A HAPPY SUNSHINE DAY for "Tea In The Garden"

It's a wonderful sunshine day and time

to celebrate the absence of continual

rain.  That rain did cause things to

grow though and the garden is

moving along with color.  So due to
 all the rain, today is only my second
tea in the garden for this season.

I hope you came prepared to be enjoy

 tea time because we are ready and

I will let you pour yourself a cup of

tea and please help yourself to

some Strawberry and Cream Scones!

Last month, when I had my first
tea in the garden this year, I shared a
purple butterfly quilt.  Today I am sharing
 another Butterfly one that I love.  

If you would like to make
 these scones
the recipe is here!
I used 1/2 cup milk and
1/2 cup heavy cream because
I did not have any buttermilk.

I found this sweet teaset
at a favorite antique mall
in St. Louis.  (Warson Woods) 
 It is English Chintz.  
The spout is chipped
and it shows lots of wear but
I loved it just the same!

I hope your springtime is coming
along!  I am very happy
to see sunshine again!

My tea cups are English!  

This is my 9th summer to share "Tea In 
The Garden" vignettes with you.  I no longer
 have a linky party but will continue sharing my own posts throughout the summer.

OH DEAR - MORE RAIN

It rained all night and now it is

pouring and one wonders where

this is all coming from.  The Missouri

and the Mississippi Rivers are so full.

They say a garden is never quite the same
from one year to another and that 
makes sense because of weather
conditions, etc.  

These yellow irises are from
some bulbs I brought here 
in 2016 from Colorado. 

 I have
really enjoyed my alliums:

I am wondering now if they come
in other colors too.

I hope your springtime
 is coming along too!  I was able
to take these photos on 
Monday in between raindrops. 

YOUTUBE VIDEO

After all the rain (and more expected) I am

happy to see the garden come alive!  I

have sure made my share of mistakes

in my garden but it looks like more has

worked than hasn't for which I am thankful.

The clematis in my front yard

is actually 3 different plants:

I love the alliums:

And another clematis in the back:

Yesterday I did a video of my garden and first let me

say I had no idea what I was doing.  It is

not professional but just

the same, I am sharing it if you

 are interested:

My Garden on YouTube!

A LOT OF RAIN AND THEN BOOKS AND AFTER THE RAIN....

We are learning a new meaning to the

word "rain" here in Missouri.  There

has been so much since last week.

I do believe the garden would be

lovely if the sun could come out but

for now - that's not happening.

So I have been rereading the Victoria book:

"The Heart of England" and getting lost in

the wonderful words and enchanting views

with the text by Catherine Calvert.  This book

came out in 1999 and Victoria (Hoffman

Media) is getting ready to release a new

book which looks like it will be wonderful:

I can't wait to see this new book

above but in the meantime I have so enjoyed

the many chapters in the older one. 

 For example, I found these comments

 under the section "When

the Heart Comes Home":

"When it comes to furnishing an English

cottage, all must be happily haphazard, a

profusion of pattern and color that looks as if

everything came together by serendipitous

good fortune, which of course it did.  In

fact, true cottage style resembles a true cottage

garden in its chaotic and colorful jumble...."

These words cause me to remember back in the

 early 90's the tea room next door to my 

shop in Spring, Texas.  A British woman

 purchased an old rancher and she turned it

 into a tea room.  She had different floral

 wallpaper in many colors in the rooms.

  As she was working on it we took a peek 

through the windows one night and were  

shocked a the profusion of colors but there 

were no furnishing in it on that day.

  Later, she brought in the tables and chairs 

and little china cabinets and Viola!

It was very charming!

So if you long to be in England, love English

style, decorating or gardening or maybe even

 have already been to England or it's on your

 bucket list -

 I do recommend both of these books.

In the meantime - the rain held off just long enough
to catch a few photos of our backyard.

And from under the deck:

I am considering this a 3 year garden
even though it is my 4th summer.  I really
spent the first year digging out the lawn
all summer and although I did plant some
of the hydrangeas and peonies - wow - what a
battle just keeping them alive in this heat.
Then of course, I ended up having to move
most of the hydrangeas as I had them in
 too much sun, etc.

SPRINGTIME SCHEDULE IN THE GARDEN

Today I noticed that the daffodils are 
definitely passing by here in my garden.
Some of the tulips are yet to bloom and
 others are gone.  I have picked so many

white lilacs off what was a less than

desirable bush I got at a live auction

2 years ago.  It grows real "twisty type"

branches - almost like vines.  

This was the bouquet I made today as

I walked around gathering from what

was available here and there.  I
believe some of my tulips returned
from last years which was wonderful!

Many years back,  I decided that
Beatrix Potter would be the theme
of my garden.  I adore the characters
she created and her English Garden style.

As you can see I am making wire cages for my
peonies which will be blooming fairly soon!

I hope you are enjoying a lovely
Saturday and find some time
to play in the garden!



Linking to: 
Create, Bake, Grow and Gather