February 2022 past paper

Question 1

name 2 groundwork (infill) plants and 2 bulbs suitable for a spring bedding display

Answer 1

groundwork; Erysimum cheiri, Bellis perennis, Myosotosis sylvatica

Bulbs; Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Delft Blue’, Tulipa ‘Queen of the Night’

Question 2

state the planting distances for the two groundwork plants suitable for a spring bedding display

Answer 2

Erysimum cheiri and Myosotosis sylvatica - 25 - 30cm apart
Bellis perennis - 15- 20cm apart
Viola and Dwarf pansies - 15cm apart

Question 3

name 2 pests and 2 diseases which can be found on spring bedding plants

Answer 3

pests - slugs, snails, aphids, stem/bulb eelworm

Diseases - Botrytis/grey mould, powdery mildew

Question 4

describe how to plant a bare rooted plant into an herbaceous border

Answer 4

soak roots in bucket of water if dry
protect plant from drying out by wrapping in damp hessian prior to planting
Trim and damaged/diseased material prior to planting

Prep. hole slightly wider than the spread of roots, and depth the same or just below crown of plant

You can add OM or fert. to base of planting hole

Place plant upright in centre of hole with the roots spread out

Back fill soil, firming in - make sure no air pockets.

Water well and mulch if required.

Question 5

name 4 herbaceous perennials suitable for growing as ground cover

Answer 5

Geranium macrorrhizum
Ajuga reptans - Caitlin’s Giant
Alchemilla mollis
Epimedium perralderianium

Question 6

state one general pruning task which may be carried out on any shrub

Answer 6

Remove dead/diseased/damaged material

Question 7

describe how to prune three names shrubs for different seasonal interest:
Spring flowering; named plant; method of pruning

Answer 7

Forsythia x intermedia

remove a third of oldest stems from base
reduce/remove some of side shoots to maintain natural shape of plant

Question 8

describe how to prune three names shrubs for different seasonal interest:
Summer flowering; named plant; method of pruning

Answer 8

Buddleja davidii

remove last seasons growth to the woody framework 30-45cm above ground to maintain a ‘stag’s horn’ structure of permanent branches

Question 9

describe how to prune three names shrubs for different seasonal interest:
Winter stems; named plant; method of pruning

Answer 9

Cornus alba ‘Sibirica’

Stooling is carried out, all stems reduced to 5cm above ground level.

Question 10

describe 4 maintenance tasks carried out on an alpine of rock garden

Answer 10

weeding - by hand or with a hoe to remove weeds when they are small and not yet established. Perennial weeds should be removed carefully incl. all roots and disposed of off site.

Trimming- cut back plants with a spreading habit. Cut off damaged, diseased or old material and spent flower heads.

Mulching - do not cover foliage of plant, mulch up to crown, top up in autumn with gravel/stone chippings to a depth of 2-5cm.

Frost/winter wet protection ; place an open ended cloche over plants before onset of bad weather, or a glass/plastic cover suspended over plants (polycarb. frame)
You can lift delicate plants and put in a well aerated, un-heated alpine house/sheltered area.

Question 11

name 2 alpine or rock garden palnts

Answer 11

Dianthus alpinus
Pulsatilla vulgaris
Dryas octopetala
Iberis sempervirens
Raoulia hookeri
Saxifraga paniculata
Lewisia cotyledon
Sedum spurium

Question 12

name 4 different plant groups, for different situations within a pond

Answer 12

Floating
Deep water
marginal
bog plants
oxygenators

Question 13

Describe the maintenance tasks that should be carried out on a garden pond under each heading:
Maintenance of water levels in summer

Answer 13

water levels need to be topped up in summer due to evaporation.
Use fresh rainwater, or tap water that has been allowed to stand for 24hrs.

Question 14

Describe the maintenance tasks that should be carried out on a garden pond under each heading:
Management of ice formation

Answer 14

use the base of a hot saucepan to melt a hole in the ice.

You can place an object like a tennis ball to be left floating on the surface of the water during winter, or use a pond heater

Question 15

Describe the maintenance tasks that should be carried out on a garden pond under each heading:
methods of netting a garden pond

Answer 15

a fine mesh net should be pulled taut over the pond surface and secured with stakes or pegs.

A framed metal grid could also be installed at or just below the surface of the water

Question 16

Describe how to mow a fine quality lawn

Answer 16

summer - cut height 1-2cm
autumn- 3-5cm
ensure no more than a third of the length of grass is removed at any time.
A headland would first be mown around edge of lawn and then cut in alternative directions to create the stripes.
All arisings are collected in a grass box
Lawn is ‘topped’ when possible during winter to keep it tidy.

Question 17

state 2 symptoms of fairy ring in fine turf

Answer 17

toadstools appear in summer or autumn
poor quality and death of grass in centre of ring
a ring of darker green, lush growth of grass outside the area of fungal activity
Patchy, weedy turf where fungal activity has moved on.

Question 18

state an ideal month of the year to control each of the following pests and diseases of turf:
Leather jackets

Answer 18

august - october

Question 19

state an ideal month of the year to control each of the following pests and diseases of turf: Moles

Answer 19

Feb- june

Question 20

state an ideal month of the year to control each of the following pests and diseases of turf: Fusarium patch

Answer 20

sep - feb

Question 21

name some corms suitable for a herbaceous border

Answer 21

Crocus tommasinianus

Gladiolus

Question 22

name some rhizomes suitable for a herbaceous border

Answer 22

Iris pseudacorus - beardless
Agapanthus
Hemerocallis

Question 23

name some bulbs suitable for a herbaceous border

Answer 23

Narcissus pseudocorus
Fritillaria imperialis ‘Crown Imperial’
Tulipa