A new joint venture has been a learning experience all round, says Bill Knox

Hundreds of enthusiastic horticultural students make up the small army which has created one of the Scottish Gardening Show's most outstanding features.

''Participating in the work involved in creating a very special show garden will be valuable experience for every student - and they are likely to become a future generation of Scotland's horticultural leaders,'' declares Pat Gibbs, the designer of Gateways to Learning, the theme of a combined Scottish Colleges presentation.

The presentation blends colours, textures and a rich variety of greenery in a series of pagoda-style arches. Large quantities of moss and stone and two connected pools are used in the creation of features which include the Emperor Gardens and the Peace Garden.

''The Scottish colleges have used the same 'rolling bank' scheme that they used so well last year, but in a new way,'' said Gibbs. ''These young people have done particularly well and deserve congratulation.''

His opinion will be respected by all in Scottish horticulture, for Gibbs was manager of the annual Ayr Flower show until he retired from that position last year. He now acts as a designer in major garden projects which have taken him to Chelsea and Belfast. He was responsible for the design of many of the outstanding features at the Glasgow Garden Festival, including its tea-house.

Six teams of students are involved in a project which ''records and celebrates the range of courses taken by students'' from Clackmannan College, Elmwood at Cupar in Fife, Langside in Glasgow, Oatridge in West Lothian, the Scottish Agricultural College at Auchencruive, and the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh.

They have been assisted by students from Edinburgh University. Joinery students at Clackmannan College have built many parts of the pagoda-style archways.

''The last few days have been the climax of months of work,' said Douglas Coultart, a senior lecturer at Auchencruive.

''The colleges have worked together in what has been a tremendous challenge for all the young people involved.

''The end result, with its skilful blending of colour tones and textures and overall theme of relaxation, will be of practical benefit to every student involved.''

Many student volunteers will be on duty at their garden throughout the show. They will also meet a group of young North of England horticultural students from Newton Rigg College in Cumbria, who have their own show exhibit in the Petit Jardin section.

The Cumbrian exhibit is one result of the discovery of the remains of a Roman bathsite in Strathclyde Country Park. Newton Rigg students used it as the inspiration for their outdoor creation, Illusio Romanus - the representation of a Roman courtyard complete with sculptures and pathways.

The Cumbrian students use mirrors to extend their creation which is based on trees, grasses and bulbs, with a range of strikingly colourful feature plants.

It seems that the Romans have returned.