The Secret Garden afternoon tea at Taj 51 London: Review

London is simply brimming, if you’ll excuse the pun, with afternoon teas from classic to themed, including one themed around the much-loved children’s classic by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

Taj 51 in Buckingham Gate is currently offering their Secret Garden themed afternoon tea, featuring floral touches and edible treats inspired by nature.

Taj 51 in Buckingham Gate is currently offering their Secret Garden themed afternoon tea. (Image: Emily Davison)

The experience is set within the Kona Restaurant of the hotel, where we began by walking through a courtyard decorated with giant butterflies, flowers and a rustic sign pointing you in the direction of the “Secret Garden.”

We began by walking through a courtyard decorated with giant butterflies, flowers and a rustic sign. (Image: Emily Davison)

We first began the experience by opening a menu that was fashioned to look like the ornate iron gate that Mary unlocks in the book, with a little butterfly ready to greet us.

The menu was fashioned to look like the ornate iron gate that Mary unlocks in the book. (Image: Emily Davison)

This was then followed with a box which contained the ornate key Mary finds, made from decadent chocolate, to begin the journey and unlock the gate.

A box contained the ornate key Mary finds, made from decadent chocolate, to unlock the gate. (Image: Emily Davison)

The afternoon tea came served in a gold birdcage and featured an assortment of sweet and savoury treats.

Savouries consisted of four sandwiches including herb and chicken with lemon mayo, egg and garden peas, smoked salmon with avocado dill cream cheese, and cucumber, beetroot and basil.

The afternoon tea came served in a gold birdcage and featured an assortment of sweet and savoury treats. (Image: Emily Davison)

The sweet treats consisted of four floral themed treats which included a rose-shaped mousse made with raspberry and lychee and finished with dew drops, to signify the roses Mary finds in the garden.

The sweet treats consisted of four floral themed treats. (Image: Emily Davison)

There was also a zesty citrus cream cheese tart with basil and lemon, along with a mango and lime mousse finished with chocolate butterflies.

Finally, we finished off with an edible chocolate pot, which was a rich and indulgent chocolate mousse served in an edible pot and topped with edible flowers.

The sweet treats included a zesty citrus cream cheese tart with basil and lemon. (Image: Emily Davison)
Freshly baked wild berry scones were served with rose jam and cream, lychee syrup and drizzled with lavender honey, and I loved the flavours of the honey and the lychee.

Freshly baked wild berry scones were served with rose jam and cream, lychee syrup and drizzled with lavender honey. (Image: Emily Davison)

For tea, you can choose between three different blends from Bird and Blend, which included a traditional black tea with lavender, a herbal tea and a fruit tea for something sweeter.

For tea, you can choose between three different blends from Bird and Blend. (Image: Emily Davison)

This afternoon tea has a lot of attention to detail, from the floral crockery to the books of the Secret Garden displayed on the window.

This afternoon tea has a lot of attention to detail. (Image: Emily Davison)

This afternoon tea is priced at £75 per person with 50 percent discount for children, one of the most pricey afternoon teas in London but definitely a treat experience I’d recommend for anyone who loves nature and literature.