NOVEL: A Memory of Violets/TOUR: Andalusia House and Garden

May flowers are summoning us! Join Audrey for a guided tour of Andalusia Historic House and then a stroll through the garden. We'll gather amongst the flowers for a picnic (BYO) lunch to discuss A Memory of Violets, May's member choice book for the theme: Books with Flowers in the Title. The book is an historical novel that tells the story of two long-lost sisters—orphaned flower sellers in 1876 London —and a young woman who is transformed by their experiences. Coincidentally, the original owners of Andalusia were originally from London, but 200 years earlier!

Fee: $35 for house and garden entrance and tour (includes venue's processing fees). Limit is 12. First pay goes. BYO Lunch.

HOW TO PAY: Use Friends and Family! Do not use the business option because it charges a service fee. Please note the event name or date on your payment. If your payment name is different than your Meetup name please make sure you note your Meetup name.
Venmo - @audrey-Heller1 (phone ends in 4478)
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HOUSE TOUR: Andalusia Historic House and Garden
10:30am House Tour

Andalusia Historic House, Gardens & Arboretum is a natural paradise located on a beautiful stretch of the Delaware River. The house was originally the home of Quakers William and Sarah Biddle who left England after being imprisoned in London for their religious beliefs.

On this one-hour tour, we’ll discover exquisite interiors and hear stories of the family who lived at Andalusia from the 1790s to the 1970s. The Big House is a designated National Historic Landmark with a unique art collection, offering an unparalleled look into our nation’s past.

11:45am STROLL THROUGH GARDENS & PICNIC LUNCH
After the house tour, we'll stroll through the gardens until we get to a spot around 12:15pm or so to settle in for lunch and book discussion.

Andalusia’s gardens are a succession of delightful surprises. The family was known for creating magnificent herbaceous borders, often color-themed. Glorious examples of these can be found all along the walk — a striking pattern of pink, purple, and white that revolves across the growing season.

Benches and chairs are available for seating throughout the property, and blankets are allowed on the lawn or meadow. This is BYO LUNCH.

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NOVEL: A Memory of Violets* by Hazel Gaynor
Genre: Historical Fiction

"For little sister. . . . I will never stop looking for you."

Among the filth and depravity of Covent Garden's flower markets, orphaned Irish sisters Flora and Rosie Flynn sell posies of violets and watercress to survive. It is a pitiful existence, made bearable only by each other's presence. When they become separated, the decision of a desperate woman sets their lives on very different paths.

Twenty-one-year-old Tilly Harper leaves the peace and beauty of her native Lake District for London to become assistant housemother at one of Mr. Shaw's Training Homes for Watercress and Flower Girls. For years, the homes have cared for London's orphaned and crippled flower girls, getting them off the streets. For Tilly, the appointment is a fresh start, a chance to leave her troubled past behind.

Soon after she arrives at the home, Tilly finds a notebook belonging to Flora Flynn. Hidden between the pages she finds dried flowers and a heartbreaking tale of loss and separation as Flora's entries reveal how she never stopped looking for her lost sister. Tilly sets out to discover what happened to Rosie—but the search will not be easy. Full of twists and surprises, it leads the caring and determined young woman into unexpected places, including the depths of her own heart.

Housekeeping!

• Here are the Club’s Basic Rules and Liability Release. You should read them because by signing up for an event you agree to them! 🙂
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~Audrey
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The below is silly babble just for the Meetup algorithm - no need to read this!-------------------------------
tours with socializing book club a fun way to meet new friends and be social with book loving book club members who like to read and explore authors, house tours, museums and other walking tours and try new activities such as hiking, reading, craft, hobbies, book clubs and more! It's especially fun for a book club to go on indoor tours and outdoor and indoor adventures with all the book club friends who like to socialize explore and try new hobbies. We love friends and books among the gardens and nature are divine ways to socialize