How's your gardening history knowledge?

I reckon the answer to 10 is Vatsyayan.

I know nothing

Number 7
Bill and Ben?

I think the answers to all of them will be either, Egypt, China or Henry VIII - although Leonardo da Vinci may also be in there somewhere.

1. When were the first garden hoses made?
Leather was used to make tubes for quite a while so I'll plumb for Ancient Greece - after all they invented the steam engine, automatic doors and vending machines.

2. When did the first European garden hose appear?
Ah - so it wasn't the Greeks then - OK I'll use that here then.

3. When was the earliest record of bonsai?

4. When did the first lawns appear?
Chamomile lawns were around in Tudor times

5. Who invented the first greenhouse in 1619?
Prince Charles

6. Who discovered the concept of "microclimates"?
I'm sure the Romans used to manage microclimates to grow cucumbers all year round

7. Who was the first to popularize, if not invent, flower pots?

8. What firm produced the first garden catalog with prices?
I'm thinking along the lines of a big department store like Maceys or Harvey Nichols

9. When and where was the earliest western depiction of a wheelbarrow?

10. Who invented the wheelbarrow?
ok then - The Chinese

Is this the entrance test for gnome school?

Can I cheat?

They are all much too hard, I don't know any of them. Fail.

[QUOTE=mothhawk;1346672]Get your thinking caps on and have a go at this quiz.

1. When were the first garden hoses made?

The first garden hose was worn in the 15th century, rather than being short socks as we wear today they were in fact full stockings . The garden type were distinguished by having embroidered flowers and herbs on them. Shakespear popularised garden hoses in his play"Midsummer nights dream" Where "Puck" admires "Bottoms" flashy hose in the line " How now Bottom tis a brave donkey that weareth lavender stockings in such a dark wood"

2. When did the first European garden hose appear?

The French men were the first to start wearing these in 1462, being somewhat effeminate (as they continue to be of course)

3. When was the earliest record of bonsai?

Their first record was in 1962 just being pipped to no 1 by cilla black.

4. When did the first lawns appear?

Just before day 7 of the creation so we would have something to rest on, on Sundays.

5. Who invented the first greenhouse in 1619? Mr green from Bognor regis.

6. Who discovered the concept of "microclimates"?

Louis Pasteur

7. Who was the first to popularize, if not invent, flower pots?

This would be "Weed" in the flower pot men. Bop bob dobbalob.

8. What firm produced the first garden catalog with prices?

Amazon?

9. When and where was the earliest western depiction of a wheelbarrow?

I believe it was constable in the "Hay Wain" it is under the load of hay though so you can't see it unless you scrape some paint off.

10. Who invented the wheelbarrow?

The word wheelbarrow is actualy a corruption of the word "Eelbarrow" and was used in London east end to mix the small eels with jelly.

I do realise this is a serious quiz and a good one too but not actualy knowing a single answer I just did my best.

I love your best Bill

Ooh, err, I suppose you all want the answers now, and I've forgotten where they are. I'll go and look for them.

I may be some time.......

1. When were the first garden hoses made?
around 400BC, of ox gut.

2. When did the first European garden hose appear?
in 1672 in Amsterdam, made of leather

3. When was the earliest record of bonsai?
in wall paintings from AD706, although then known as penjing in China and not brought to Japan until AD1195, and not called "bonsai" until much later

4. When did the first lawns appear?
in the 1st century AD, promoted in Greece by Pliny the Younger

5. Who invented the first greenhouse in 1619?
the mathematician Salomon de Caus, being a movable wooden framed structure to shelter orange trees at Heidelberg Castle in Germany

6. Who discovered the concept of "microclimates"?
Nathaniel Ward in 1832 with his enclosed glass boxes known as Wardian cases, and used extensively on plant explorations after

7. Who was the first to popularize, if not invent, flower pots?
the Egyptian pharoah Ramses III, about 1230BC

8. What firm produced the first garden catalog with prices?
the Telford family, Yorkshire, UK in 1775; previously, listings from firms had no prices

9. When and where was the earliest western depiction of a wheelbarrow?
a stained glass window in Chartres Cathedral, France, dating to AD1220

10. Who invented the wheelbarrow?
Chuko Liang, a Chinese general, in AD231 for use by his troops in moving supplies through mucky soil. To that time carts had at least 2 wheels and were 2-person affairs. His had a large central wheel, flanked on either side by boxes to hold goods.


I'm impressed that some of you had a pretty good stab at the answers. I didn't have a clue, I mean, who'd have thought there'd be a picture of a wheelbarrow in Chartres cathedral?