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Acer:
The Latin root name for a Maple. Acer Palmatium is a Japanese Maple.
Agronomy:
Natural and/or chemical compounds applied for fertilization of plants
and treatment of pests & disease.
Amend:
To add material to soil to improve it's condition for growing. Organic
compost is often added to enrich soil. Sand may be added to aid
drainage.
Annual:
A plant which dies back completely in the winter and must be reseeded
or planted each year. Annuals may occasionally reseed or overwinter.
Canopy:
The over hang of tall tree branches, ideally pruned or grown to
ceiling height to make a usable area below.
Deciduous:
A tree or plant which drops it's leaves in the autumn but retains
a woody stalk or trunk.
Dormant:
Natural state in which plant growth stops or slows during winter
months and/or due to other weather conditions.
Drip
Irrigation: System of underground irrigation in which water
is directed specifically to plant roots at a set rate.
Graft:
Method by which a more delicate, slower growing, or rare plant is
spliced onto the rootstock of a more common and hardy plant of the
same family.
Hardscape:
Any hard surface in the landscape, such as a walkway, patio, wall,
etc.
Mulch:
Any material, usual wood chips, covering soil to minimize weed growth
and retain moisture. May also help amend top soil when mulch decomposes.
Overwinter:
An annual which survives to the next growing season due to mulching
or a mild winter.
Reseed:
Growth from seeds dropped from previous year's plant. May also be
referred to as self-sown.
Perennial:
A plant which grows from previous years root, though top growth
may become dormant or die back during winter.
Propagate:
To grow a new plant through any means, including sowing seeds,
taking a cutting, splitting a root, etc.
Structure:
Creation of shapes and varying heights through use of trees,
shrubs or ornamentation to created a defined garden for contrast.
Variety:
The word which follows the family name of plant which defines
it's unique quality,
usually a color or unique growth pattern. (i.e., there are hundred's
of varieties of hosta, all with different colors, leaf size, etc.
-- Sum and Substance is very popular with hosta lovers)
Weed:
Any UNWANTED plant in a garden bed. Weeds are not categorized botanically,
but rather by desirability in their location. (One person's weeds
can be another's flowers)
Zones:
Regions within the country based upon weather conditions and average
temperatures which determine plant hardiness and approximate growing
season. Northwestern New Jersey falls within Zone 5 and Zone 4,
depending upon altitude.
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