May Day Horticulture Table with Bleeding Hearts and fragrant Daffodils
Linda Hooper, her hair adorned with flowers for May Day
Our Horticulture Table was adorned with fragrant spring blossoms. May 1st is the halfway point between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. It is rich in history and folklore and was rooted in agriculture and astronomy.
Traditions include dancing around a May Pole with colorful ribbons, bonfires and collecting and wearing flowers in their hair.
Originally the May Pole was a tree and the ancient Celts danced around the tree praying for fertility of their crops.
-
- Tea Urn setup
-
- Scones and delicate sandwiches were set up here
-
- Tea cups, saucers and matching plares
Our Jan Austen tea party, organized by Linda Hooper, was a great success and lots of fun for everyone.
Jane Austen was born in 1775 and died in 1817. In her time gardens were much bigger than they are today. They usually boasted lawns, flower beds, an orchard, shrubbery walks and vegetable gardens.
-
- Tea set up
-
- Pretty envelopes containing tea bags and bookmarks
-
- Linda Hooper by the tea set up
Gardens played a major role in all six of her novels. Today her home and gardens are a museum in Hampshire, England.
“The garden is quite a love … I go and refresh myself every now and then, and then I come back to Solitary Coolness.” – Jane Austen