Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Dethatching The mechanical removal from Float (masonry term) A tool with a handle
a lawn of the layer of dead turfgrass tissue fastened to a flat piece, used to finish a
known as "thatch." concrete surface. Using an arc-shaped,
sweeping motion, one smooths over bumps
Dioecious Said of a plant species for which in the concrete surface with a float.
the male and female reproductive organs
are carried on separate individual plants of Focalization(landscape design terminology)
the same species. When a plant species is The forcing of the viewer’s perspective to a
dioecious, at least one male plant must be central or focal point. The use of symmetry
present in a group for the fruit-bearing or balance creates a more intense
female plants to be pollinated. focalization, while asymmetrical designs
Pronunciation: di·E·shus • (adjective) Also soften or even avoid focalization.
Known As: diecious
Forcing The process of causing a plant to
Dormancy (applied to plants) The grow or flower before its natural season.
temporary diminution or cessation of a Also Known As: vernalization
plant’s growth, usually during winter in the
temperate zone. (applied to the land itself) Form (landscape design terminology) The
The state of the land during periods in shape of a plant, e.g., upright, oval,
which no primary crop is being grown. Note, columnar, spreading, broad spreading, or
however, that a secondary, or "cover" crop weeping.
may be grown on the land during periods of
dormancy. Friable Pertaining to soil that has the
crumbly texture ideal for the root growth of
Dry wall In reference to stone walls, a dry plants.
wall is a wall of stones that is not held
together by mortar. Fumigate To use a toxic gas to control
burrowing rodent pests.
Ee
Gg
Edging A line of demarcation that creates
visual interest in a landscape by separating Gazebo A small roofed outbuilding erected for
one segment from another. Also Known As: outdoor dining and entertaining, often octagonal,
border with open, screened, or latticework (q.v.) sides
Edging plant A compact plant used to form Girdling (arboricultural term) The choking of a
an edging on a landscape. Also Known As: tree branch either accidentally through a material
border plant applied by a human, such as a wrap used in
grafting, or through a vine that has vigorously
Evergreen Having foliage that persists and enwrapped a tree, such as bittersweet.
remains green throughout the year. Note
that not all conifer trees are evergreen, Grafting (arboricultural term) Uniting a
despite the popular association between the shoot or bud (the scion) with a plant (the
two terms. The tamarack or larch, for rootstock) that is already established by
instance, is a conifer, but it is not an insertion or by placing in close contact. One
evergreen. danger of grafting is girdling.
Green manure crop A crop that is planted Herbaceous Pertaining to plants with a non-
when a garden is otherwise in a state of woody stem whose above-ground growth
dormancy and that is not grown for its own dies back in winter in the temperate zone.
sake but rather to be ploughed or tilled However, do not confuse "herbaceous" with
under before the regular growing season. "annual": an annual plant dies altogether at
Like compost, green manure crops serve as the end of the growing season, both above
a soil amendment. the ground and below.
Ground cover A low-lying plant, usually Horticulture The science or art of cultivating
requiring minimal maintenance and suitable fruits, vegetables, flowers, or ornamental
for covering large expanses of ground on plants.
the landscape.
Humus Organic matter partly or wholly
decomposed. When its total decomposition
Hh is hastened by human intervention in
order to use it as a soil amendment, it is
Hardening off The process, undertaken in virtually synonymous with compost.
spring in the temperate zone, of preparing a
plant started indoors for the change in Hybrid plant A plant produced by
environmental conditions it will encounter impregnating the pistil of one species with
when permanently moved outdoors. The the pollen of another. Also Known As:
plant is hardened off during a transitional hybridized plant
period in which it is left outside during
daylight hours only and in an area where it
can be shaded and protected from wind. A Ii
cold frame is ideal for this process. Watering
is reduced as well. Gradually, the plant is Indigenous plant A plant native to the
allowed exposure to an increasing amount locale in question. Indigenous plants are
of sunlight. sometimes allowed to co-exist with lawn
grass, ground covers, or garden plants,
Hardscape The inanimate elements of especially if they are not invasive.
landscaping, especially any masonry work. Indeed, some landscaping themes favours
For instance, stone walls, brick patios and indigenous plants, as in wildflower gardens.
tile paths would all be considered part of the
hardscape. But by extension, anything used Integrated pest management
in landscaping that is not part of the The management of pest problems that
softscape can be considered a hardscape involves use of the full spectrum of control
element, including home accents such as measures in a coordinated, integrated and
water fountains and, yes, even pink foresighted manner. A cornerstone of IPM is that
flamingo’s! taking preventive steps to preclude a pest
problem is preferable to waiting for pests to arrive
and then having to eradicate them.
