Design has been important in the development of our lives from the earliest times. Ancient Greece influenced the 18th century, European and Eastern countries have always been prominent in British design and, more recently, the advances in technology have made their mark. This text uses National Trust properties to investigate how design has influenced our lives. It helps to provide answers to why great gardens were created, has design become simpler or more complicated, and how art, craft and design reflect the age in which they were made. The book contains puzzles and activities.