Tea-lightful: High Tea caps off Daffodil Spring-Tacular

Mar. 25—ASHLAND — Ladies in hats and gloves sipped drinks and mingled at the Highlands Center Sunday afternoon while local musicians performed jazz standards. The group of nearly 150 was attending the Meadows of Yellow Royal Bon Appe-TEA in support and celebration of the first Daffodil Spring-Tacular.

The event also involved wine, champagne, finger sandwiches, lemon scones, chocolate-dipped strawberries and Ashlander Clarke Wiley's famous cheesecake.

The goal was to thank sponsors and also raise funds for the Daffodil Spring-Tacular, the committee of which is responsible for planting thousands of daffodil bulbs in Ashland.

Norma Meek, president of Ashland Spring-Tacular Daffodil event, said the group's goal is to plant 20,000 daffodils each year throughout the city and to celebrate the flower's beauty in March.

This year's featured meadow is on Bradley Drive, which Meek said is a neighborhood that has been active in beautifying the community. It was chosen for the first mass bulb planting by the group; each year of the event, a new area will be chosen.

"It will be a destination place where people can come in the spring, tour our meadows, shop in our stores, eat our food and attend the tea and the walk," Meek said.

Bulbs were distributed at Ashland Milling; Meek and Susan Hunt, treasurer, wrote grants to fund the project, and private sources from all over the country helped fund the project, too, as well as Marathon and Ashland Community and Technical College. In addition to Bradley Drive, yellow meadows appeared at the Ashland Tennis Center, Broadway Square, around the signs entering Ashland, an Ashland Town Center sign, in the middle of Catlettsburg, Dutch Berry Park (at Blackburn and 29th Street) and along Bradley Drive.

It wasn't just flower enthusiasts who attended; tea aficionados were drawn to the event, too.

Amy King of Ashland grew to enjoy tea, noting she first loved peach tea. But she's not just into the drink.

"My favorite part is the company," she said.

Crystal Eldridge of Paint Lick was visiting her son, Aaron Eldridge, a math teacher at East Carter High School, and wanted to attend.

"I like the atmosphere," she said. "I love tea and I love to dress up and wear a hat and gloves." She added getting prepared was difficult. "I could find a hat, but I had a hard time finding gloves."

She bemoaned the fact most people don't dress up to go out and celebrate and was happy to have the opportunity to do so at the tea.

Daughter-in-law Leanna Eldridge, also of Paint Lick in Garrard County, said she also loves tea.

"I go between black or cherry-infused green tea," she said.

Aaron Eldridge noted the importance of events like the tea.

"It's important to have things like this, especially for the kids, things like this and prom, so they can have the experience of a formal event and feel like a grown-up," he said.

Prominent gentlemen in the community, like Mayor Matt Perkins, were the servers and kept attendees' tea cups and wine glasses full.

Three pieces of floral art by local artists were auctioned, and a silent auction offered others the chance to bid on a piece to commemorate the day.

The month-long festival included a daffodil walk through Central Park and a children's/family tea. A haberdashery was available in the Highlands Museum where spring hats could be purchased.

The idea began with Wiley, vice president of the group, who filled his back yard on Forest Avenue with daffodil bulbs last year for a royal high tea; he thought expanding that idea was a good one, so he got Meek involved. Although Wiley was unable to attend, he provided the linens, dishes, glassware and decorations for the event.

Others in the group are Teresa Church, secretary; and Karen Hogsten, Tim Quade, Jenny Ferguson Conley and Laura Neal.

The Daffodil Spring-Tacular 2024 award was given to Dr. M.J. Wixsom, who was responsible for the daffodils in Central Park.

"She got it organized, and she received the first Daffodil Spring-Tacular Award," Meek said.

(606) 326-2661 — lward@dailyindependent.com