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Monthly Archives

July 2018

Teasses, Walled Garden, Teasses Estate

Dahlias in the Walled Garden

By Garden
Teasses, Walled Garden, Teasses Estate

Dahlia ‘Belle of Barmera’

Teasses, Walled Garden, Teasses Estate

Dahlia ‘Zorro’

Teasses, Walled Garden, Dahlia, Teasses Estate

The Walled Garden provides the ideal climate for these stunning Dahlias. We like to try different varieties each year, and once again we’ve been bowled over by the intensity of colour in each of the varieties we’ve selected. Here Belle of Barmera is stunning, but the star of the show has to be Dahlia ‘Zorro’ with large vibrant blooms.

Teasses, Walled Garden, Dahlia, Teasses Estate

Fresh, Warm, Juicy Peaches

By Garden

There is nothing nicer than plucking a fresh ripe peach from the tree. Even better if you’ve had the opportunity to help towards the growth and development of those same peaches and have observed them gradually fatten over the early summer months. Now in late July the fruits are plump and ripe. To plunge your teeth through the flesh and be splattered with warm sweet juice is an absolute delight few get to enjoy. As the juice   trickles down your chin you recall all those sunny childhood summer holidays. The taste of sweet fruit and sunshine on your skin.

Peaches, Teasses, Greenhouse, July, Fruit

Recipe: Elderflower Infused Gin

By Teasses Recipes

We all like to use the natural ingredients our local wild larder provides us. This month has seen an abundance of elderflower blossom at Teasses and in my opinion you can’t go wrong with a quick Elderflower Infused Gin recipe, something to enjoy on these long hot summer days.

This recipe makes one litre of flavoured gin.

You’ll need;

  • a Large heavy bottom pot
  • 2 tablespoons of caster sugar
  • 2 strips of Lemon Peel
  • a dozen elderflower heads (de-bugged – to do this simply suspend the bunches of flower heads over white paper, the bugs will fall from the flowers while being attracted to the white paper)
  • 1 Litre of Gin (quantity over quality is fine here)
  • Bottles of your choice – sterilised.
  • fine Sieve or Muslin

Step One: Pour the gin and sugar into a gently heating pot. Allow the sugar to slowly dissolve into the mixture. Don’t boil.

Step Two: Add the lemon strips and the elderflowers to the mixture. Be careful to ensure that all of the flowerhead are submerged.

Step Three: Allow the mixture to infuse in a dark spot for up to 24 hours. This will allow the flavours of the flowers to develop. If you aren’t looking for a very strong elderflower taste adjust your timings to suit. Less infusion time will create a less pungent infusion. I tend to soak little more than overnight.

Step Four: Strain the mixture through a fine sieve or cotton muslin and pour into your desired bottles. Put an additional strip of lemon into the bottle. This prevents the liquid from darkening too much.

 

Once sealed you can store your Elderflower Infused Gin for as long as you like, but be warned the longer you leave it the stronger the taste. Be warned; natural yeasts on the Elderflowers can interact with any remaining sugars leading to further fermentation and more potent a concoction. Store in a dark place.

Prior to serving allow your Elderflower Infused Gin an overnight experience in the refrigerator, as with most gin drinks, this is served best with heaps of ice and tonic water.

 

 

 

Garden Club of America

By Visits

We had the absolute pleasure of hosting the Garden Club of America at Teasses today, 25th July 2018. The group led by Julia Fortescue and Anne Chambers were led through the garden by Head Gardener Craig Cameron and Assistant Head Gardener Lewis Rodgers.

High points for the group were seeing the fading flowers of Cardiocrinum, Giant Himalayan Lily, in Sir Fraser’s Garden. The vibrant scarlet flowers of Tropaeolum speciosum growing effortlessly through the dense yew hedges surrounding the Sundial Garden.The individual gardens dedicated to members of the family, each full of character, were a particular joy for the visitors to see and gave real insight into the nature of the family gardens here at Teasses.

We look forward to hosting the Garden Club of America again in the future.