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I know what you’re thinking as you read that confounded plant label. “Looks like Greek to me,” you say. Actually it’s Latin. You might think that folks who go around speaking in haughty Latin do it just to show up newbies to gardening. Truly that is not the intent, at least not in my case. Last thing I would do is discourage anyone from gardening. It’s my life’s mission to make gardening as easy as can be for all. What knowing Latin does is make certain we’re all on the same page.
Yes, it may be irritating to have someone call the common Foxglove Digitalis Purpurea but if we all know the botanical name there will be no confusion and we know exactly what we’re getting at the nursery when shopping for that elusive Cleome. Or is it better known to you as Spider flower? No doubt it is but will the guy at the garden center know what you’re talking about when you ask for Spider flower instead of its proper Latin name Cleome? Well, that’s the problem, isn’t it?
Yes, it would be so much easier if we all just called it Pinks instead of Dianthus Gratiano Politanus but that pretty little perennial with the grey-green leaves and tiny pale pink clove-scented flowers can be easily confused with a hundred or so other plants also called Pinks including Clove Pinks, Maiden Pinks, Cottage Pinks and Cheddar Pinks. I hate to say it but Latin is necessary in order for us very particular gardeners to get exactly what we want in the nursery, the garden center and from seed catalogues.
Let’s start with a few simple terms which come up frequently. When you aren’t very familiar with a plant, knowing these can help. See how many of these terms you can recognize just by what it sounds or looks like in English. Get ready for the crash course in Garden Latin-101.
Alba- white
Purpurea- purple
Rubra, rubrum- red
Aureo- golden
Citrinus- yellow
Rosea- pink, rosy
Azureus- sky blue
Variegata- variegated, of mixed colors
Marginata- along the margin
Horizontalis- growing horizontal, close to the ground.
Procumbens- trailing
Compactus- compact or dense
Altus- tall
Grandiflora- large flowered.
Radicans- rooting mostly along the stem
Officinalis- medicinal
Folius- pertaining to leaves or foliage
Knowing all this you now can tell Hosta Alba Marginata is a plant with white margins on its leaves and Hosta Aureo variegata is a variegated form with yellow splashes of color. When you see a label saying Magnolia Grandiflora you’ll know this particular variety of Magnolia has large flowers. You’ll also have no problem deciphering a Juniperus Horizantalis procumbens is a Juniper with a trailing habit growing horizontal while a Juniperus Altus compactus is a tall and dense growing Juniper.
Makes a bit of a difference, doesn’t it? Now don’t you feel just a little bit smarter knowing all that? I thought you would. So, go forth and spread the word. Latin ain’t so tough after all and learning just this tiny bit will no doubt encourage you to pay more attention to those baffling garden plant labels. The trick is that Latin tends to sound or look like words which are already familiar to you. So take a guess whenever you see a seemingly complicated word. You may guess correctly and if not, you can always look it up. Learning never hurt anybody and it probably will help your garden prosper. Class dismissed.
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Author Bio Box: Glory Lennon
 visit http://www.helium.com/user/32782 for more amazing garden info, entertaining short stories and intriguing Novel excerpts.
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