Flowers & Gardening
Instructions: From roses to orchids, pruning tips to planting seasons — how well do you know your flowers and garden facts?
- 1.
What flower is traditionally associated with love and romance?
ATulipBDaisyCRoseDCarnation - 2.
Sunflowers are known for a behavior called heliotropism. What does this mean?
AThey only bloom at sunriseBYoung sunflowers track the sun across the skyCThey repel insects with their scentDThey need no water - 3.
Which vegetable is the easiest for beginners to grow and can be harvested in as few as 25 days?
ACarrotBTomatoCPepperDRadish - 4.
What is the primary purpose of adding compost to garden soil?
ATo keep weeds from growingBTo make the soil look darkerCTo improve soil structure and add nutrientsDTo prevent frost damage - 5.
Which common herb is often called the 'king of herbs' in cooking?
AParsleyBThymeCBasilDOregano - 6.
In the language of flowers (floriography), what do white lilies symbolize?
APurity and innocenceBSorrow and griefCWealth and prosperityDJealousy - 7.
Which country was the center of 'Tulip Mania,' a famous economic bubble in the 1630s?
AEnglandBFranceCThe NetherlandsDSpain - 8.
What is 'deadheading' in gardening?
ATrimming roots below the soilBPulling up plants at the end of the seasonCRemoving dead trees from a yardDCutting off spent flower blooms - 9.
Which U.S. state has the bluebonnet as its state flower?
AKentuckyBTexasCVirginiaDGeorgia - 10.
What gardening technique involves planting mutually beneficial crops close together, such as corn, beans, and squash?
AGraftingBCompanion plantingCEspalierDHydroponics - 11.
The famous Gardens of Versailles were commissioned by which French king?
ALouis XIVBLouis XVCLouis XIIIDNapoleon Bonaparte - 12.
Orchids belong to one of the largest families of flowering plants. Approximately how many known species exist?
AAbout 10,000BAbout 5,000CAbout 28,000DAbout 50,000 - 13.
What is the term for the practice of training fruit trees to grow flat against a wall or trellis?
ACoppicingBTopiaryCPollardingDEspalier - 14.
What does a soil pH of 7.0 indicate?
ADepleted soil with no nutrientsBHighly alkaline soilCNeutral soilDHighly acidic soil - 15.
The corpse flower (Amorphophallus titanum) is famous for its enormous bloom and foul smell. How often does it typically flower?
AEvery 2 to 3 yearsBEvery 7 to 10 yearsCOnly once in its lifetimeDOnce a year
Answer Key
The red rose has been a symbol of love and romance for centuries, dating back to ancient Greek and Roman mythology where it was linked to Aphrodite and Venus.
Young sunflowers exhibit heliotropism, turning their heads to follow the sun from east to west during the day. Mature sunflowers generally face east.
Radishes are one of the fastest-growing vegetables, with some varieties ready to harvest in just 25 to 30 days, making them ideal for beginner gardeners.
Compost enriches soil by improving its structure, water retention, and drainage while adding essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium that plants need to thrive.
Basil is frequently called the 'king of herbs' due to its widespread use in cuisines around the world, especially Italian cooking. The name basil even derives from the Greek word 'basileus,' meaning king.
White lilies have long symbolized purity, innocence, and virtue. They are commonly used in weddings and religious ceremonies, including Easter celebrations.
Tulip Mania occurred in the Dutch Republic (The Netherlands) around 1636-1637, when prices for some tulip bulbs reached extraordinarily high levels before dramatically collapsing.
Deadheading is the practice of removing faded or spent flower blooms from a plant. This encourages the plant to produce more flowers rather than directing energy into seed production.
The bluebonnet (Lupinus texensis) was designated the state flower of Texas in 1901. Each spring, vast fields of bluebonnets blanket the Texas Hill Country.
Companion planting places compatible crops together for mutual benefit. The 'Three Sisters' method — corn, beans, and squash — is a famous example used by Native Americans: corn provides a structure for beans to climb, beans fix nitrogen in the soil, and squash shades the ground to retain moisture.
Louis XIV, the Sun King, commissioned the elaborate Gardens of Versailles. Landscape architect André Le Nôtre designed the gardens beginning in 1661, and they became a model for formal gardens throughout Europe.
The orchid family (Orchidaceae) contains approximately 28,000 known species, making it one of the two largest families of flowering plants. They are found on every continent except Antarctica.
Espalier is the horticultural technique of training trees or shrubs to grow flat against a wall, fence, or trellis. It dates back to ancient Rome and was widely used in medieval European gardens to maximize fruit production in limited spaces.
A pH of 7.0 is neutral on the pH scale. Values below 7 are acidic and values above 7 are alkaline. Most garden plants prefer a slightly acidic to neutral pH between 6.0 and 7.0.
The corpse flower blooms very rarely, typically once every 7 to 10 years in cultivation. When it does bloom, the flower can reach over 10 feet tall and emits a powerful odor resembling rotting flesh to attract pollinating beetles and flies.