Anyone else remember this song? “I’m a Little Teapot,” released 1939. It was a favorite of my mother’s. This is her teapot, a wedding gift from 1950. I remember this making its daily appearance on the kitchen counter brewing tea for that iconic Southern beverage (appropriate for all occassions) syrupy sweet Iced Tea.
From Wikipedia:
The original lyrics are as follows:[4]
I’m a little teapot,
Short and stout,
Here is my handle
Here is my spout
When I get all steamed up,
Hear me shout,
Tip me over and pour me out!
I’m a very special teapot,
Yes, it’s true,
Here’s an example of what I can do,
I can turn my handle into a spout,
Tip me over and pour me out!
I aged out of the ability to drink Sweet Iced Tea at age 16. With the amount of sugar usually added, it is just too sweet for me. My grandmother added saccharine tablets to hers which put me off of Iced Tea for years. I would pray for Coca Cola at her house. Since then, straight up with a lemon is the only way I drink Iced Tea. I know, I am a bad Southerner.
I love this teapot because the interior has signifigant tea stain, evidence of what a mainstay this was in my mother’s kitchen.
I have a lot of plants in this little teapot. Tropical Gardenias (Tabernaemontana diviricata) started the idea – white and fragrant, they come from a ten foot tall tree form shrub that is over my head and wonderful to stand under and inhale the scent while trimming a few flowers. I have two types of Coleus foliage (Plectranthus whateveritisnow) – chartreuse and burgundy and chartreuse. White spikes are a few pieces of white Tropical Red Salvia (Salvia coccinea) – who are these people naming plants again?
Another view:
Tiny white flowers are from Tree Spinach (Chaya) – a superfood for people that I planted for butterflies. I haven’t eaten any as it is toxic unless you know how to cook it. Pink fuzzies are the Dwarf Chenille Plant (Acalphya pendula).
Another view:
As always, thank you to Cathy at http://www.ramblinginthegarden.wordpress.com for hosting this addictive garden meme. Sundays would not be the same at my house without it. Follow the link to see more vases.
Happy Gardening!
The Shrub Queen 
This teapot arrangement is beautiful. The Coleus is a grand addition. I have my grandmother’s teapot–similar color but different form. Drank lots of sweet tea growing up.
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Thaank you, Susie, do you still drink sweet tea?
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Maybe once a year!
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I have not heard a second verse to these lyrics before (and it would have to be an unusual teapot to do what it says) and the version on the CD of children’s songs I play for my grandchildren doesn’t refer to steam although I can’t remember what the alternative is! I like your reasons for particularly liking this teapot… And of course I like the contents, especially all the bright greens that enliven the whole thing
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I didn’t remember the lyrics like that, either..though I doubt I have heard the sing in 50 years..
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I think the CD says ‘when I see the tea cups’… although I don’t think that would have been the version I originally knew
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Those tropical gardenias are so cool! Unfortunately, they would not be happy here. Heck, even real gardenias are difficult (and no one knows why).
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These Gardenis grow in horrible places..amazing me, no irrigation, fertilizer and thriving in sugar sand.
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Real gardenias, which likely do very well there and in other humid climates, do not perform in the most ideal situations here, but somehow survive in the strangest of situations where they should not be happy. It makes no sense.
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They are relatively common here and buggy..
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Buggy?! like with scale and whitefly?
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Yes and yellowing from micronutrient problems.
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Are they greedy with nutrients, or just dissatisfied with local soil?
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Dissatisfied with the soil, I think have to put Miracid on them.
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It’s a very pretty combination, Amelia. The touch of red in the coleus foliage and the chenille flowers echo the color of the teapot and the white and lime green colors add a fresh contrast. I love it.
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Thanks, Kris..fun for me..
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That is an altogether charming post with your memories of iced tea. The foliage is beautiful and I can imagine the scent given off by the gardenias is delightful.
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Thank you, Noelle. I enjoy the Gardenias.
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Cute Queen
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I remember that song – we used to sing it in play school, and do the actions of tipping over to pour. 🙂 That tropical gardenia must be a wonderful tree in bloom. It looks very pretty in the vase too and must scent the room.
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Thank you.. seems everyone remembers that song. Wondering if kids still sing it?
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Your teapot is adorable! I really love the flowers and foliage you have used this week. So pretty. Definitely one of your prettiest arrangements! 😃 And I remember the song too, of course. But we sang ‘When the tea is ready, hear me shout. Tip me up and pour me out’. 😃
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Thank you Cathy..I remember the song that way as well
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Your gardenias bloom for a long time. It is always nice to have an object that brings back memories. And I often wonder what people were thinking when they named plants and birds.
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I am not sure how long..will have to pay attention.
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A lovely tapestry of color, Amy. Sweet memories to go with the teapot. It is probably good that you don’t have a sweet tooth – it dampens your immune system!
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Thank you, Eliza..I do like dessert now and again
Peach, blueberry pie in the fridge!!
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Sounds delicious! I’m a big pie fan myself. I am really hoping for a good peach season here next month. I adore them!
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Didn’t realize you could grow peaches that far north 🍊
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Ours are probably more hardy versions of the southern ones. But nothing tastes like a good GA peach, though! They aren’t that easy to get here, most markets carry CA fruit. I visit the few local orchards here in season to get mine.
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