Oh, to wander at will in a garden,
One of my grandmother’s day;
One that my grandmother tended,
Where old-fashioned flowers held sway!
Effie Waller Smith’s words evoke nostalgia for the old-fashioned gardens of our grandmothers, where lovingly-planted perennials and bright annuals beckoned family and friends. Inspired by those heirloom flower gardens, the grounds around Humphreys House at Reflection Riding will become a new sensory treat.
To be conceived by renowned fine gardener Jon Carloftis, and created by CA&NC volunteers and Master Gardeners of Hamilton County, the Grandmothers Garden will feature the bold colors, tantalizing fragrances, and intriguing textures popular in gardens of the early 1900s. The Garden will provide a path toward expanded educational and celebratory events at Chattanooga Arboretum and Nature Center at Reflection Riding.
Mother’s Day weekend, May 11, we invite you to don your favorite hat and join us at Humphreys House for tea. Our Strawberry Afternoon Tea fare features savory sandwiches, scones with cream and jam, delightful little cakes, chocolate-enrobed strawberries, and lashings of hot tea. A further touch of elegance: Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra conductor Kayoko Dan and CSO member Caroline Brown Hudson will give a recital on flute and harp. Grandmother would approve!
All proceeds from the Tea at Grandmothers Garden will go toward the Garden’s transformation. Tickets are $35 for adults, and $15 for children aged eight to 13. Call 423 821-1160 ext. 0 to make your reservations.