Heading back Pruning off the terminal or
“head” growth of a plant, especially a tree.
Heading back is a general term, whose Invasive plant Unwanted plants that exhibit a
subcategories include "topping" and tendency to spread out of control, once
introduced, often thereby producing a
"pollarding." Topping is performed on
monoculture that discourages the growth of other
large old trees as an inexpensive alternative plant varieties. Landscapers need to control or
to their full removal. Pollarding, in contrast, eradicate such plants that invade the lawn or
is performed for aesthetic reasons. garden.
Pollarding begins when a tree is young, and
continues throughout the life of the tree. Invertebrate An animal without a backbone,
Also Known As: pollarding, topping (note e.g., an insect; animal pests are usually
that "topping" (q.v.) has acquired a rather categorized as invertebrate pests or
negative connotation) vertebrate pests.
Latticework An open framework made of
Jj strips of metal, wood, or similar material
overlapped or overlaid in a regular, usually
Jointed Possessing a stem with nodes. crisscross pattern. Also Known As: lattice,
fretwork
Jointer (masonry term) Tool used to make
control joints on a newly poured concrete Leader (botany) The primary stem of a
surface. plant, usually the top stem. Used primarily to
refer to trees. Also Known As: apex
Kk Limbing (arboricultural term) Removing
unwanted limbs from a tree. Large scaffold
Knot garden A symmetrically-designed (q.v.) branches hanging dangerously over a
garden, using geometric patterns, in which house, for instance, often need to be
control is exercised by the precise use of removed. This work is best performed by an
edging plants. Shrubbery often plays a arborist or other tree service professional.
dominant role in knot gardens, since it can But the term "limbing" is properly applied to
be pruned to conform to precise the removal of any limbs from any tree,
measurements. Knot gardens gained regardless of size.
popularity with the nobility during the
European Renaissance and are especially Lime The rock powder used to raise the pH
associated with the grand English estates. of soils high in acidity, thereby making them
more alkaline.
Ll Line (landscape design terminology) Refers
to the fact that the viewer’s eye movement
Landscape architecture The profession that or flow can be governed by the
practices the art of arranging or modifying the arrangement of plants and their borders.
features of a landscape, an urban area, etc., for Eye movement is unconsciously influenced
aesthetic or practical purposes. That is, the by the way plant groupings fit or flow
"landscape architect" practices "landscape together, both on the horizontal and vertical
design," although non-professionals often use the
planes.
terms interchangeably. Also Known As:
landscape design (The American Society of
Landscape Architects, however, asserts that the Living mulch A cover crop plant that is
terminology "landscape architect" denotes a planted around and between the primary
higher level of skill, usually reinforced by a plants in a garden to control weeds, prevent
degree, than does "landscape designer." The erosion, facilitate water penetration and
University of Greenwich School of Architecture improve the soil. Such plants are sometimes
and Landscaping also draws a distinction: "The
used in companion planting.
relationship between Landscape Design and
Landscape Architecture is equivalent to the
relationship between the laws and lawyers.") Loam A soil possessing an ideal mixture of
clay, sand and humus for growing plants.
Landscape design The art of arranging or
modifying the features of a landscape, an
urban area, etc., for aesthetic or practical
purposes. Often divided into hardscape
design and softscape design.
Ww
Woody – Characterized by hard plant stems
and having buds that survive above ground
in winter.
Xx
Xeriscaping Landscaping designed
specifically for areas that are susceptible to
drought. Derived from the Greek "xeros,"
meaning dry, it is literally “dry landscaping.”
Pronunciation: ZERisCAPEing