Tea Sippers

In 1999, the United Kingdom’s first tea plantation was begun. It actually began producing tea in 2005 and last year produced a ton of tea. Not bad for a country that drinks 165 million cups a day.

The location of this first UK tea plantation is at Tregothnan in Cornwall. It belongs to the Honourable Evelyn Boscawen whose family has held the estate since 1335. What is being grow is Chinese and Indian teas similar to slow growing teas like Darjeeling as the climate conditions are similar to such for high altitude teas. The tea is hand picked from April to October and used to make four varieties that are available at about 80 places in Devon and Cornwall.

Maybe this will just be the first of several tea plantations in the UK. Finally the English have their own home grown tea. Good for them!

Source: A Cornish cuppa