Mother's Day Garden Tea (May 11 & 12, 2024)

UPDATE! As of April 27, 9:00 AM the Sunday reservations at 12 noon and 2 pm are down to the last tickets. If you would like to be added to a wait list, please email (email can be found at www.bannockburn1855.com). 12:27 PM: We're also now down to the last spots Saturday at 2 pm.

We still have space on Sunday at 10 AM and on Saturday at 10 AM and 12 noon.

Thanks!

Heritage Mother's Day Tea at Bannockburn Farm is back! Last year's event sold out quickly, and we're opening up reservations this year early. Tickets are available until we reach capacity for Mother's Day 2024.

What is the event? Come out to designated heritage landmark Bannockburn Farm for a Mother's Day high tea and tour in our farm gardens. Enjoy tea, scones, and other farm-fresh baked goods on proper tables, with linens and antique china cups. Get a chance to view the heritage home--the second oldest in British Columbia (est. 1855)--and tour the heritage gardens. Tickets include a select-your-own bouquet of flowers for mom (or auntie, grandma, stepmom, anyone you wish). We provide flowers, wrapping paper, ribbons, and a gift card. All flowers are from our farm gardens and greenhouses. We'll have aprons and gloves to borrow onsite, so you don't mess up that garden tea finery. It's a chance for mom to select her favourite flowers and colours.

There is a chance to buy as well to shop the farm stand, for plant starts, farm vinegars, seeds, and other good things.

Please note! This website is really annoying to use sometimes, so if you have any issues you can always contact us directly to book (email address on our website: www.bannockburn1855.com). If you are booking here, please be sure you are selecting the correct type of ticket (tea for two plus one bouquet; tea only for an additional guest; tea and an additional bouquet for guest) and please be sure you're selecting the correct date and time slot on that day.

What are the bouquets like? They are a lovely, generous bunch! The precise flowers depend on what's in season. With this year's El Nino, we hope to have peonies, roses, and irises among the mix. If the spring is cooler, the earlier season speciality flowers are hellebores and some speciality tulips and ranunculus. The filler flowers are tulips and daffodils, and we provide bouquet stuffers such as willow, fern, and grapevine. Generally bouquets are three speciality flowers plus nine-to-twelve filler flowers, for a bouquet of at least a dozen blooms, all prettily wrapped and with a gift card. We also provide once the peonies and hydrangeas come in bucket flower sales for weddings; please inquire.

Pets? Smoking? We are unable to accommodate any pets. We love your puppy! We have one too. But we are a farm property with free-range chickens and lots of gardens, so please leave your pets at home for this event. And definitely, absolutely, please no smoking or vaping on the property.

Will I get to see the heritage home? Visitors will be able to get a look at some of the main rooms of the heritage farmhouse, and there is a guided tour if you wish (or you can follow the tour on your own if you prefer).

What's the story with Bannockburn Farm? Founded in 1855, we are (if Wikipedia is to be trusted) the second oldest private residence in British Columbia and the oldest private residence open to the public. We are open to the public for Mother's Day weekend only each year. Construction on the main house began in 1857, and the home retains its 19th century features. Read more about the heritage property in Seaside magazine: https://seasidemagazine.ca/seaside-homes-bannockburn-farm-thriving-after-164-years/.

Time of entry: Please note that to manage capacity and to ensure a private and intimate experience for everyone, we do have a staggered event time. Tickets are available at 10 am, 12 noon, and 2 pm on Mother's Day and reservations are for a 90-minute visit. Our capacity is 40 people per time slot.

What is the price to attend? The cost is $65 for two guests and includes one flower bouquet and tea, scones, and baked goods for two at a private garden table. If you want to expand your party, additional guests (of any age) are $20 each without a bouquet and $50 each with an additional bouquet, and we're happy to seat your party together at the same garden table. All taxes and gratuities are included.

Cancellation policy: We are happy to reimburse the cost of any bookings (exclusive of any third-party booking fees) up to 72-hours before the event. That means there are no refunds after May 8, 2024, 10 a.m. due to certain fixed costs that we incur after that date. If you wish to avoid the third-party booking fees, you are welcome to book directly. You can find our email address on our farm website: www.bannockburn1855.com.

Parking: We have onsite farm field parking, but please let us know if anyone in your party has mobility limitations so we can do our best to ensure all members of your family are accommodated. You can select the parking assistance "ticket" (no cost) at check out.

Rain and dress: In the event of rain, we will host this event under garden tents and on the verandah, but please dress for an outdoor event. Garden-party attire is suggested. We recommend flat shoes due to the grass.

How will I receive my ticket? All tickets are will call. We will be in touch with you by email about 10 days before the event to remind you of your event time and logistics, and when you arrive at the farm gate on the day of the event someone will be there to greet you and there will be an envelope with your name, receipt, and tea and bouquet vouchers waiting for you.

Separate bookings. If you are booking separately but wish to sit together as a group, please be sure to let us know in a note so we can group those bookings together and seat you at one garden table! You will have a table reserved for your party with your name on it, and please let us know which name you would like to be primary for your group.

Legal stuff. This is a farm heritage agri-tourism event on a classified farm hosted under the provisions provided for in section 12 of the B.C. Agricultural Land Reserve Use Regulation (BC Reg. 30/19).