If asked the majority of people would say that the garden pond hobby is a relatively new phenomenon. The main reasons for this being its increasing cover on TV and in media circles.

They are often surprised to learn that it is in fact one of the cornerstones of civilisation and has been an important and inspirational component of peoples religious and everyday lives for thousands of years.

As far as is known the earliest records of individuals creating water gardens for relaxation and pleasure date back to about 3000 BC. Fruit trees and decorative grasses were used by the ancient egyptians to surround pools of a formal layout in their walled courtyard gardens.

Wealthy Roman houses tended to be designed around a large colonnaded central courtyard with pools, fountains and water features, providing shade on hot afternoons and a means of escape from the often frantic and dirty streets outside. However, public baths often had a water garden area where the common public could relax away from their daily problems.

Have you ever come home from work dog-tired on a cool evening and smelled fried potatoes and onions? In my book, they belong alongside freshly baked bread as a “welcome-homer.”

If you, too, are a confirmed onion eater, no matter what anyone says then you might like to know what varieties are best suited to the many. different uses of onion.

There are hundreds of varieties of onions, but we seldom use more than four or five.

Here are some facts that will help you “know your onions.”

“Bunch” onions are those which are used green. They may be used in salads and relishes.

There are many varieties of the “dry” onion type. Any of these can also be used green. Some are better winter keepers than others.

Some are excellent keepers and good for general use.

A small, mild variety is good for creaming and for glace onions. They are best when used before fully mature.

Spanish onions are a good all-around variety but cannot be kept too long. They are good fried or creamed.

Of course, if you are a real, honest-to-goodness onion eater, you’ll want to grow a few red ones. Now, there’s a real onion!