Ivydene Gardens Glossary: G

Genus (pl. genera) A category in plant classification ranked between family and species. A group of related species linked by a range of common characters, for example, all species of horse chestnut are grouped under the genus Aesculus (see also Cultivar, Family, Forma, Hybrid, Subspecies and Variety).

Germination The physical and chemical changes that take place as a seed starts to grow and develop into a plant.

Girdling 1) The removal of bark all round a stem or branch caused by animal or physical damage or by a constricting tie that prevents the flow of water and nutrients to the upper part of the plant, eventually causing the death of all the tissue above the girdled trunk or branch.

Glaucous With a blue-green, blue-grey, grey, or white bloom.

Glume A chaff-like, dry bract in the inflorescences of grasses and sedges.

Graft To join artificially one or more plant parts to another.

Graft union The point at which scion and rootstock are joined.

Grafting A method of propagation by which an artificial union is made between the scion of one plant and the rootstock of another so that they eventually function as one plant. Methods include

• apical-wedge grafting;
• basal-whip (or splice) grafting:
• bud-grafting (including chip-budding and T-budding);
• flat grafting;
• saddle grafting;
• side grafting;
• side-veneer grafting:
• side-wedge grafting: and
• whip-and-tongue grafting.

Grafting tape Tape used to protect a graft union during healing.

Green manure A quick-maturing leafy crop such as mustard that is grown specifically to be dug back into and thereby enrich, the soil.

Ground colour Main (background) colour of petals.

Ground cover Usually low-growing plants that quickly cover the soil surface and suppress weeds (see Ground Cover List).