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Perennial: A non-woody plant whose life cycle lasts more than two growing seasons, usually for many years, and do not die after setting seed. Some perennials are herbaceous and die down to during the winter months. Other perennials may remain evergreen or semi-evergreen.Annual: An annual plant is one whose entire life cycle takes one year (or growing season) germinating, flowering, setting seed and dying within that year.

Biennial: A plant whose life cycle takes two growing seasons to germinate, flower, set seed and then die. A biennial plant will germinate and grow to flowering size in one year and then flower, set seed and die in the following year.Climbers:  Self explanatory, plants that climb – many climbers need ‘help’ to climb while others do not. Clematis and sweet peas who climb through the use of tendrils do not usually need any other support than the provision of something to cling to (like trellis), whereas roses and honeysuckle may need tying to supports until established.

Tree: A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. Woody plants that do not meet these definitions by having multiple stems and/or small size, are called shrubs. Compared with most other plants, trees are long-lived, some reaching several thousand years old.Shrub: A woody plant with multiple stems with a structure that does not die down over winter. Some shrubs are deciduous while others are evergreen (see above).

Bulb: A bulb is an underground vertical shoot that has modified leaves (or thickened leaf bases) that are used as food storage organs by a dormant plant. The leaf bases may resemble scales, or they may overlap and surround the center of the bulb as with the onion. A modified stem forms the base of the bulb, and plant growth occurs from this basal plate. Roots emerge from the underside of the base, and new stems and leaves from the upper side.

Rhizome:  A rhizome is a horizontal stem of a plant that is usually found underground, often sending out roots and shoots from its nodes. Plants with underground rhizomes include ginger and turmeric,. Some plants have rhizomes that grow above ground or that sit at the soil surface, including some Iris species, and ferns, whose spreading stems are rhizomes. Rhizomes may also be referred to as creeping rootstalks, or rootstocks. 

Corm: A corm is a short, vertical, swollen underground plant stem that serves as a storage organ used by some plants to survive winter or other adverse conditions such as summer drought and heat.Hardiness of plants is a term used to describe their ability to survive adverse growing conditions. It is usually limited to discussions of climatic adversity. A plant's ability to tolerate cold, heat, drought, or wind are typically considered measurements of hardiness. The hardiness of a plant is usually divided into three categories; tender, half-hardy and hardy.

Fully Hardy: Plants which are fully hardy tend to do well in our climate and can be left out all year round. Some fully hardy plants may not like strong cold winds so may need a little protection.Half Hardy: Plants which need protection from cold winter weather and cold winter wet and seeds need to be sown after the risk of frost has passed.Tender: A plant usually from tropical areas which will not stand any degree of frost and may require high levels of humidity. Many tender plants are grown as house plants.Understanding these terms should help you gain a little more confidence in approaching your garden this year.

Written by IsisX ©IsisX 2008