 Everything you’ve always wanted to know about tea will be revealed at Exbury Gardens this weekend.
The world-famous woodland garden is famous for its fabulous ornamental camellia collection, but what is not well-known is that our favourite brew is made from the leaves of Camellia sinensis, a less showy but just as valuable plant.
This camellia also grows at Exbury and head gardener John Anderson has prepared a comprehensive tea trail leading to these plants – and many others which have medicinal properties or which taste good made into a herbal brew.
Children will be in for a chance of winning a toy PG Tips monkey as they take part in this trail and a special colouring competition.
You’ll be able to sample a huge range of teas, from traditional brews to special ranges and there are plenty of teapots, teas and traditional china for sale.
And, if you want to know what the future holds, tasseomancers (tea-leaf readers) will peer into the bottom of your cup to see if a tall dark handsome stranger is coming your way.
There is an extra charge for a reading.
If a fancy brew isn’t your cup of tea, you can sample a mug of ‘railway tea’ on the Exbury train where you’ll hear stories of the famous Rothschild tea ceremony, experienced by guests at Waddesdon Manor and Halton House around 100 years ago.
Of course there’ll be cream teas in the restaurant and tea garden where you’ll also be able to enjoy a tea sorbet, made especially for the occasion, while a lucky visitor will have the chance to win a delightful tea at nearby Chewton Glen, one of the country’s top hotels.
“Tea is at the heart of English life,” said Nicholas de Rothschild, whose family owns Exbury “So we thought a tea festival would be just the thing to hold in the Gardens.”
The Exbury Tea Festival takes place over the August Bank Holiday weekend, August 29 -31. And on the Saturday night there will be an evening picnic performance of Sense and Sensibility by Chapterhouse theatre company |
