One bright spring day, Easter Sunday 2017 to be exact, my boyfriend Mike and I, visited Painswick Rococo Gardens in the Cotswolds. Despite there being Easter trails and activities provided for the children, we left the children with grandma. This was a rare romantic morning for just the two of us.
Mike had revealed the night before that he’d actually booked us a surprise hot air balloon flight with Virgin Balloons, but sadly due to high winds speeds, it had been cancelled. We still wanted to go somewhere pretty and romantic to enjoy each others company without our four small spectators. Painswick Rococo Gardens was the backup plan and somewhere that neither one of us had visited before.
Painswick Rococo Garden is England’s only remaining Rococo Garden. And it’s a very beautiful one at that.
“Designed in the 1740s as a fanciful pleasure garden for Benjamin Hyett and his guests, this hidden valley offers spectacular views of the surrounding countryside and intriguing garden buildings.”
As it’s now a tourist attraction, there’s also a gift shop and a lovely little tearoom serving breakfast, lunch and homemade cakes.
Maintained solely by volunteers, we were full of admiration for the amount of time and love that must be put into keeping this garden so pretty all year around. A vast variety of beautiful flowers to admire and floral scents which fill the air. There’s a handmade wicker hut, a rockery water feature, a fairytale castle carved into a tree. A hedge maze, a large pond, arbours and seats. Hills and flats and streams. There is so much to explore and above all, it was so very peaceful.
And after an hours stroll around the garden, Mike turned to me and gave me a kiss, before getting down on one knee, declaring his love for me and asking me to marry him!
It might not have been hundreds of feet up in the sky like he had planned but it felt as though we were in the clouds anyway. It was peaceful, picturesque and perfect.
Of course I said… YES!
I love this man. He has turned my life around and I’ve never been happier, because of him.
And so, in true British style, we walked back up the hill to start our engagement with a cup of English breakfast tea, a scone and a slice of lemon drizzle cake.
This brought tears to my eyes! Congratulations to you both. I’m so happy for you. X
Huge congratulations and what a beautiful place to propose!