1. What is an air plant?
a. The blonde down the road
b. The umbrella tree
c. A plant with roots that don’t live in soil
d. A plant with seeds that float away in the air
2. The numbers 3:1:5 in gardening terms represent…
a. The number of roses, annuals and perennials you should have in one bed
b. The ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in fertiliser
c. The ratio of trees to lawn to shrubs in a balanced garden design
d. A watering schedule for the month
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3. What is a ‘white fly’?
a. An albino variety of the normal housefly
b. An insect that attacks white-flowered plants
c. A small fly that only appears during full moon
d. An insect that attacks fuchsias, roses and indoor plants
4. The term ‘xeriscape’ in gardening means…
a. A garden where plants are grouped according to their water needs
b. A type of watering hose
c. A garden with no (zero) plants in it at all
d. The Xena Warrior Princess garden design
5. What is dead heading?
a. Planting ‘dead’ seeds
b. Something you do when you husband steps on your daffodils
c. Cutting open dried seed heads for collecting seed
d. Cutting off old flowers to encourage new growth
6. Which one is a gardening tool?
a. Dibber
b. Trivet
c. Divot
d. Bibber
7. An herbicide is …
a. A substance to control weeds and unwanted plants
b. An organic soap to wash your hands
c. A spray made from herbs
d. A liquid made from natural plant components
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8. What is a black-eyed Susan?
a. An indigenous tree
b. Your neighbour after a boxing match
c. A creeper
d. A beetle
9. The crane flower (Strelitzia regina) is the emblem flower of …
a. South Africa
b. Los Angeles
c. New Zealand
d. Tweebuffelsmeteenmorsdoodgeskietfontein, Mpumalanga
10. What will attract birds to your garden?
a. Hydrangeas
b. Scarecrow
c. A spectacular jacuzzi
d. Winter flowering aloes
11. The fourth week of July is a great time to…
a. Eat American chocolate
b. Plant impatiens
c. Prune your roses
d. Watch rugby
12. What is an invasive alien plant?
a. Plants that originate from outer space
b. One of the 198 plants prohibited in South African gardens
c. A special type of bulb that grows above the ground
d. An enemy aeroplane factory
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13. What is a deciduous plant?
a. A plant that loses it leaves in winter
b. A plant that thrives in dry parts of the country
c. A plant that originates from the Antarctic
d. A plant with rough bark or thorns
14. How do you get tropical look in your garden?
a. Move to the coast
b. Place six beers and an umbrella next to the pool
c. Plant lush, big leaved foliage plants and shrubs with large flowers
d. Wear a tropical shirt decorated with big flowers whilst mowing the lawn
15. Soil pH refers to:
a. Whether there are lots of stones in the soil
b. Whether the soil is acid or alkaline
c. The colour of the soil
d. How much water the soil retains
16.‘Tender’ plants are those which:
a. Have soft leaves or stems
b. Will die if exposed to a freezing winter
c. Are great for giving to loved ones on special occasions
d. Need a lot of tender, loving care to thrive
17. One of the answers below contains three vegetables. Which one is it?
a. Apple, cauliflower, tomato
b. Aubergine, baby marrow, tomato
c. Apple, pear, grape
d. Cauliflower, rhubarb, carrot
18. Gardeners use the term ‘pinch-back’ to describe how:
a. You remove the tips of stems to encourage a bushy plant
b. Your neighbour borrows your wheelbarrow and you ‘pinch it’ back.
c. You reduce your monthly expenditure on the garden
d. You tie unruly creepers back into place.
19. Double-flowers are those that:
a. Need double the amount of water to grow.
b. Create blooms with a double row of petals.
c. Develop two flower heads on a single stem.
d. Flowers that double in size every two weeks.
20. A hybrid is:
a. An eco-friendly plant that emits no carbon dioxide.
b. A weed.
c. A succulent that uses very little water.
d. Offspring from the cross-pollination of two plants of the same species.
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Calculate your score
Question 1: (a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 4 (d) 2.
Question 2: (a) 2 (b) 4 (c) 1 (d) 1.
Question 3: (a) 1 (b) 3 (c) 2 (d) 4.
Question 4: (a) 4 (b) 2 (c) 2 (d) 1.
Question 5: (a) 2 (b) 1 (c) 3 (d) 4.
Question 6: (a) 4 (b) 2 (c) 1 (d) 2.
Question 7: (a) 4 (b) 1 (c) 3 (d) 3.
Question 8: (a) 2 (b) 1 (c) 4 (d) 2.
Question 9: (a) 3 (b) 4 (c) 2 (d) 1.
Question 10: (a) 3 (b) 2 (c) 1 (d) 4.
Question 11: (a) 1 (b) 3 (c) 4 (d) 2.
Question 12: (a) 1 (b) 4 (c) 3 (d) 2.
Question 13: (a) 4 (b) 3 (c) 1 (d) 2.
Question 14: (a) 3 (b) 1 (c) 4 (d) 1.
Question 15: (a) 2 (b) 4 (c) 1 (d) 1.
Question 16: (a) 2 (b) 4 (c) 1 (d) 3.
Question 17: (a) 2 (b) 3 (c) 1 (d) 4.
Question 18: (a) 4 (b) 1 (c) 3 (d) 2.
Question 19: (a) 1 (b) 4 (c) 3 (d) 2.
Question 20: (a) 1 (b) 3 (c) 2 (d) 4.
If you got 20- 35 points:
PARTY GARDENER: You are vibrant, fun-loving party person who is really popular in the neighbourhood. You use your patio as a place to braai and entertain friends. Plants, trees, perennials and annuals are not really a part of your life. We love your vibrant personality, but have to admit, you are not the local gardening expert!
If you got 36-50 points:
REMOTE GARDENER – You definitely know a little about gardening. You are either married to a gardener or have grown up with a green-fingered granny. A bit of valuable gardening lore has rubbed off on you over time, so you do have some idea of how things work out there. But, due to your busy schedule, the garden isn’t quite part of your life just yet.
If you got 50-64 points:
ECO-SENSITIVE GARDENER - You are perceptive individual who is aware of how vital our local environment is to the well being of the planet. You hope one day to create a wonderful garden that calms the senses, brightens the lives of your family and provides habitats for birds and wildlife. Your interest in the environment means that you are really keen to learn more and are always fascinated by the plants you see in the local garden centre. Keep going, you will be a huge asset to Mother Earth during your lifetime.
If you got 65- 80points:
GARDENER OF THE YEAR – You are a gardening hero! And you know the terminology used in gardening. You are a generous spirit who gives practical gardening tips to those less green-fingered and offers ‘slips’, seeds and divisions of plants to all your friends and relatives. You are highly motivated and are likely to be working on a really super garden. Welcome to the Springbok team of Top Gardeners. We salute you!
