Groombridge Gardens - My childhood safe haven

We all have that favourite childhood place don't we? The place we went to often as a child and the place we'd love to make a regular haunt for our own little families.

My favourite childhood place was Groombridge place gardens 4 miles south west of tunbridge wells, This place was my very own wonderland I remember spending many of my summer holidays visiting the giant chest board, letting the koi carp suck on my finger tips, following many peacocks round the garden grounds, knocking on the numbered paving stones lent up against trees waiting for fairies to come out if you knocked at the right time of day, visitng the gypsies in their caravans and the indians in their teepees, swinging on the overly huge swings hanging from trees which fit me and my mum on with our matching hats, getting on the barge to get to the other end of the gardens just talking about it makes me all fuzzy inside.

I loved this place so much I longed to get married there it was the only place fitting for my big day and one of my most meaningful tattoos has a lone peacock feather situated in it to resemble my days there going home with any stray peacock feathers I came across running around the grounds there, It's needless to say I couldn't wait to take my own little family there bubbling with excitement at the magic they will feel that I once felt as their little feet run around the play paths, seeing the zeedonk if he was around in a place you'd be able to catch a glimpse of him.

The time finally came 3 years ago to take my girls to the place that was the most magical place I've been, My friends very kindly took us along as I was dying to get more information on  holding my wedding there. 

 With all my childhood memories flooding back I was so excited I'm sure I actually skipped my way from the car to the entrance after paying for us all to get in, I was raring to get stuck into all the old things I once done as a little girl but it was like getting kicked in the stomach it was no longer all what I promised my friends and girls it would be. 

Wicker dragons were left without heads,the gypsie caravans barely had any windows left and what it seems to be just left to rot, the once mystic blue pool was nothing but a slushy mud puddle, the many beautiful peacocks could barely be found (we did find one but Issy was terrified)

That being said I'm really hoping it was to do with the time of year we went as it was pretty cold, The little girl in me is wishing and hoping with all her might that it was just down to the time of year and that all those things get patched up come the warmer weather. 

I can't wait to pass my driving test so I can make regular visits there willing for the magic to return and witness my girls feel the magic I once felt.

I can't get married in the actual part I wish to get married in so it's my mission to travel up on the morning of my wedding to re create the many photos of me as a little girl with both my mum and dad in them with me in my wedding dress, possibly my girls too.