Horticulture Principles and Practices

Planting may be limited to accenting the entrance or implemented along the entire
length of the driveway. A homeowner may build a path through the yard using concrete
slabs or flat rocks, rather than having a contiguous pavement. Apart from being
aesthetically pleasing, stepping stones are used to reduce compaction in the lawn and
unmulched areas in the yard.
17.2 ROLE OF ANNUAL BEDDING PLANTS
The term bedding plants is used to refer to a broad range of largely annual plants
(i.e., herbs, vegetables, and flowering ornamentals) that are grown especially in flower
beds (but also in containers such as hanging baskets and window boxes). The bedding plant
industry has grown tremendously in recent years due in part to convenient packaging of
the seedlings by nursery growers. This packaging increases homeowners’ success in growing
bedding plants. One factor limiting success with bedding plants is transplanting shock.
Previously, seedlings were raised in seedling trays or flats. The high density of sowing did
not allow seedlings to be dug out individually with adequate soil attached to the roots,
which predisposed the seedlings to wilting from moisture stress. Today, nursery and greenhouse
producers raise seedlings in plastic cell packs, each seedling occupying a cell with
adequate soil around its roots. Home growers can purchase packs of seedlings and transplant
them conveniently. The continued efforts of breeders make it possible to have a wide
variety (in terms of shape, size, color, and maturity) of bedding plants to meet different customer
tastes and climatic conditions. Hybrid cultivars of these plants produce superior
flowers or edible produce. Ground covers are generally low-growing plants with the ability
to spread. They include shrubs, vines, grasses, and perennials.
Vegetable bedding plants, are usually restricted to gardens, where they are grown
for their edible parts. Some ornamental types of certain vegetables exist. The use of bedding
plants discussed in this section is limited to ornamental plants.
The use of ornamental annual bedding plants is based on their size or height, form
(spreading or trailing versus erect), foliage, light requirements (shade, partial shade, or
high light), and color of flowers, among others.
Because of their relatively small size, bedding plants can be readily and effectively
raised to form a patch of uniform display of color, texture, or other desired characteristics.
They can be used to fill open spaces between or around objects. For example, bedding
plants may be grown around a sculpture or fountain in the landscape. These plants
may be grown in the foreground of permanent shrubbery or along fences and walls. When
grown in containers, bedding plants may be displayed in windows or hanging baskets on
patios. They may be used to accentuate the border of the walkway. It is easy to be creative
with bedding plants. Even the gardener prefers a particular species; plant breeders
have developed numerous cultivars of many species to provide for variety in the landscape,
such as by using cultivars with different colors in the design. Some bedding plants
may serve the dual purpose of providing interest in the landscape and being used for cut
flowers for indoor use. In short, bedding plants can be used in a variety of ways to
beautify the landscape.
17.3 DESIGNING A FLOWER GARDEN
To maximize the aesthetic value of flowers, it is important to choose the right plants for
the area and also locate or display them attractively in the landscape. In fact, simple or
rather unattractive flowers can be greatly enhanced by the way they are displayed.
Instead of locating plants haphazardly in the landscape, specific designs can be created
and adopted in planting the flower garden. The following is a discussion on the principles
involved in designing a successful flower garden.
17.3 Designing a Flower Garden 513