William was not only a competent soldier and politician but he was an accomplished gardener as well. At their homes at Hampton Court and Kensington Palace he and his wife, Queen Mary, laid out lavish new gardens in the Dutch style.

William's gardens contained evergreen shrubs, arranged in elaborate patterns. They also included water features, such as canals, basins and fountains. Statues of Roman Gods were another feature; Neptune, king of the sea, was a particular favourite.

The King's green fingers earned him a considerable reputation in Holland, where he created a magnificent garden at his palace at Het Loo. All who saw these gardens marveled at the elaborately patterned shrubbery and extravagant water-works.

At Hampton Court he built a gallery for growing oranges - William of Orange indeed! Orangeries were in effect greenhouses, heated by internal ovens as well as by the natural warmth of the sun.

The fashion for building orangeries quickly spread throughout Britain. A fine example survives at Kensington Palace in London, built for William's successor and sister-in-law, Queen Anne.

William also grew many exotic fruits and plants he had requested from across the world. The origins of the British Empire date from this period, and as new territories were discovered and conquered, botanical specimens were sent back to London. William and Mary often served their guests with that most exotic of fruit - the pineapple. This mysterious and delicious fruit had only recently been introduced to Europe.

William and Mary took great pride in their gardens and for William, especially, they were an oasis of peace. When he returned from his military campaigns he liked nothing better than to spend hours in his gardens. And when Mary died of small-pox in 1694, William retreated to the gardens for solace.