My First Garden Tea

I went to my first garden tea a few days ago, and not in just any garden. The Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens in Richmond are one of the city’s best-kept secrets. Located on the north side of town in an area called Lakeside, the site features several themed gardens including a healing garden and a brand new rose garden, as well as a conservatory with a wonderful display of orchids and tropical plants.

There's also a special children’s area which is part playground, part garden, part learning center and in addition to the casual café where you can get snacks to enjoy on the grounds, there’s a lovely Tea House that should be called the Tree House, since it’s nestled high in the green canopy and is walled with windows.

I had a very serene and ladylike lunch, and sampled some Southern favorites including shrimp and grits. More contemporary entrees included a panini with brie and peaches, as well as a variety of soups and salads, and the prices were very reasonable in the $5 to $10 range. Desserts ran the gamut from a light mango sorbet to a decadent chocolate brownie sundae, which came with a large dish of whole walnuts so that you could garnish it to your heart’s content.

The garden hosts a wide variety of special events from jazz concerts and wine tastings in the Rose Garden to a Fidos After 5 event every Thursday where visitors can bring their leashed and well-behaved pooches for an evening stroll. There’s also a huge gift shop that’s worthy of visit in and of itself, as it contains not only everything imaginable for the would-be gardener, but handcrafted jewelry, gift items, and art.

The garden is open daily from 9-5, and in the evenings for special events. www.lewisginter.org