RHS Level 2 R2112 Seasonal Display, maintenance

Question 1

What is meant by seasonal display?

Answer 1

Normally refers to an area which is changed at least twice a year to provide colour via flowers or foliage for as much of the year as possible.
It is often achieved by planting annual bulbs and biennials that have been grown off-site until they are close to flowering.

Question 2

Define hardy plants. Give two examples

Answer 2

Hardy plants are able to withstand normal conditions in the UK without protection.
Nigella damascena
Calendula officinalis

Question 3

Define half hardy plants. Give two examples.

Answer 3

Half hardy plants are frost intolerant therefore need to be protected over winter or sown and raised under protection early in the season then planted out.
Lobelia erinus
Tagetes patula

Question 4

What is meant by the term bedding? Give two examples.

Answer 4

Plants with shorter lifecycles tend to be used for bedding and temporary displays. Annuals, biennials.
Also an opportunity to use half hardy or tender plants.
Beds often used for blocks of colour.
Impatiens walleriana
Petunia x hybrida

Question 5

What is meant by the term tropical?

Give two plant examples.

Answer 5

Tropical plants used for particular effect such as bold colourful foliage.
Ricinus communis.
Canna ‘wyoming’

Question 6

What is meant by the term edging? Give two examples.

Answer 6

Edging plants are low and generally used around the edges of the bed.
Calendula officinalis
Lobelia erinus

Question 7

What is meant by the term infill/groundwork? Give two examples.

Answer 7

Infill are usually medium sized plants between edging and dot plants.
Cosmos bipinnatus
Salvia splendens

Question 8

What is meant by the term dot plants? Give two examples.

Answer 8

Dot plants are individual tall plants to provide height and possibly focal point.
Sometimes tropical plants used.
Canna Tropicana
Helianthus annuus

Question 9

Explain the importance of F1 hybrid plants in relation to hybrid vigour.
Name 4 examples

Answer 9

F1 hybrids are bread to show hybrid vigour, might have pest and disease resistance, larger flowers, better quality.
Petunia x hybrida 'Plum Purple'
Impatiens walleriana 'Blue Pearl'
Helianthus annuus 'Harlequin'
Viola X wittrockiana 'Tiger Eyes'

Question 10

Describe the soil prep, sowing/planting out for a hardy annual border.

Answer 10

Clear weeds and previous annual plants/debris.
Cultivate the soil to produce a fine tilth, incorporating organic matter.
Mark out areas to be sown with different species usually a series of overlapping semicircles.
In each semi circle (one per variety) make a series of parallel drills. Make sure the drills in adjacent semicircles are at different angles.
Sow, cover, firm and water.
Ongoing maintenance: weeding, thinning and gapping up.
Can also broadcast the seed for a wilder effect.

Question 11

Describe the soil prep, sowing/planting out for a summer bedding display.

Answer 11

Half hardy plants are down indoors in greenhouses.
Also hardy annuals for early flowering, tender perennials and plants vulnerable to slugs started off in greenhouse.
Need hardening off to adjust to the outdoor temperature.
Outside during the day and in over night if frosty and chilly.
Prep the bed by removing weeds, previous plants, debris.
Cultivate the soil adding in organic matter.
Plant out plants.
Dot plants for height and focal point.
Edging, low.
Infill/groundwork plants medium sized in-between.
Think colour, form and Texture, block/group planting.

Question 12

Describe the soil prep, sowing/planting out for a spring bedding display.

Answer 12

As per summer bedding display but also incorporates biennials for a spring display.
These are sown in seedbeds, nursery bed is prepared and the seed sown in drills in may-july.
Transplant to final flowering position in autumn when 4-5cm high taking a soil ball with each plant.

Question 13

What materials are needed to create a hanging basket display?

Answer 13

Basket - wire, plastic mesh, solid plastic, woven willow.
Liner - pressed fibre, moss, plastic, inverted turf.
Compost - soil-less/organic
Additives - fertilizer, water retainers eg gel
Plants - trailing plus central upright.

Question 14

Describe the procedure to create a hanging basket.

