Tea Garden Celebration
Tea Garden Celebration
Saturday & Sunday, Sept 19 & 20th
10:00AM & 2:00PM start times: Limit 20 people per 2-hour session
- Join us at Camellia Forest Tea Gardens to celebrate the long-awaited release of Grow Your Own Tea: A Complete Guide (2020, Timber Press) and meet author Christine Parks. Enjoy a physically-distanced tour of the Tea Garden and greenhouses, sip our home-grown tea. Light snacks will be provided or bring your own picnic.
- Pick up your signed copy of Grow Your Own Tea or purchase on site.
- Ticket fee includes raffle entry for a copy of the book, plants, seeds, and more.
- Rain date – Sept 26 and 27th, same time slots, or join our virtual celebration.
Virtual Celebration
Date & Time TBA
- One single-use login for our virtual event, including a recorded garden tour.
- Live session with author and tea garden maven, Christine Parks.
- Signed copy of Grow Your Own Tea, plus domestic shipping.
Notes:
- Guests are asked to reserve one ticket per person so we can maintain a safe number of people per session at the Tea Garden; the event will be entirely outdoors and masks must be worn at all times when distancing is not possible.
- If the cost for registration is prohibitive for any reason, please contact us by e-mail (below). Donations are also welcome to support our educational program and provide opportunities for hands-on learning at the garden!
Ticket types:
Garden Event - $10
Garden Event & Signed Book - $35
Virtual Event - Free
Virtual Event & Signed Book - $25
About the Book:
A comprehensive guide for growing and gardening with Camellia sinensis, Grow Your Own Tea delves deep into practical topics including site planning and soil preparation, sourcing and propagating from seeds and cuttings, raising and maintaining healthy plants, and the basic processes for harvesting the leaves and making tea to drink. In addition to sharing expertise based on decades of growing tea at Camellia Forest, the book draws from lessons learned from researching the experiences of a range from beginning through advanced tea growers. Last, but not least, the authors introduce readers to the little-known story of tea cultivation in the U.S. and inspire them to learn more about contemporary tea growers across North America and the British Isles. The book is richly illustrated with photos from Camellia Forest Tea Gardens and representative growers from our surveys, and highlights the beauty of the tea plant foliage and flowers in the garden.
Reflecting the authors’ passion for education, Grow Your Own Tea is written to be accessible and informative for all types of readers. Gardeners will learn about the gifts of Camellia sinensis, cousin to the widely known ornamental sasanqua and japonica varieties, while tea lovers will discover the joys of growing your own tea at home! Booklist calls it the “guide of guides to the cultivation of tea,” while Norwood Pratt (renowned writer on tea and NC native) says, “It will delight even the armchair gardener and casual tea lover.”
Meet the Author:
Christine Parks is owner/operator of Camellia Forest Tea Gardens in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Camellia Forest Nursery & Tea Gardens is a small, family owned and operated business with deep roots in Chapel Hill. The Nursery began with Christine's mother-in-law, Kai Mei Parks, as a tiny operation in 1979, and is nationally known for its diverse Camellia collection. Featuring our collection of Camellia sinensis specimens and selections, the tea garden was created to support and educate growers and tea lovers, hosting visitors for tours, community events, and workshops. Christine has nurtured the garden in its current location since 2005, expanding slowly with the help of volunteers, interns, friends, and family. Christine has been sought as a speaker at horticultural venues ranging from Longwood Gardens near Philadelphia to the UNC Botanical Gardens, and tea houses such as the Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill and Dobra Tea in Asheville. Along with her coauthor, Susan Walcott, Christine is a founding member of the U.S. League of Tea Growers. Photo Credit: Milli Appelgren
Follow Camellia Forest Tea Gardens:
Instagram: @camelliaforesttea
Facebook: @CamelliaForestTeaGardens
www.teaflowergardens.com (tea education and news)
E-mail teaflowergardens@gmail.com
Mark your calendars and get ready for fall blooms! Visit us at Camellia Forest’s Open House Weekends: October 2-4, 9-11, & 16-18.
