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gardens as such were the realm of the wealthy. But towards the end of the last century gardens became possible for everyman. House building in Victorian times escalated and the resulting urban spread included many more buildings with small gardens. More people could design their own little patch to be distinctive from their neighbour's.

Also, due to the improvements in hot-houses, greenhouses and horticultural techniques many more species became growable here. At the same time, some of the greatest plant collectors such as Joseph Hooker, Thunberg and Charles Sargent had provided new material which was bred and added to the ever increasing number of plants which could be cultivated in Europe and the UK.

Roses have always fascinated both gardeners and non-gardeners. They are associated with passion (Aphrodite is supposed to have arisen from the sea and the drops of foam dropping from her body gave rise to the first white roses. While she defended her lover from a wild boar, her blood gave rise to the first red roses).

Josephine, Napoleon's wife, probably started the segregation of roses into their own garden area in 1800 with her famous collection at La Malmaison in Paris. But before that they had been grown intensively for perfume and in apothecary gardens around monasteries.

From around 1900, gardeners began to grow their roses in special beds where they could be cared for and prepared for exhibition with no other plants in competition. Hybrid tea roses were bred and be-came extremely popular, while standards remained spectacular ex-hibitors. Today's varieties include many spreading forms, standards, climbers and even thornless roses. Impressive rose gardens can be found at Wisley, Cranbourne Manor and Hatfield House and Stour-head.

Division and edging has always been an important part of designing gardens and gardeners have used boards, stones and even bones to make patterns. The first 'knotte' or Knot garden is mentioned at the end of the 15th century. The word comes about from knotted cord or string which was laid out on the ground forming the initial shape for planting. The shapes were made using hedging or bedding plants of similar varieties.

The spaces between the hedges or plants were filled with a variety of materials, including other plants but also gravel, coal and chalk for colour. Designs became elaborate and symmetrical and latter ones had to be viewed from upper rooms to appreciate their geometric shapes.

In England few knot gardens remain. They require

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