bake lavender cookies, but my sister tells me there's nothing in the world quite like them. Some day I will have to whip some up. I hope they turn out as pretty as yours!

Becky said...

Carolyn, what a lovely tea. Everything looks so welcoming! I just adore the teapot and those lemon lavendar cookies look TDF Thanks for sharing.

afternoon tea said...

We are still looking at snow too. I think your tea table is marvelous and I'm now craving a sugar cookie. Yum!

Pam said...

Could you tell me the name of that beautiful chine on your blog header--the pink and white with what looks like strawberry blossoms and gold trim. I would love to find some like it.

Sandi@ Rose Chintz Cottage said...

Hi Carolyn,
I love your teapot! I think this pattern is called Chelsea. I saw it on someone's blog and that was the name of it. It looks identical to me. It's an older pattern. Great find! Hope you're enjoying your weekend.

Blssings,
Sandi

Entertaining Women said...

The lavendar is the perfect soft touch of color for stopping over a beautiful cup filled with tea on a cold Spring day. Thank you for sharing your beautiful design. I just want to replant all of my lovely day lilies that the yard people dug up accidentally last summer. Add some Plumbago and wait for my roses to bloom..and I'll be a happy camper. Cherry Kay

Debbie said...

Just saw this post today and wanted to let you know that Sandi@rosechintzcottage is correct about your tea pot and dishes. They are known as "Chelsea" - also as "Blue Chelsea" and "Grandmother's Ware". They are by Adderley - a British company. I found a bowl and bread & butter plate when we were stationed back in England in the late 1980's and had been on the lookout for more pieces ever since but was unable to ever come across any because I didn't know the name of the maker or the pattern. finally, last year (more than 20 years later!) I figured to do a search on Ebay after spoting the dishes in a back issue of 'Victoria' magazine. It jogged my mind and made me pull my two dishes out of storage. I had them packed away because I was worried about them getting broke. No use having pretty things if they stay packed away, is it?Anway, you were lucky to find the tera poy for just a couple of dollars - they are going for $65 to $75 on Ebay. And a sincle dinner plate is usually around $30. I keep looking now and finally found some cups and saucers just last month on Ebay that someone had for $5.00 a set and they were at a "Buy Now" price, so I considered myself so fortunate that I was the first person to spot them and was able to get them without having to bid on them. They normally go for $20 a set on Ebay. I know you enjoy using your tea pot and dishes! I sure do enjoy using my "Blue Chelsea's"! also, to let you know - they are old. They are at least 90 years old, as Adderley started manufacturing them in the mid 1800's and I think they quit making them somewhere around 1925.