cold frame a large box constructed as a miniature greenhouse, with a glass cover over a soil bed where plants can be protected and grown during frost season.
cole crops all crops in the cabbage family, including broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kale, and kohlorabi.
common name a name by which a plant is known to the public, as opposed to its botanical name.
companion planting the planting of two different plants next to each other, either because the color or textures enhance one another or because one may provide necessary shade for the other.
compost decomposing organic matter used for fertilizer.
conservatory a formal greenhouse employed for the display of plants and flowers.
cordon pruning all stems except the main one on a fruit tree, a technique employed when space is limited.
cottage garden an English garden style characterized by seemingly haphazard plantings of flowers, herbs, vegetables, and climbing vines.
cover crop any crop planted to keep weeds down or add humus to the soil between seasonal plantings.
creeper any plant that grows like a vine across the ground, such as a creeping fig or an ivy.
crocking any materials such as gravel or shells added to the bottom of plant container to aid with drainage.
cross pollination the successful transport of pollen from the flower of one plant to the flower of another, necessary in many plants for the setting of seed.
cultivate to break up topsoil to destroy or prevent weeds and to allow nutrients and water to sink into the ground more readily.
cultivar a plant created by cultivation and not found in the wild.
cutting a portion of a plant cut away to be used to propagate additional plants.
dark-dependent seeds seeds that are able to germinate only in the darkness of a soil cover.
deadhead to pinch off dead and dried-up flower heads to improve appearance or to induce new blooms.
dibble a pointed tool used to make holes in soil for planting.
dormant oil an oil containing fungicides or pesticides and applied to trees and shrubs in their dormant period, as in the late fall.
double digging turning over the soil to an extra deep level, to loosen it and make it easier for roots and nutrients to penetrate.
drip irrigation a method of watering through which a hose, often with several holes in it, is left to trickle along plants for long periods.
dwarf any variety of plant that naturally grows to a smaller size than normal.
edger any long-handled tool with a blade used for producing a perfectly trimmed edge along turf or sod.
edging plant any low plant that looks appealing aligned along an edge of a garden or walkway.
espalier a shrub or tree trained to grow in a flat, symmetrical plane up along a wall. Also, the trellis or frame used to train a plant to grow in this manner.
everblooming designating a plant that blooms all season.
exotic any nonnative or foreign plant, but especially those from another part of the world.
field-grown designating any plant that has been grown in the field as opposed to in a pot.
flat a shallow box of seedlings.
floriculture flower gardening.
forcing forcing a plant to flower prematurely by starting them indoors in the preseason.
foundation planting any plants or shrubs planted to hide the foundation of a house.
frost tender vulnerable to damage from even mild frost, as are most tropical plants.
furrow a channel made in soil for the planting of seeds or seedlings.
germination the sprouting of a seed.
graft to join the shoots or buds of two plants to create a plant with shared characteristics.
greenhouse a glass or plastic-enclosed shelter for growing plants.
green manure a cover crop such as rye grass that is grown and tilled into the soil to add nutrients.
greensand a sediment composed of sand, clay, glau- conite, and multiple trace minerals, used as a natural fertilizer.
ground cover low-lying shrubbery or other plants that spread, require little maintenance, and can be used to cover unsightly areas.
habit the ultimate shape of a plant as it grows and matures.
ha-ha a sunken fence or moat to keep out animals and to provide a clear view of a garden area.
harden off to gently acclimate a plant to cold, wind, or sun by gradually increasing exposures.
hardiness the natural ability of some plants to withstand frost and extreme cold.
hardpan severely compressed soil, through which water and nutrients may not be able to penetrate.
hardscape all nonplant items in a landscape, such as benches, birdbaths, arbors, rocks, walkways, etc.
heeling in temporarily burying the roots of a plant to protect it until it is ready to be permanently planted.
heirloom plant a plant that has survived more than 50 years and may be passed down from generation to generation.
herb a plant from which is derived a natural medicine or seasoning for food.
herbicide any chemical solution used to kill plants.
hoe a long-handled tool with a flat blade, used for cultivating and other gardening tasks.
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.