We want to show the many gardeners of the world secret gardens and less well-known aspects of the great gardens of the country by setting them in to their historical context.

• We want to show the many gardeners of the world secret gardens and less well-known aspects of the great gardens of the country by setting them in to their historical context.

• Find out about a garden being a marriage proposal.

• Which garden designer had a turnover of £1,000,00 a year in today’s money?

• Can a garden reveal the political views of its owner?

• Gardens can be full of jokes: there is a ' grottoe at the end of the garden just the middle off the house. it's garnished with many fine figures of the goddesses and about 2 yards off the door is severall pipes in a line that with a sluice that spouts water up to wett the strangers.' said Celia Fiennes 1685-1712.

• Discover who believed: 'all gardening is landscape painting. Just like a landscape hung up'.

• See how poetry, music, a classical education, the Grand Tour, an idealised view of the Ancient world played their part in the design of many gardens.

• Which garden designer perfected his gift for self-publicity with a unique tool: “In every place I was consulted I found that I was gifted with a peculiar facility for seeing almost immediately the way in which it might be improved”.

• "It is a hackneyed saying that even the course of true love does not always run smooth, but neither does the culture of the common mushroom”.The Gardener’s Chronicle January 6th 1877.