Spilling the Tea: A New Offering From an Old Tradition

Before there was a tea garden at Century Oaks, there was tea.

As a girl, I would run the length of four city lots along the wild edges of Campbell’s Hill — long before it became a manicured cul-de-sac. I’d slip into my grandmother’s house, be greeted by the cat, climb two flights of stairs, and arrive in her kitchen — the warmest place I knew. Grams would put the kettle on without asking.

We drank Lipton. I still do sometimes; nostalgia has a flavor all its own. I’d balance a handful of ginger snaps on my saucer, dipping them just long enough to soften into something sweet and gingery. We traded stories from the day while Grams prepared dinner, Wheel of Fortune humming in the background. Eventually, my mom would call, and I’d run home again.

When my grandparents moved from DeForest to Century Oaks, the ritual followed. Same kettle. Same hospitality. Just a different view out the window. This time, I stayed until dark and drove myself home.

Years later, when my daughter Elyse was small, our tea parties evolved — accents, dramatic storytelling, and laughter echoing through the house. Tea has always carried a kind of quiet magic in our family: connecting generations, inviting conversation, and turning an ordinary afternoon into a memory.

Growing the Garden

Planting a tea garden at Century Oaks felt less like launching something new and more like coming full circle. Nestled alongside our first tee box, it feels whimsical and fitting — exactly the sort of creative pairing Grams would have loved.

Over the past year, I’ve studied what thrives here in south central Wisconsin. I’ve learned how to harvest at peak potency, how to dry with care, and how to blend not just for flavor, but for function. I’ve taken courses. Read deeply. Experimented. Failed, and tried again.

Each herb carries its own personality: grounding roots, bright florals, cooling leaves, warming seeds. Blending them is both science and intuition, structure and story in the same cup.

Return of Tea Parties

This past week, we welcomed our first tea blending gathering at Century Oaks.

We tasted single-herb infusions. We talked about properties and pairings. Each guest created a blend uniquely their own — bold, floral, earthy, restorative. Watching personalities emerge through herbs felt much like our flower workshops; no two arrangements, no two blends, are ever alike. It was creative. It was joyful. Grams would have approved.

Fieldnotes Botanicals Tea Reserve

At Century Oaks, tea blending has become a natural addition, blending the land with creativity and heart. 

Botanicals are harvested at their peak, dried with care, and thoughtfully combined to create something that feels both grounded and a bit unexpected.  These reserve blends are uniquely created each month. Each features estate-grown botanicals, with field notes revealed as tasting notes that capture the essence, nuance, and seasonality.

Reserve blends are limited in quantity due to our small batches and are available by request. We look forward to adding future tea blending classes to our schedule.

We’ll put the kettle on.