Garden-Grown Idioms
Instructions: Dig into expressions that sprouted from the garden — from "nip it in the bud" to "a thorn in my side," see how many of these plant-rooted sayings you know!
- 1.
If you "nip it in the bud," what are you doing?
AStopping a problem before it grows biggerBPlanting seeds in early springCPicking flowers at their peak bloomDPruning dead branches from a tree - 2.
When someone is described as "fresh as a daisy," what does it mean?
AThey smell like flowersBThey are alert, lively, and full of energyCThey have just come in from the gardenDThey are wearing bright colors - 3.
What does it mean to say someone is "a thorn in your side"?
AThey are a helpful neighborBThey are a constant source of irritation or troubleCThey work hard in the garden with youDThey give good advice - 4.
If you "beat around the bush," you are doing what?
ATrimming hedges carelesslyBChasing animals out of the gardenCAvoiding the main point of a conversationDWorking very slowly in the yard - 5.
What does the saying "everything is coming up roses" mean?
AThe garden is blooming beautifully this yearBThings are going very well and turning out happilyCSomeone spends too much time on their flowersDSpring has arrived earlier than expected - 6.
If you say a child is "no shrinking violet," what do you mean?
AThe child dislikes purple flowersBThe child refuses to do garden choresCThe child is bold and not at all shyDThe child grows too fast for their age - 7.
When someone says they heard something through "the grapevine," how did they hear it?
ABy reading the morning newspaperBThrough unofficial gossip or rumorCFrom a trusted family memberDOver the garden fence from a neighbor - 8.
What does it mean when someone says a plan is "still in seed form"?
AThe plan involves growing vegetablesBThe plan is fully ready to be carried outCThe plan is in its earliest, undeveloped stageDThe plan has already begun to fail - 9.
If someone says you are "barking up the wrong tree," what do they mean?
AYou are making too much noise outdoorsBYou are pursuing the wrong course of action or blaming the wrong personCYou have planted a tree in the wrong spotDYou are working too hard for little reward - 10.
What does it mean to "turn over a new leaf"?
ATo rake the fallen leaves in autumnBTo start fresh with improved behavior or habitsCTo plant new seedlings each springDTo discover a hidden talent late in life - 11.
If something "goes to seed," what has happened to it?
AIt has been planted in the best possible locationBIt has deteriorated and gone into declineCIt has produced an unexpectedly large harvestDIt has been carefully preserved for next year - 12.
What does the expression "to reap what you sow" mean?
AHard farming work always leads to a good harvestBYou will face the consequences — good or bad — of your own actionsCGardening teaches patience and disciplineDYou should save seeds from your best plants - 13.
When you "put down roots" somewhere, what are you doing?
APlanting a large tree in your yardBSettling permanently and building a life in a placeCDigging up your garden to start overDVisiting a place for the very first time - 14.
The idiom "to rest on one's laurels" comes from which ancient tradition involving the laurel plant?
ARoman soldiers who planted laurel trees after victoriesBAncient Greeks who crowned champions with laurel wreaths as a symbol of achievementCMedieval monks who used laurel leaves in healing ceremoniesDEgyptian pharaohs who burned laurel wood as a sacred offering - 15.
Which plant-themed idiom describes a situation of comfort and ease, and is often used negatively to say something is harder than it looks?
AA late bloomerBA bed of rosesCA shrinking violetDA wallflower
Answer Key
To nip something in the bud means to stop it at an early stage, just as a gardener pinches off a bud to prevent unwanted growth. The expression dates back to the 1600s.
"Fresh as a daisy" means someone is bright, energetic, and wide awake — much like a daisy that perks up in the morning sun. Daisies were long admired for their cheerful resilience.
A "thorn in your side" describes someone (or something) that causes you ongoing annoyance or pain, just as a rose thorn can prick you unexpectedly. The phrase appears in the Bible and has been used in English for centuries.
To "beat around the bush" means to avoid coming to the point directly. The phrase comes from bird hunting, where beaters would strike bushes to drive out game rather than going straight to where the birds were.
"Everything is coming up roses" means that things are working out wonderfully. The phrase was popularized by the 1959 Broadway musical "Gypsy," with the famous song of the same name.
A "shrinking violet" is a very shy, timid person — so saying someone is "no shrinking violet" means they are outgoing and confident. Violets are delicate, low-growing flowers, giving rise to the comparison.
"Through the grapevine" means hearing news informally through gossip or rumor. The expression became widely known thanks to Marvin Gaye's 1968 hit song "I Heard It Through the Grapevine."
Saying an idea is "still in seed form" means it is just beginning — it has potential but has not yet developed into anything concrete, just like a seed that has not yet sprouted.
"Barking up the wrong tree" means you are mistaken about who or what to blame, or you are pursuing the wrong approach entirely. It comes from hunting dogs that would bark at the base of a tree where prey had already escaped.
To "turn over a new leaf" means to make a fresh start and change one's ways for the better. The "leaf" here refers to a page in a book — turning to a clean new page — though the phrase has long been associated with nature imagery.
When something "goes to seed" it means it has declined or been neglected, just as a plant that is allowed to bolt and set seed becomes overgrown and less productive. You might hear "that old hotel has really gone to seed."
"To reap what you sow" means the outcomes you experience in life reflect the choices and actions you put in — whether good or bad. The phrase comes directly from Biblical farming imagery (Galatians 6:7).
To "put down roots" means to settle in a place and establish a lasting home and community ties, just as a plant's roots anchor it firmly in the ground. People often say it after moving to a new town.
In ancient Greece, laurel wreaths were placed on the heads of victors at the Pythian Games and later on military heroes, making "laurels" a symbol of achievement. To "rest on your laurels" means to rely on past glories without making new efforts.
"A bed of roses" means a situation of comfort and ease. It is most often used in the negative — "it's no bed of roses" — to point out that something is not as comfortable or easy as it might seem, reminding us of the thorns beneath the blooms.