July 6, 2026
The Rose Plantation Brings Gone with the Wind to Life with a Southern Afternoon Tea
By Gina Horan
The Rose Plantation Brings Gone with the Wind to Life with a Southern Afternoon Tea
High tea isn’t a new concept at The Rose Plantation. It’s a revival of a tradition that dates back more than a century, when William and Minnie Dwight regularly entertained guests with garden parties and high teas at their Pine Eden estate.
In 2022 the property was designated a Commemorative Site of Historical Value by the City of Fruitland Park.
The latest chapter of this celebrated social occasion was a Gone with the Wind themed afternoon tea, inspired by Margaret Mitchell’s 1936 novel and the 1939 film. Guests were encouraged to dress in period attire and enjoy a Southern-inspired menu designed to evoke the elegance and hospitality of the story.
Hats were everywhere — vintage, handmade, feathered, adorned with tulle and ribbons in every bright color imaginable. Susan Calle arrived in a authentic Victorian gown she had been waiting for the right occasion to wear.
“This was the perfect opportunity,” Susan says. “I love dressing up.”
Among the guests were Melody and Cliff Highman, who brought along their friends Al and Donna Smith — married 50 years and celebrating Donna’s 83rd birthday. Donna made her own hat.
“I just love that they are doing the presentation like this,” Donna says.
The food honored the theme with Southern tea sandwiches featuring smoked gouda pimento cheese, cucumber cream cheese and chicken salad. Sweets from Red Rooster Cookie Jar Bakery included an orange pecan scone with clotted cream, Scarlett’s red velvet cookie and Rhett’s bourbon peach pie cookie. Pecan pie shooters rounded things out alongside tea sandwich towers and iced sweet tea.
Marketing director Jessica Pritchett says the response confirmed what the team already believed.
“Guests are looking for more than just a meal,” Jessica says. “They’re looking for an experience, and that is what we aim for.”
The historic home, she says, lends itself naturally to themed events that let guests step into another time while enjoying exceptional food and meaningful conversation.
The next event is a Downton Abbey-inspired summer tea on July 28. They are located at 200 Rose Ave. in Fruitland Park. For more information, call 352.805.4340 or visit theroseplantation.com.
Photos by Gina Horan
Gina moved to Central Florida from the San Francisco Bay Area in 2021. She holds a degree in linguistics and has worked as a fashion editor, photo stylist, lifestyle columnist and food writer since 1995. She later covered travel, events, restaurants, music festivals and sports throughout Northern California, including work as a morning show host with KSAN radio and food critic for KRON Bay TV. A veteran bartender, she has worked in hospitality on and off since high school. Gina joined Akers Media in 2022 and is currently the Food and Lifestyle Editor. Her passions include travel, road trips, history books and podcasts, tasting menus and arriving in a new city without a map.
