Gardening TermsGlossary of Gardening Words
The Gardening Terms page, is a glossary of terms to help you to understand the meaning of some gardening words. If you are new to gardening, some of the words may be new to you also. This is just a short reference on some of the terms used. Acid SoilSoil with a ph lower than 7.0Agatha Rose G group of roses that were bred between 1760-1830. They are sometimes included with the Gallica roses. Alkaline SoilA soil with a ph that is higher than 7.0 is defined as being alkaline. (see also acid soil)Annual A plant that grows from seed, flowers, produces seeds, and dies in one season. Anther The pollen-bearing tip of the stamen.
Attar of Roses A scent that is distilled from the rose petals.
Axil The angel between a leaf and a stem where an axillary bud develops. Balled Of a flower that does not open properly, and rots when still a bud. Bareroot plantsPlants being sold with all of the soil removed from the roots. Usually sold with the tops protruding from bags or boxes, and roots packed in damp sawdust.Bedding Rose A rose, that is typically very colorful, and is planted in large numbers for effect. Bi-Color Rose A flower that has two different shades of color, ususally with a sharp contrast. Biennial A plant that grows from seed one year, overwinters, and flowers the next season. Boss The cluster of stamens at the center of the flower. Botanical NameThe Latin or scientific name of the plant.Bract A leaf that looks like a green petal,and protects the opening bud. BudThe early stage of a flower (or) leafBud UnionAlso referred to as a graft union. The point on a rose, right above the roots, where the top portion of the rose has been grafted onto the roots.Button eye Some older cultivars have a circle of petals at the center of the flower, that turn over and raise up like an old button. CanesAnother name for the main branches of the rose bush. These are thicker, and sturdier than the stems.Carpel A pistil, the femle part of the flower. Complete FertilizerGardening Terms that describe fertilizer that contains all three elements needed for plant growth: Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium.CompostCreated by decomposing organic matter such as leaves, egg shells, peels, weeds, grass clippings, etc. It becomes a black, crumbly, soil-like material that is wonderful for your plants!Cultivar A cultivated variety, a variety of a plant bred in cultivation. Cutting A piece of a plant used to grow a whole new plant.
Dead-headThese gardening terms describes pinching or cutting off spent flowers to tidy the plant and encourage more blooms.Disbudding Removing unopened flower buds, a technique used to ensure the remaining buds grow larger than normal flowers. DormantThe time in the life cycle of a plant when it stops growing. A resting period. The top part of the plant may or maynot die back during this time.Double FlowerA flower may have any number of petals over 20 in a rounded cluster.English Rose The name used to describe the roses bred by David Austin,an English rose breeder. FertilizerDifferent forms of material used to feed a plant. Could be dry, or liquid.Different formulations are used to encourage different processes: Blooming, Foliar growth, Root developmentFilament The stalk, or lower part of the stamen,which join it to, and support the anther. FloriferiousHeavy flowering over a long period of time.Foliar FeedingSpraying plants with liquid fertilizer, to allow them to take up the nutrients through their leaves.Fully Double Very full of petals. GraftingWhen a short length of stem from one plant is attached to the root system of another. Usually done to produce a better plant.Groundcover Low- growing plants that grow quickly. Growing SeasonRefers to the growing time in your area. The number of days between the last killing frost in Spring and the first killing frost in Fall.Guard Petals Outer petals. Habit The characteristic growth, and general appearance of the plant. Half-Hardy Describes a plant that cannot spend all the year outdoors, generally being killed by the frost. Hardiness ZoneAlso referred to as your "Planting Zone" A map of climate zones developed by the Department of Agriculture to help you select plants that will survive typical winters in your region.Click here to find your planting zone HardyThe plants ability to withstand cold. also referred to as "cold hardy"Heritage Roses Older roses bred before 1914, also called Historic roses. High-Centered Buds Long conical shaped buds, typically Hybrid Tea roses. Hip The fruit of the rose. Sometimes large, and decorative. Hybrid A plant produced by cross-breeding two plants of different species. Imbricated Having petals that are nearly overlapping. Internode The section of the stem between two nodes. MulchMaterial placed over the soil. Used to suppress weeds and conserve moisture, also for its pleasing looks.Node The point at which a leaf or side shoot joins a stem. Own-root RosesRoses made from cuttings of the plant. They are not grafted from other plants, they grow on their "own roots", which make them hardier in cold climates, because if the tops are killed in winter, they can emerge from the roots, as the original plant!Peat MossPartially decomposed remains of moss. The best quality is Spagnum peat moss (harvested in Canadian bogs)Petalage The number or arrangement of pewtals in a flower. Pistil The female part of the flower. Consists of the stigma, style, and ovary. Powdery Mildew A disease affecting roses PruningRemoving canes, and branches from the plant to improve health, and shape.Recurrent Repeat flowering Revert To return to normal, like when a sport starts to produce the same growth as its parent. Root-StockThe Base roots onto which the desired variety is grafted, on a grafted rose.Rose HipsGardening Terms used to describe the fleshy fruit of the uncut rose, that in late summer and fall swells and looks like the seedpod.Rosette A flower shape that is characterized by radiating circles of petals. Seedling A plant that is grown from seed; the offspring of a named variety. Semidouble FlowerFlower has 10-20 petals, in two or more layers.Single BlossomOne layer of five to seven fully formed petals.Sport A mutation, caused by either an induced or spontaneous genetic change. Stamen The male part of the flower. The stalk, and the anther. Stigma The tip of a pistil which recieves the pollen to fertilizer a flower. SuckerOn a grafted rose, these are undesirable canes that sprout up from the rootstock, below the bud union.TenderUsed to describe plants that are unable to withstand extreme cold, and/or freezing temperatures. It's lack of cold resistance.Vigor (or Vigorous)denotes general sturdiness of growth, the plants ability to grow rapidly.Winter KillGardening terms that refers to the damage done to the canes by harsh winters. The canes turn black and need to be cut back to green growth in the early Spring.Go from Gardening Terms to all about rose gardening home page
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