Module 1 – Topic 2
Study Guide-Bedding Plants and Landscape Color
The climate of Arizona definitely influences what types of flowering herbaceous
plants are grown and when we can grow them. Unlike more temperate climates,
we can grow flowering herbaceous plants during our winter (cool-season plants)
but other flowering plants can only be grown in the spring/summer (warm-season
plants). For this topic, review the readings and watch the videos in order to be
able to answer the following study guide questions before taking the topic quiz.
1. Which colors are warm colors and which colors are cool colors?
Warm - Red, orange, yellow
Cool - green blue and purple, blues grays and violets
What effects do they have when seen in a landscape garden?
Cool makes yard seem cooler and more inviting in the summer, warm
can add excitement, hot colors appear to be closer than cool so put
cool in the back
2. What is the difference between monochromatic, analogous, complementary,
and polychromatic color combinations in a landscape? What are their effects
on people?
Monochromatic – color scheme that involves the use of tints and
shades of one pure color. Tint is light or whiter than pure color, shade
is darker.
oEffect – bring a subtle rhythm to a landscape and cause the eye
to move slowly across the garden space.
Analogous – use different color hues that are next to each other on the
color wheel
oEffect – tend to bring visual rhythm into a garden space and
cause the human eye to move across the garden space but more
quickly than with monochromatic color schemes
Complementary – use different color hues that are opposite of each
other on the color wheel. Powerful and vibrant color combinations.
oEffect – cause the human eye to suddenly stop, creating points of
landscape accent
Polychromatic – combine many different colors next to each other
oEffect – can seem random in appearance and create tension.
Can also evoke festive and playful responses…COLOR PARTY
3. What are annual, biennial, and perennial plants?
Annual - complete their life cycle- vegetative
plant, bloom, setting seed, death of the plant
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in one growing season, usually need to be replanted every year,
sometimes resow themselves
Biennial - grow vegetatitively in their first year, flower in 2nd, and die
after flowering
Perennial - live more than 2 years, once established bloom each year,
some die back into ground in off season or retain foliage year round,
off seasons- intense heat or colder winter
4. What is a bedding plant?
small landscape plant that are generally grouped together very closely
to provide a vibrant
seasonal transplanting of fast-growing, short-lived, small plants into
garden beds to create seasonal displays of sensory interest
What are the growth habit and life cycle characteristics of bedding plants?
Growth habit
oNon woody
oTender
oherbaceous
life cycle
oannual
obiennial
oshort-lived perennial
5. What are warm season and cool season bedding plants?
Warm-transplanted into late April, grow until late august, few can
withstand heat
o periwinkle, star clusters, Mexican Zinnia, Angelonia
Cool- transplanted in October and grow until April
omany more, pansy, petunia, geranium, marigold, pot marigold,
snapdragon
6. What time of year are they planted and grown in the Phoenix area?
During both Warm season and cool season
7. What should one look for when purchasing bedding plants at a local plant
nursery?
Inspect the potting soil surface for presence of unwanted weed
propagules
Inspect the potting soil for three symptoms of disease
oAbnormal leaf yellowing
oDead or decaying roots
oOff odors and smells
8. What is the most important cultural practice that needs to be done when
planting bedding plants in to a landscape garden site?
Amend garden soil with composted organic matter to a depth of 8-12
inches
Organic matter improves water and nutrient retention
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Adding organic matter to your landscape garden soil is the most
important practice that you can do to improve the growth and
flowering of your bedding plants
9. What two things determines the proper spacing between plants for bedding
plants?
Knowing how fast a particular type of bedding plant will grow
What will be its final size when it gets big at maturity
Proper spacing interval, transplanting them close together will cause
them to grow close together creating a canopy
10. How often should bedding plants be watered?
More often than landscape shrubs/trees, cool irrigated every 2-3 day,
warm- every other day to every day, in the morning
11. What kinds of fertilizers should be used and when should bedding
plants be fertilized?
Optimally rich in plant nutrients, complete fertilizer, soils should be
fertilized once when you plant, and again after 3 months
12. What are the two most common problems when culturing bedding
plants in a landscape garden?
Unwanted weeds
Soil bacteria and fungal diseases
13. What are the most sustainable practices for eradicating them?
For weeds
oEradicate them completely at first appearance, shoots and roots
by physically removing them
For soil disease
oManually remove and replace the top 12 inches of diseased soil
with clean soil
Bedding plants mentioned in this video are listed below.
Warm Season
Periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus)
Star clusters (Pentas lanceolata)
Mexican zinnia (Zinnia haageana)
Angelonia (Angelonia angustifolia)
Cool Season
Pansy (Viola wittrockiana)
Petunia (Petunia hybrid)
Marigold (Tagetes species)
Pot marigold (Calendula officinialis)
Snapdragon (Antirrhinim majus)
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