Our Glossary

RHS Award of Garden Merit

Plant that completes its life cycle within one growing season, then dies.

The compass direction to which the plant's habitat is exposed

Plant that takes two years to complete its life cycle

Also known as 'going to seed', when possibly a temperature change causes a vegetable plant to produce flowers prematurely

Part of the plant structure. Leaflike, and positioned beneath a flower, usually to aid the reproductive structure

A pointed lump that develops into a leaf or flower

A ball like root from which some plants grow, e.g. tulips and daffodils

Berry bushes classified as cane fruits include blackberries and raspberries

Process of allowing potato seeds to form small roots before planting

A condition where leaves begin to yellow due to insufficient chlorophyll

Term to describe plants that spread slowly to form a cluster of new plants

Outdoor structure that protects young plants

Natural method of pest prevention or other beneficial side effects by planting certain plants next to or around one another

Method of training plants on single stem

A style of gardening, originating in England, that uses informal design, dense planting and a mixture of ornamental and edible plants

Cultivated variety

Act of raising, caring for and breeding plants

Removing spent blooms from flowers, in an effort to induce the plant to produce more

Plants that drop all of their leaves every autumn/winter

Progressive death of twigs, shoots and branches from the tip downward, sometimes caused by disease

A shallow trench made using a dibber or trowel for sowing seeds or bulbs in rows.

A plant that grows on the surface of another plant e.g. orchids growing while attached to trees

Acidic, in reference to soil type

Trees (usually fruit) grown on a flat frame

The point at which a newly planted tree, shrub or perennial begins to produce new growth

First generation hybrid after successful cross pollination of one genetically uniform plant with another

A tree or plant with branches growing parallel to the main stem or trunk

Natural splits and holes in leaves e.g. the houseplant variety Monstera, or Swiss Cheese Plant

Inducing a plant to produce fruit at unnatural times of the year

Collector of snowdrops

The sprouting of a seed into a seedling

Placing a portion of one plant into the stem or root of another, so that they continue to grow together

Gradually introducing plants raised indoors into the outdoors

Perennial or biannual plants that have no persistent woody stems above the ground

By liming the soil, one raises the pH and keeps it at the correct level for plants to survive. (applicable to ericaceous soil)

Material such as decaying leaves, bark or compost spread over a plant to enrich or insulate the soil

Naturalising is the process of planting a bulb and leaving it to self-seed or propagate naturally in one position to form larger clumps over the course of several years. Some bulbs naturalise more easily than others, such as snowdrops, crocuses, bluebells and narcissi.

Ratio for fertiliser:

• N: Nitrogen
• P: Phosphorus
• K: Potassium.

Each benefits the plant in different ways:

• N: leaves and shoots
• P: roots, fruits and flowers
• K: overall growth.

For example, if you wanted more tomatoes on your tomato plant, you would choose a fertiliser with a high ratio of phosphorous and potassium

Protecting plants over the course of the winter to ensure their survival into the next growing season

Plants that live for many growing seasons and years

Method of pruning for young plants to encourage branching, by pinching off the top of the stem

Transfer of pollen between plants for fertilisation

Transferring a plant from a smaller pot into a larger pot

Transferring a small plant or seedling into a container to continue growing

Separating out seedlings that are growing together, and transferring them into their own pots

Cutting back a plant to improve its shape and encourage growth

Royal Horticultural Society

When roots fill the pot or planter, leaving no room for them to expand (also known as 'pot bound')

A condition where larger plants such as shrub roses can become unstable in the ground and become prone to falling over in high winds due to large top growth. Can be avoided by pruning plants in the winter to reduce their size.

Small or medium sized perennial woody plant

Plant that has been pruned in a stylised way to appear as a single stemmed plant. Often used for shrubs such as holly and bay.

Leaves that show more than one colour, usually two. Sometimes can be caused by rare genetic mutations.

Thin, spindly branches originating from growth nodes on trees and shrubs. Often need to be pruned away as they are a drain on nutrients and water, and rarely produce fruit and can divert growth away from the main plant.