On Fri, 14 May 2004 10:55:11 GMT, Lemmonie
wrote:

snip

I really dont know anything about gardening and only know the names of
a few plants in my garden but i DO know that i am loving watching my
garden come back to life after the winter and really enjoy watching the
plants grow.

That's just about all you ever really need to become a 'gardener'.

I was looking out over my (ahem) 'lawn' the other day. In places it's
a foot high already... I can barely even see the lawnmower...but the
grass is peppered with yellow, white, blue and pink flowers - all
weeds, naturally ( excuse pun ) - and it looked lovely.
Now, I could spend weeks out there pushing the lawnmower around - and
I'd end up with an admittedly neat-looking lawn, but with a fraction
of the interest and beauty.

If anyone could come up with a very simple quide to what the following
terms mean i would be truely grateful.

please dont laugh at my ignorence though!

Only if you promise not to laugh at my gardening trousers...


Perennials
They come up year after year. Plant once, enjoy for years.

hardy perennials
Hardy simply means it can withstand being left outside through the
British winter. Half hardy is a term you'll often see, which means it
won't tolerate the cold...though you can sometimes be lucky.

annual
Flowers once, then kicks the bucket.
Around this time of year you can sow annual flowers straight into the
soil. These will grow and bloom this summer, then die - and that will
be the end of them..unless they set seed and new plants grow next
year.
You can now also plant out half hardy annuals, which will snuff it
when the winter comes, and will not reappear again.

Biennial - flowers in the second year after sowing - so sow now for a
display next year.

Tender - treat as half hardy, with perhaps even more caution with
regard to the temperature.

Climber - grows upwards, and over tall things.

Sprawling - grows outwards, and over short things.

Vigorous - gets everywhere.

Invasive - gets everywhere, and anywhere

F1 hybrid - a special breed of plant that usually won't breed true
from its own seeds ( more relevant to veg growers ).

Lush - will get eaten by slugs

Variegated - has a 'defect' which results in contrasting colours on
the leaves.

There are loads more terms, but that just about covers the basics.


Regards,



--
Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
www.shwoodwind.co.uk
Emails to: showard{whoisat}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk