Gardening Basics
Plant Characteristics
Heights
Plant height is dependent on a number of factors including position, weather conditions, proximity to other plants and soil conditions. The scales below are plant heights when grown in Britain under average conditions.
Trees
Small - Up to 35ft (up to 10m)
Medium - 35 to 60 ft (10 - 18m)
Large - over 60ft (18m)
Shrubs
Dwarf - 1 to 2.5ft (30 - 75cm)
Small - 3 to 5 ft (1 - 1.5m)
Medium - 6 to 10 ft (1.5 - 3m)
Large - over 10ft (over 3m)
Tenderness
Hardy - able to withstand average British winter temperatures in
open ground.
Half hardy - will be able to withstand average British winter temperatures if protected from frost and or snow, or planted in a sheltered location such as against a wall or amongst other plants. Half hardy also applies to plants only grown in the summer, such as begonia, marrow, marigold.
Tender - susceptible to frost, snow and low winter temperatures. Tender plants will need protection, bringing indoors or moved to a heated greenhouse.
Soil type
pH - acidity or alkalinity of soil. A pH level of 6.5 to 7 is neutral (green on a testing chart). Below 4.5 and the soil is very acid (red), above 7 and the soil is alkaline (blue), normally caused by a high lime content from underlying chalk or limestone.
Most garden plants will thrive in neutral soil, rhododendrons and heathers prefer a lower pH (acid) soil, whilst peonies and irises will tolerate an alkaline soil.
