The gardens are beautiful and the views are are rather special, with a dovecote just yards away.
Andy, of Belleau Cottage Blog has created a very English garden, with drifts of lupins, delphiniums, clouds of forget-me-nots and swathes of flowers I can't name.
It is my favourite kind of garden. Everything is soft, with gentle transitions, plenty of colour, beautiful flowers and foliage.
Dominic, of Belleau Kitchen made the special celebratory cake, which was featured in Lincolnshire Life Magazine.
The loaf cake which you can see is made to his mother's recipe - Banana Loaf - and was superb.
Andy constantly recharged our champagne glasses and we nibbled on dainty cucumber sandwiches and delicious tartlets with melt-in-the-mouth pastry and savoury fillings.
We all took along a baked contribution and soon the table was full. I had been asked to take some scones, which I was happy to do.
Conversation and laughter flowed as we met new friends and chatted with friends we don't see nearly as often as we would wish.
Dominic did come in for a little teasing about scones...a couple of years ago I happened to win first prize, in the Scone category at the village show. He had to settle for third..
I don't think he has quite forgiven me...so watch this blog in August, I'll let you know how we get on.
The kettles were put on the stove and pots of tea were made - beautiful china cups and saucers were filled and we all got our second breath as we sipped a very nice brew or two.
As the daylight began to fade we pulled on our boots and walked back home, our path took us right past the dovecote and through the farm yard, over the river and through the fields to Aby.
It was the perfect end to a very special day.
Thank you, Dominic and Andy, it was wonderful. xx
Hi again,
ReplyDeleteI love tea parties! Kelly took me to a wonderful tea house in Lexington where we nibbled on dainty scones with Fayette cream, sips bowls of red-pepper soup, had little sandwiches, and finished off with delicious desserts. You've given me inspiration of how I can honor your Jubilee! Now, I wish you were here;-) Love you, XOXO
Hello Susan, You have such precious memories of a very special and splendid tea! You have me intrigued, I wonder what delights you are going to come up with. I wish I were there too!! xx
DeleteHello Elaine:
ReplyDeleteDelightful and all so very, very English. The dovecote is especially lovely and how wonderful to have it as an eye catcher in the garden.
Hello Jane and Lance, The dovecote is beautifully visible from the garden - it is steeped in history, as well as being so very beautiful. The whole garden is a delight and I'm so pleased you enjoyed your visit.
DeleteWhat a perfect afternoon!
ReplyDeleteJane x
Hello Jane, It was wonderful in every regard...including not having to do the washing up!
DeleteWhat a delightful way to spend your day. I love lupines and they did quite well here this year as well. We are back to cold and wet again, think I will go put some tea on.
ReplyDeleteHello Doc, It was such good fun. Only once have I managed to grow a lupin, that is ONE lupin...I must take advice from Andy. Where would we be without a good cup of tea? Time I put the kettle on, too.
DeleteHow beautiful the setting is for the second celebration of the day. And what a perfectly beautiful ending of the day....a walk home.
ReplyDeleteHello Meggie, The views from Andy and Dom's house are amazing, you could never tire of them - especially with the changing seasons. The walk home was lovely, the evening was mild and we were mellow!
DeleteHi Elaine,
ReplyDeleteHow lovely to get a glimpse of Andy and Dom’s garden-and to get to eat all that lovely cake!! Lucky you!
Hello Green Dragonette, Everything was wonderful - beautiful house, absolutely lovely gardens, and the best hosts. It was so much fun.
DeleteThis post was so beautifully done, it brought tears to my eyes. I have never been to a tea but I now feel that I have shared in this one with you. Thank you, dear Elaine!
ReplyDeleteHello Ms Sparrow, It was a truly splendid tea and we had great fun. I'm lucky because I got to relive it all, by posting about it! If only you could have been there, you would have been treated like a Queen.
Deleteoh it was an absolute pleasure to see the three of you!... we were just saying how lucky we were not only with the weather but with what lovely friends we have... and now we have soooo much cake... I may make a bread and butter pudding out of your scones!!! x
ReplyDeleteHello Dom, I am just relieved that you are not going to make doorstops out of the scones!! Davina, Jonathan C and Harry send their thanks for the huge slice of cake which you sent them. It was all perfect - so thank you, both of you. xx
DeleteHello, Elaine. Too bad you couldn't eat all the cake. What a beautiful day and beautiful gardens. I hope a glass was raised to your indomitable monarch, too. And, I love the foreground tree over the fish pond. A well spent day. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHello Joanne, I did my best with the cake, the trouble is I am out of practice! We toasted Queen Elizabeth in champagne and were happy to do so. The sun was just dropping as I switched on the camera - snap and it was gone!
DeleteWonderful! Good company, a beautiful garden and cake. What could be better?
ReplyDeleteHello Doohie, It was one of those perfect occasions, we thoroughly enjoyed it.
DeleteOh what a lovely day it was indeed, though I must admit to enjoying the cocktails a little too much and feeling just a little bit fuzzy this morning. It was an absolute pleasure to see you chaps and what lovely post, even if it did make me feel a bit lazy as I haven't posted for a while myself.
