Gardening Vocabulary Quiz

Essential gardening vocabulary includes: soil (the ground you plant things in), seed (a small object that grows into a plant), flower (the colourful part of a plant), weed (an unwanted plant), to water (to give water to plants), pot (a container for plants), lawn (an area of grass), and tools like spade, rake, and trowel.

A plant is any living organism with roots, a stem, and leaves. A weed is simply a plant growing where you do not want it. A dandelion in a field might be a wildflower, but the same plant in a vegetable garden is a weed. Weeds compete with your garden plants for water, light, and nutrients.

Basic garden tools: a spade (a large tool for digging soil), a trowel (a small hand-held spade for planting), a rake (for gathering leaves and levelling soil), a fork (for turning soil), a hoe (for removing weeds), a watering can (for watering plants by hand), a hose (a long flexible tube connected to a tap), and gloves to protect your hands.

'To water' plants means to give them water so they can grow. You can water plants using a watering can, a hose, or a sprinkler system. Over-watering (giving too much water) can be just as harmful as under-watering, as it can cause roots to rot.

Soil is the natural material in the ground that plants grow in. Compost is a dark, rich material made from decomposed organic waste such as vegetable peelings, grass clippings, and dead leaves. Gardeners add compost to soil to make it richer in nutrients and better for growing plants.

'To prune' means to cut away dead, damaged, or overgrown branches or stems from a plant. Pruning helps the plant stay healthy, grow in a better shape, and produce more flowers or fruit. The tool used is called pruning shears, secateurs, or (for larger branches) a pruning saw.

A greenhouse (also called a glasshouse) is a structure with glass or clear plastic walls and roof used to grow plants. The glass lets in sunlight and traps heat, creating a warm environment for plants that need warmth, or to start seeds early in the year before the weather gets warmer.

Common garden plants: rose (a flower with thorns), tulip (a spring flower), sunflower (a tall flower that faces the sun), daisy (a small white flower), lavender (a purple fragrant plant), mint (a fragrant herb used in cooking), tomato (a red fruit grown in gardens), and lettuce (a leafy vegetable).

An annual plant lives for only one growing season and then dies — examples include sunflowers and marigolds. A perennial plant lives for more than two years and grows back each spring from its roots — examples include lavender and roses. Knowing this helps you plan your garden each year.

Common gardening phrases: 'dig the soil' (turn over the earth), 'plant seeds' (put seeds in the ground), 'water the plants', 'pull out weeds', 'mow the lawn' (cut the grass), 'trim the hedge' (cut a hedge into shape), 'rake the leaves' (gather fallen leaves), and 'harvest vegetables' (pick vegetables that are ready to eat).