Answer 14

1) sit basket on a large pot to steady it.
2) fit liner
3) make holes if semi solid material.
4) if liner is permeable place a small sponge, saucer or disc of plastic inside at the bottom.
5) half fill with compost
6) lie plugs of plants on the compost with the tops sticking through the holes in the liner.
7) fill up with compost
8) put in a central, upright plant.
9) surround with low growing plants, then trailing plants around the edge.
10) hang in position
11) water

Question 15

Describe the routine maintenance of seasonal bedding.

Answer 15

Watering, especially during establishment, by hand or sprinkler or drip irrigation system.
Deadheading to increase flowering time and keep looking tidy.
Feeding - especially if containers are used.
Weeding
Pest control

Question 16

Name pests affecting bedding and container displays and controls for these.

Answer 16

Vine weevil - plants lift out from the ground - nematodes.
Earwigs - eats petals - use upturned pots filled with grass on cane to trap them.
Aphids - farmed by ants, sticky - pyrethrum spray or pick/squash by hand
Slugs & snails - eat plants - nematodes

Question 17

Name diseases affecting bedding and container displays and controls for these.

Answer 17

Powdery mildew - white coating on upper surface of leaves - use resistant varieties, ensure good air circulation, systemic fungicide

Grey mould/botrytis - fuzzy furry fungal growth on flowers and foliage can spread to rest of plant.

Question 18

Name weeds affecting bedding and container displays and controls for these.

Answer 18

Cardamine hirsuta
Elymus repens

• hand weeding/hoeing, mulching, herbicides

Question 19

Describe characteristics of an herbaceous border.

Answer 19

Usually backed by a wall or hedge.
Exclusively herbaceous perennials, summer and early autumn flowering.
Plants arranged in order of height, low at front to tall at back.
Traditional borders are straight lines with large blocks of single varieties.
Informal borders have sinuous edges and plants are in drifts flowing into one another.
Plants should be put in in 3s or larger odd numbers.

Question 20

Describe the soil prep, planting for growing herbaceous perennials.

Answer 20

Clear the area of weeds, plant debris and unwanted plants.
Cultivate the area, digging and adding organic matter and if necessary fertilizer.
Plant out choice of plants, bare root or container grown or bulbs/pot grown bulbs.

Question 21

Describe the routine maintenance for growing herbaceous perennials.

Answer 21

Weeding - hoeing, hand weeding and mulching. Be strict with perennial weeds such as elymus repens.
Watering - essential after planting and in the following weeks if necessary. Mulch to conserve water. Water thoroughly and infrequently.
Dead heading - improves appearance, prolongs floral display, with certain species a second flush of flowers may be produced later in the season.
Cutting back - Chelsea chop end of may, produce more, smaller blooms later on.
Mulching - retains moisture, prevents annual weeds, improves soil structure, can feed the soil. Best time around April.
Staking - done before they are required using a number of stakes.
Feeding - if necessary

Division - dormant season, perennials begin to deteriorate after a few years.
By hand for loose rooted plants, back to back forks for fibrous rooted plants, spade or large knife for woody clumps or solid fleshy roots.
Selecting the younger outer growth to replant rather than the central older pieces.

End if season - perennials are often split in the autumn and dense clumps of bulbs lifted and spread out.
Dead herbaceous tops can be left to protect the crown’s, provide winter interest and seed heads good source of bird feed.
Some plants, borderline hardy, can be protected using fleece, straw etc….

Question 22

Describe bulb planting different types of bulbs …

Answer 22

Pot grown bulbs can be planted at any time.
Dry bulbs should be planted at the end of their dormant season before growth starts.
For spring flowering bulbs this means autumn but depends on species e.g. tulips November, bluebells August- September. Generally sept and Oct favoured months.
Summer flowering bulbs more varied, gladioli hybrids, dahlias, begonias started in march- April.

Bulbs can be grown off-site and transplanted into seasonal beds for a mass colour display.

Question 23

Describe bulb planting in mixed borders

Answer 23

Plant in informal groups.
Can help extend the flowering period considerably.
Lifting and removal isn’t necessary.
Slightly more tender subjects can be used making the most of the shelter of surrounding plants.
Foliage dying down is hidden by other plants