ReplyDeleteHello Andy, I hope your head has cleared by now. I was up and out before 6am this morning - camera in hand and photographing a family of ducks on the fish pond. They were a surprise bonus. Thank you both for the most wonderful time. xx
DeleteAnother brilliant view of what to me is a story-book existence. The day/evening sounds wonderful and your photos are perfect. I've never ever been served a dainty cucumber sandwich (nor even a clumsy one). And it was very kind of you to sample all the cakes. Being selfless, I would have made the sacrifice and done the same.
ReplyDeleteHello Mitch, Oh dear, our life is so far from story-book I fear I must be misleading you all. It is very ordinary really; it is the fabulous people and places around here which make it special. I have a post planned about Old John from next-door-but-one, which I think you may enjoy. Eating all that cake was difficult - especially deciding which one to eat first.
DeleteGlad you enjoyed the Jubilee celebrations. I have too - mostly watching it all on TV. Those lupins are gorgeous - mine are just starting to come out. Elaine all the best in August - first prize with the scones again eh.
ReplyDeleteHello Molly, It has been such a wonderful weekend, I must admit we have watched or recorded a lot of it. It was splendid. I'll keep practising the scones - standards must be maintained. Can't let the boys win!
DeleteSounds like a splendid tea part. Tea is my favourite social meal, not that I go to tea parties nearly as often as I'd like. Thanks for showing us a bit more of Dom's kitchen and the Viking's garden.
ReplyDeleteHello Choclette, It was a beautiful tea with perfect hosts. I have to report that their kitchen is really beautiful and the end wall completely opens into that wonderful garden. It is as special as Dom and Andy.
DeleteA party in a garden is the perfect one of all, just lovely the photos and descriptions, if only I could taste a bit of the food. Ha.
ReplyDeleteHello Linda, I am sure you would have enjoyed it and we'd have loved your company. The cakes were excellent!
DeleteWhat a lovely post. I felt like I was there. I especially like the last picture with the daylight fading over the pond. Very ethereal!
ReplyDeleteHello Evlyn, We would have been happy to see you. I'm so pleased you like that photograph, it was just one of those moments - and for once I had the camera!
DeleteBeautiful Dovecote (and everything else). My Lupins haven't flowered yet... I must go and check on them!
ReplyDeleteHello Cro, The Dovecote is such an interesting old building in a beautiful setting. Andy's lupins are spectacular - he also has a good old fashioned cardoon growing in his garden, I'm looking forward to seeing that in flower.
DeleteIt looks and sounds idyllic; good food and good company in beautiful surroundings. Just wonderful.
ReplyDeleteHello Scarlet, That is exactly what it was - wonderful!
DeleteI found you through Dom's blog and glad I did. I feel like I was at the party after reading through your post! Wonderful photos, and I'm hoping there's a recipe for those scones somewhere on your blog...
ReplyDeleteHello Sue, Welcome! I'm so happy that you enjoyed the post (and the party!) it really was wonderful, delicious food, beautiful surroundings, great hosts and company. Dom's kitchen is as beautiful as ...The Viking's garden. I don't think I have posted the scone recipe yet, I must rectify that soon.
DeleteI am so incredibly jealous. I saw your award winning scones in dom's bread and butter pudding and felt compelled to come over and read about that party. Wish I could have been there to taste them myself!
ReplyDeleteHello Shu Han, The scones were nice, but I have to tell you that the cakes were even better!
DeleteI needed to come and visit after reading dom's post too - what gorgeous photos and what a wonderful tea party, I feel quite envious. Thanks so much for sharing the photos - I can't wait for the results of the scone contest!
ReplyDeleteHello KitchenMaid, I am very happy that you did pop over. It was that combination of great hosting, beautiful setting, a good mix of people ...and delicious food! I'm sure we won't be able to resist posting about the village show and the battle of the scones..
ReplyDeleteOh, finding your blog is a happy diversion (I should be working) I'm looking out the window at driving rain and wind battered irises so your pictures of the perfect tea party and English garden is a tonic! :-)
ReplyDeleteHello The View from the Table, Welcome! I'm so pleased that you have found your way over here. It's wild and wet here - far removed from the weather we enjoyed for the tea party! Oh well, that's British weather for you - back into winter before summer begins.
Deletewhat gorgeous flowers. just lovely. i am following along with you now. thanks, to finding you on friday fences. (:
ReplyDeleteHello Beth - and welcome! The day of the tea party we had summer, now we are back into winter with gale force winds and very heavy rain! Those flowers are really lovely, I am hoping that Andy will give me some tips for my own garden as he obviously has the magic touch.
DeleteA truly gorgeous garden! So perfect for a tea party to remember! And that last photograph is just stunning!
ReplyDeleteHello Marie, Andy has created a truly beautiful garden, he has a huge amount of respect for nature. The sun setting over the fish pond was just one of those perfect moments - blink and it is gone. I'm so glad you enjoyed seeing it all.
DeleteYour pictures of the flowers are so pretty!
ReplyDeleteHello Elli Chase Designs, Welcome. The flowers in that garden were truly beautiful and helped to make for a wonderful party.
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