Planting Styles - Informal Planting Flashcards
Definition of Organic
A shape that is not symmetrical
Definition of Matrix
A type of planting that replicates a plant’s tendency to colonise
Definition of full colour palette
A wide range of colours
Definition of naturalistic
The style that results from matrix planting
Definition of restrained colours
Colours with tint and shade
Definition of assymetrical
A shape that cannot be replicated across a line of symmetry
What was informal planting a reaction against?
Formality
Name an informal planting style
New perennial movement
What do New Perennial Movement gardens typically feature?
Herbaceous perennials and grasses in swathes. (Prairie planting)
What are the features of an informal pond?
Aquatic plants
Planting round the pond edges (marginals)
Curved edges
What are the potential benefits to wildlife of a bareroot planting of a Prunus spinosa hedge?
Thorny branches provides a nesting site
Acts as a windbreak
Spring flowers provide food source for pollinators
Autumn berries provide food source for birds
True or False: Informal gardens are always more beneficial to the environment than formal gardens.
False.
Why are curves informal?
They echo shapes that are usually seen in nature.
What does “free flowering” mean?
A repeated and prolifically flowering plant
Define “naturalising bulbs”
Planting to achieve an informal effect, sometimes coming through lawns.
What factors have influenced the shift to a more informal gardening style over the last 150 years or so?
Fewer privately own grand estates
More leisure time
Prevailing garden trends and fashions
Smaller gardens
Environmental concerns
More home ownership
