In a medium saucepan combine the sugar and water. Take your vanilla beans and cut down the center of the length of them, take your fingers to help open it up a bit. Now scrape the knife down the middle and gather all the seeds. Pop those in your saucepan, then toss the whole beans in there too. Over medium heat cook until the sugar dissolves. Once it's boiling and the sugar has dissolved, reduce the heat to simmer and allow it stay there for about 15 or so minutes. Then let it cool. I let mine cool for about 10 or 15 minutes in the pan, then transferred it to a mason jar and popped it in the fridge overnight. You want it cold for the fruit so this step has to be done in advance. I usually try to keep one or two kinds of simple syrup on hand in my fridge all the time.

Prep all your berries and grapes so they are clean and ready to go. Toss them all into a big bowl. Pour the cold simple syrup over top of them. Toss with a spoon until berries are evenly coated. Place the bowl in the fridge for about an hour or so to let the flavours marry. It helps if you give it a stir part way through the hour.

If you can get your bowl, and whisk cold prior this really helps. I tend to pop mine in the freezer for about 30 minutes before I whip things like this. Or you can place them in your fridge as well for an hour or so.

Pour the heavy cream and sugar into the mixing bowl. Start your mixer on low speed until the cream starts to thicken just a bit. Then turn up to high and mix until it becomes fluffy. As it's mixing take your vanilla beans and slice them open down the middle. Scrape out the seeds and pop those in the whipping cream. I used the seeds from 2 but you could just use one. If you like making simple syrup or vanilla sugars keep those pods and pop them into whatever you like. Never waste a good vanilla bean people!

Once the whipping cream is nice and fluffy you're good to go. You can assemble the parfaits.

Grab 4 mini trifle glasses or whatever kind of glass you want to serve these in.

I had 6 mini sponge cakes which I divided amongst the glasses. You can use a little less or more depending on your taste.

Now spoon the fruit over top of each glass. Make sure to pour some of the liquid over the sponge cake if serving immediately. If not serving right away the sponge cake will get soggy if you pour extra liquid over top.

Transfer the whipped cream to a piping bag and pipe a garden gnome onto each parfait.

Top with extra fruit if desired.

Serve with a big old garden gnome smile!