The worst thing about gardening for me...

I did Latin at school, and grammar, and then on to study lexicography and can from a point of authority say they have been of no material benefit to my remembering any plant names at all, it does however allow me to advise Ivory that perhaps the term "pervert" could have been better chosen. LOL although you were talking about grammar and you have to be a little odd to study it and enjoy it so I s'pose I am in that club.


(Although I have been called a pervert before it has never been for that-and I am not telling you the reasonLOL)

 

I don't know what plant names are what, I hate weeding - sometimes I don't know whats a weed and whats not, but mowing is my big bug bear as once it's rained I can't mow for about 3 days as the grass seems to hold the wet :(

 

Hi Ivory,

Now that is a story I am sure we would all love to hear.

 

I know, I am incorrigibble.

 

I also did Latin at school and I think that's why I prefer the common names like snapdragon, love lies bleeding deadly nightshade, etc. and of course the names I give to them. To me Latin words are cold and hard.

 

I've learnt the Latin names of plants sort of by osmosis because they are always written underneath the common names. I must just have that kind of a memory!

 

I also did Latin at school. It still gives me nightmares declining the verbs - and the Latin master at Wigan Grammer school - Paddy Gore , swishing down the corridor in his cape like some Romanian vampire.......back to the subject, I found this no use at all remembering plant names. I record all my plants on an Excel sheet as the old memory aint what it used to be
Oh and my worst thing about gardening ,looking at the picture on the seed packets - then looking at my spindly slug infested efforts !

 

I can't remember common names let alone the Latin ones, lol. I'm going to try and get a pic of each plant I've got this year, get them identified & keep them on pc.

Actually, I can recognise about 6 plants now, as long as they are the common version!!

cheers

 

I am privileged when it comes to botanical names :thumb: although it's hard for me too to remember genus and species and variety...too many epithets.... on the other hand the common name is too generic if you want to discuss plants decently... as for the pronounciantion I have difficulties too especially with names that have a modern root and have been 'latinized'. for ex: Weigelia should be pronounce following the 'latin' phonetics (veigelia) or the german one (vaigelia) both are acceptable and nobody cares I guess except the purists and I refuse to pronounce Washingtonia (vassingtonia) and choose the english way of course and then there are the accents.... it's a bit of a mess

 

I have a very good plant knowledge of common names and a fair knowledge of latin.

Rather emabarasingly i too suffer memory blocks when it comes to on the spot reacll and always cause ammusment as the name usually comes to me a minute later.