I received these bowls for the purpose of the review but all words and opinions are my own
Ordinarily I do a reasonable amount of entertaining for family and friends and have collected quite a nice selection of crockery over the years. Some are inherited from my Grandma, who also loved beautiful crockery, others have been birthday and Christmas gifts and the remainder are pieces that I have bought myself. If you ask my husband, he might say that I have a bit of a crockery obsession but I do have a dish for everything and with a big family you can never have too much crockery!! Therefore, I was thrilled to be asked to review a couple of fine china serving bowls from Mary Berry’s English Garden Collection as the bowls looked like they would fit in with my crockery collection perfectly.
The English Garden Collection by Mary Berry brings a touch of charm to the home, reflecting Mary’s passion for gardening and nature with beautiful illustrations of classic British birds and flowers. Clean and classic shapes ensure that all products in the collection have a timeless feel. I received two beautiful fine china serving bowls, the medium Forget Me Not 16cm serving bowl and the large Agapanthus 20cm serving bowl.
It is always a little worrying when crockery purchasing crockery online however the bowls were very well packaged and arrived intact. Once I opened the box the two bowls were nicely packaged in attractive sturdy presentation cardboard boxes that are perfect to keep the bowls in when they are not in use. I like to store my crockery in this type of box as it is much easier to fit and stack square boxes in a kitchen cupboard or sideboard and it also means the bowls don’t get accidentally chipped, which can happen when bowls are stacked inside one another. But for those who are short on space the 16cm bowl does sit perfectly inside the 20cm bowl and they still fit nicely in the box.
This Mary Berry English Garden Serving Bowls are made from beautiful Fine China, and they feature two delicate flowers on the side. The medium bowl has a beautiful Forget Me Not illustration and text and the large bowl has an Agapanthus design. Both designs are in a pale blue colour which complements the white fine china and gives it a timeless feel. I can see these bowls being used for many years and hopefully my children and grandchildren will continue to use them in the future!
The bowls are a lovely shape and would look lovely on a buffet table filled with delicious treats. The Forget-Me-Not bowl is the perfect size for crisps or snacks and the large Agapanthus bowl would be perfect for salad or pasta dishes. I am currently using the large bowl as a fruit bowl as it is such a beautiful dish, and it seems a shame to have it sat in the cupboard until I can entertain again!
The bowls are easy to look after and it is recommended that they are washed in warm soapy water prior to the first use. The crockery is dishwasher and microwave safe and can even be used in the oven up to 230 degree C (450 degrees F).
Mary’s English Garden collection consists of cups, storage jars, coasters, jugs and bowls, as well as flower illustrations the range also features bird illustrations which are just as beautiful. I especially like the large jugs which are now on my Christmas list along with the smaller bowls in the range, an 8cm bowl with a Rose design and a 11.5cm bowl with a Honeysuckle design.
I think these bowls are beautiful and I know I will get a lot of use from them over the coming years.