Glossary

Last Frost Date

The last frost date is the average last date that you could potentially get frost for your specific location. This date can change from region to region. Tender plants should not be planted outside before this date, or if they are they should be protected, as they may die if the temperature gets too cold.

This date is only an average so could be sooner or later. You can find your last frost date for your location here.

First Frost Date

The first frost date is the average date of your first frost of autumn/winter that you could potentially get for your specific location. This date can change from region to region. At this point tender plants should be brought inside if you want to keep them overwinter.

This date is only an average so could be sooner or later. You can find your first frost date for your location here.

Daylight Hours

Successful seed sowing in Spring is dependant on the number of hours of daylight your location gets. In general, seeds need 10 hours of light to germinate. This starts to happen in the UK around the 15th of February. However, in the South of the UK, it could be a few days sooner and further North a few weeks later. The low light and cold temperatures make it more difficult for the seeds to grow. This means there is little point sowing seeds in earnest before you have 10 hours or more of daylight in your region. Find out your day light length for your location here. 

Garden Zones

Garden zones, also known as USDA Hardiness Zones, are a system used to determine which plants are most likely to thrive in a particular geographic area. The zones are based on the average annual minimum temperature, and range from zone 1 (coldest) to zone 13 (warmest). Gardeners can use this information to choose plants that are well-suited to their climate and growing conditions. It also helps determine how long a season you can expect for your flowering blooms.

If you are in the UK you can find out what zone you are in here, and if you are in the US you can find out your zone here.

No Dig Gardening

No-dig (or no-till) gardening is a method of cultivating plants without disturbing the soil. Instead of digging, gardeners add layers of organic matter, such as compost, on top of the soil. This promotes healthy soil by encouraging earthworms and other beneficial organisms to thrive. It also helps to retain moisture in the soil and suppresses weeds.

No-dig gardening is a good option for those who want to create a low-maintenance garden that is also environmentally friendly.

Germination

Germination is the process by which a seed begins to grow and develop into a mature plant. In order to ensure successful germination, it's important to provide the seeds with the proper moisture, temperature, and light conditions. Once the seeds have germinated, they can be transplanted to a garden or other growing location.

Fertiliser

A fertiliser is a substance used to enhance the growth and health of plants, typically containing essential nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

Mulch

Mulch is a layer of material, such as leaves, grass clippings, compost or wood chips, that is spread over the soil surface around plants to help retain moisture and suppress weed growth.

Deadheading

Deadheading is the process of removing spent flowers from a plant in order to promote new flowers to bloom and prevent the plant from creating seeds.

Blown flower

When a flower is “blown,” it means that it has gone past its prime and is starting to drop its petals. This term is often used in the cut flower world to describe roses when they are fully open. This means they will have a short vase life will not improve anymore.

Hardy Annual

An annual is a plant that goes through its entire life cycle within a year. It roots, forms leaves, flowers, sets seed, and eventually dies, all within this timeframe. There are two types of Annuals – hardy or half-hardy. A hardy annual is able to tolerate frost, which means you can sow it in autumn and it will survive the winter without needing frost protection. However, you can also sow it in spring and still get flowers in the same season. In fact, the sooner you sow it, whether in autumn or spring, the earlier the flowers will bloom.

Half-hardy Annual

An annual is a plant that completes its entire life cycle within a year. It roots, grows leaves, blooms, produces seeds, and eventually dies, all within this timeframe. There are two types of Annuals – hardy or half-hardy. A half-hardy annual is not able to withstand frost, which means they won't survive the winter unless they're protected or kept in a heated area. But don't worry, you don't have to wait until after the last frosts to start sowing. You can sow your seeds or grow your seedlings in a bright, frost-free spot, and keep them covered until the frosts are over. By the end of spring, you'll have healthy, well-established plants in your garden.

Biennials

Biennials are plants whose lifecycle spans two years, so they roots, grows leaves, flowers, produces seeds, and die in their second year. Whilst this may seem like it is a two year cycle, what it actually means is that hey need a period of vernalisation to produce their crop. This means that they must be exposed to the cold winter temperatures to produce flowering stems. In mild winters this might mean you get a poor crop from your biennials. When grown from seed, biennials are usually sown between May and July. Personally, I mark my calendar on the 15th June to sow my biennials but if you are lucky, you may find they self-seed.

Perennials

Perennials are plants that stay in the garden from one year to the next. Herbaceous and woody perennials make a brilliant investment and are generally the backbone of your cutting patch. However, as they live for several years they will require a permanent planting with space to grow. These are the plants that show true seasonality, as they generally flower at the same time each year, depending on the weather conditions.

Herbaceous perennials die back each year and produce new stems in the growing season. Woody perennials are more commonly known as shrubs and can provide consistent supply of foliage material in your arrangements.

Self-Sown

A self-sown seed refers to a seed that has germinated naturally, without any assistance from humans. Usually, this happens when the flower is left to wither on its own. The seeds of the plant will then be scattered by birds or the wind. If you wish to manage the growth of plants in a specific area, it is advisable to remove a decaying flower head (dead-head) before it produces seeds.