Descriptionary

honey dew the sticky fluid secreted by aphids and left on plants.

horticulture the growing of plants.

hotbed similar to a cold frame, but with heated soil.

hot cap a plastic cap placed over vulnerable seed­ling to protect it from cold weather or birds.

hothouse a heated shelter for plants.

humus decomposed plant material used as fertile soil.

hybrid a new species of plant created when two dif­ferent varieties of plants are crossed.

hydroponics a gardening method in which plants are grown without soil, in a nutrient-rich solution.

ikebana Japanese flower arranging.

indeterminate growing for an indefinite amount of time, as some tomato plants.

indigenous plants plants native to an area.

infertile lacking nutrients, as a poor or exhausted soil.

interplanting mixing plants that bloom at differ­ent times in order to keep the garden interesting all season long.

invasive spreading rapidly and pushing out other plants. Invasive plants can be difficult to eliminate once established.

iron chelate vital nutrient fed to plants when leaves begin to turn yellow.

Japanese garden a garden style often employing bamboo, mondo grasses, pine, and small pools of water containing koi.

knot garden originating in Tudor times, a low-lying garden composed of an intricate hedge laid out in a geometric pattern, which is interplanted with flowers and herbs.

landscape architect one who designs major com­ponents of a garden, such as drainage, grading, walkways, and rock walls, and performs general construction.

lattice an open framework used to encourage the growth of vines or other climbing plants.

layering a technique used to propagate a plant. A branch leading off the parent plant is buried in the ground, which eventually forms roots and a new plant.

leaf cutting a technique used to propagate a plant. A leaf is cut from a parent plant and placed in ver- miculite or perlite to create new plants.

leggy descriptive term for tall, spindly growth with little vegetation, due to a deficiency of sunlight.

lime a soil amendment containing calcium.

loam a mixture of sand, clay, organic matter, and silt, found in the topmost layer of soil.

manure tea a mix of water with manure, used as fertilizer.

microclimate in a small area, temperatures and moisture levels that differ from those of surrounding areas, and in which a plant with specific needs may be grown.

mixed border a border garden with a blend of perennials, annuals, shrubs, and grasses.

moon garden a garden planted with night-flower­ing plants, such as moonflowers.

mowing strip a narrow cement, brick, or other pavement that separates a garden from the lawn, and which can easily be mowed over without damaging the garden's plants.

mulch shredded or chipped material, often organic, placed around plants to help control weeds and to prevent roots from freezing.

naturalized designating plants that have been accli­mated to a region other than their native one.

nursery a gardening center that grows and tends plants, shrubs, and trees.

organic natural and previously living, not synthe­sized by humans.

ornamental a plant grown for the beauty of its flowers or foliage rather than as a food.

parterre as French garden laid out in a pattern.

patte d'ole three avenues branching out from a cen­tral location.

perennial a plant that lives three years or more and may reflower again and again.

pergola a trelliswork arbor on which climbing vines or roses are trained to grow.

perlite granular volcanic rock, used to aerate pot­ting soil.

pH a measure of a soil's level of acidity and alkalin­ity. A level of 1 is the most acid, whereas 14 is the most alkaline.

piscina a fish pool in a garden, especially Roman.

pleached alley a sheltered walk formed by the inter­lacing branches of two rows of trees.

pleaching plaiting trees or shrubs together, some­times to form a wall.

pocket garden a small niche garden or a garden planted with dwarf varieties.

propagation any one of several methods of creating new plants.

prune to trim.

raised bed a vegetable or flower garden in soil that is mounded or raised above the surrounding land, often held together by wood.

reseeders any plants or flowers that drop seeds on the ground to grow next season.

retaining wall any wall built into a hill or slope to control erosion.

revert to turn back into its original species, an occurrence of some cultivars.

ricami see broderie.

rock garden a small landscaped garden featuring var­ious small plants and rocks. Also known as a rockery.

root-bound designating a potted plant whose roots have outgrown their containment, thwarting new growth.