First one: On the last day of the year 1600, the East India Trading Company, later called the John Company, was officially formed by the beer drinking Queen Elizabeth, “for the honour of the nation, the wealth of the people…the increase of navigation and the advancement of lawfulle traffic”. This trading company, through manipulation eventually controlled most of present day India, until the crown took full contol of India in the early 1850's. This measure displaced or unemployed hundreds of Company directors and clerks. One such company officer decided to take advantage of a new initiative by the English government to grow tea in Darjeeling by offering any European 5,000 acres free of rent for ten years if they consented to grow TEA. The new entrepreneur started a tea estate using his wife, Margaret's money. It was her Hope Chest in other words and her hope she hadn't squandered it all on her husbad's new adventure. It turned out to be a good investment

Second one: During the 1930’s there was tea garden in Darjeeling owned by Mr. Bagdon who lived in London but visited the tea garden regularly. He had two daughters. The younger daughter was named Margaret. When she saw the tea garden, she fell in love with it, hoping one day she would have an opportunity to return. Sadly, she fell ill on board ship during the return trip to England and died soon after. In her memory, her father changed the garden’s name to Margaret’s Hope. It is believed that she visits the estate bungalow from the western side, coming through the main guestroom and leaving from the study through the verandah to the tennis courts.

I believe the first one. The part about the "hope chest" makes sense. The second story doesn't explain where the word Hope came from.

I wanted to see the difference between a first flush and a second flush. First let me tell you what first flush and second flush mean. First flush teas are picked between February and March. They have a very very light astringent taste. A very floral taste. The tea leaves are also green. Second flush tea is picked between May and June. It is more astringent and has a muscatel flavor. The leaves are browner than first flush.

What's amazing is that I could tell the difference right away. The teas were exactly as described above. What's even more amazing is that they come from the same plant and estate but are picked at a different times. This is one of the reasons I love the study of tea. Tea has got to be the most complex plant out there. Little things like when you pluck it affecting the taste interests me. Both teas were excellent by the way. Then after that I made some Doa Ming. Which is a China black from the Yunnan providence. World of difference. Its my second favorite tea. It's musty, earthy, and hearty. It produces a pretty amber color like no other tea. I'll take this one over any Darjeeling's. I was done with tea for the day. Want to know more about my day? Click on the link for my tea/day BLOG Tea Content Blog