Ancient Gardens

The earliest gardens we know about were sheltered places for growing food and medicine. They were pleasant places for relaxing, eating and playing, like outside rooms.

Persian Gardens

The Persians were very interested in mathematics. Their gardens have complicated geometrical shapes, with religious meanings. Gardeners in Europe copied Persian gardens.

Medieval Gardens

For Medieval Monks, gardens were an important part of daily life. They grew plants for food and medicine for themselves and to sell.

Chinese Gardens

Chinese gardens look quite different. They were places where people could be quiet and thoughtful. The gardeners copied shapes and views from nature and often included buildings.

Renaissance Gardens

These amazing gardens are all about showing off wealth, power and human cleverness. Many new design ideas were being tried out in gardens and towns in Europe.

Tudor & Stuart Gardens

Meanwhile in Britain, country landowners wanted to design new gardens around their big houses. Explorers and inventors gave gardeners new ideas and unusual plants to grow.

English Garden Style

Suddenly people got tired of gardens looking artificial. Now gardens looked as if they were part of a beautiful, natural view. Everyone copied the 'English' style.

Victorian Gardens

By now, more people had more money to spend on their homes and gardens. And there were all sorts of factory-made garden things for ordinary people to buy and new plants to grow.

Arts & Crafts Gardens

But people didn't want to lose the old crafts and skills. They liked this simpler, more 'old-fashioned' style of garden with natural building materials and masses of flowers.

Inter-war Gardens

After the terrible Great War, people wanted to look to the future, not the past. Modern garden designers made a fresh start with new materials, shapes and ideas.

Later 20th century Gardens

People have always needed gardens and open spaces. But as the world has changed, so have gardens. What will the gardens of the future be like? Over to you!