eChapters

The global production of cocoa is around 36.49 lakh tonnes against the demand of 37.37 lakh tonnes. Ivory Coast leads in cocoa production in the world with a contribution of 38 per cent, followed by Ghana and Indonesia. Unlike in other crops, it appears that the production and demand of cocoa at the global level match each other to a large extent. However, the recent trends in the world production of cocoa beans indicated that there was a drop of nine per cent in 2006–07, declining from 3.8 million tonnes in 2005–06 to 3.4 million tonnes in 2006–07 (Table 9.1). It was attributed to unfavourable conditions in many cocoa producing areas. West Africa, the main cocoa producing region, was hit by a severe harmattan (dusty dry wind from November to March) and its inherent dry weather, which lasted from the end of 2006 to February 2007, had a strong negative impact on global cocoa production. In Asia and South America, El Nino- related weather conditions developed in September 2006 and continued until the beginning of 2007. It led to relatively low cocoa production in 2007–07. However, it was rebounced in 2007– 08 to some extent though it was low (36.49 lakh tonnes) when compared to that of 2005–06. The favourable weather which prevailed over most of the cocoa growing regions during 2002–03 and 2003–04 helped to achieve better production during the above years while dip in the global production in 2006–07 due to unfavourable weather. It reveals that the weather abnormalities like floods, droughts, cold and heat waves across the cocoa growing regions of the world adversely affect the Coca production and the cocoa industry is likely to suffer.

Small cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum Maton), popularly known as the “Queen of spices”, occupies an important position among the foreign exchange earning commodities. Cardamom is cultivated on a commercial scale in Sri Lanka, Guatemala, Tanzania and Papua New Guinea. Guatemala is the largest producer of cardamom in the World. In India, it is confined to the States of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, accounting for an area of 41588 ha, 25021 ha and 4561 ha, respectively (Spices Board, 2009). Among these States, Kerala accounts for the major portion of production (58.4 %), followed by Karnataka (35.2 %) and Tamil Nadu (6.4 %). In Kerala, Cardamom is mainly grown in the erstwhile Travancore area in the present Idukki district and it is known as the Cardamom Hill Reserve (CHR), which was specially reserved, denotified and removed from the control of forest development by the orders of the Travancore Government. By a Royal Proclamation in Medam 997(ME) 334 square miles (86,506 ha) area in Devikulam, Udumbanchola and Peermedu taluks of the present Idukki District was declared as CHR for the promotion of cardamom cultivation (Miniraj and Nybe, 2007). Cardamom is a native of the moist evergreen rain forests of the Western Ghats of South India and is grown extensively in the hilly regions at elevations of 700 to 1300 metres as an under crop in forest lands. Cardamom thrives well within certain thermal regimes. It is believed that diurnal symmetries in temperature trends, if any, have close links with the changes in cloudiness, humidity, atmospheric circulation pattern, winds and soil moisture (Kumar et al., 2002).

The natural habitat of rubber (Heavea brasiliensis) is rain forests of the Amazon basin, situated within 5° North and South at altitudes below 200m. The climate of this region is equatorial monsoon type characterized by mean monthly temperature by 25 to 28°C, well distributed rainfall and no marked dry weather. Though it is originated in the Amazon basin, it is now predominantly grown in the tropics where an equatorial monsoon type climate prevails. Regions between 8°N and 10°S which includes Indonesian archipelago, Malaysia, southern part of Sri Lanka and some other Islands, are better suited to rubber cultivation. The production of natural rubber in the country was 8.65 lakh MT in 2008–09, registering a 4.74 per cent growth compared to the previous year.

Black pepper (Piper nigrum L.), famous as “Black Gold” and also known the “King of Spices” is the most important agricultural commodities of commerce and trade in India. It is the most important, most popular and most widely used spice in the World. Of the total spices traded internationally, black pepper accounts for 34 per cent. South West India is the traditional home of this important spice, particularly the Malabar Coast. Black pepper is also grown in tropical zones such as the Asia Pacific Region, mainly India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, China, Vietnam and Cambodia. Outside the Asia Pacific region, the crop is distributed in Brazil, Mexico, Guatemala, etc., totaling about 26 countries. It is grown successfully between 20°N and 20°S latitude and from mean sea level to 1500 meters above sea level. World’s black pepper production varies in the range of 2.7 to 3.35 tonnes annually.

Tea (Camellia sinensis) is one of the most important beverage crops in the World and the second most commonly drank liquid on earth after water. It has numerous medicinal benefits mainly due to its antibacterial and antioxidant properties. The major tea growing regions of the world are South-East Asia (India and Sri Lanka), Eastern and South Africa consisting of Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda and Mozambique. All these countries are producers of black tea. China and Japan are the major producers of green tea.

The State of Kerala under the Humid Tropics is one of the wettest places in the Humid Tropics where annual rainfall is of the order of 3000 mm, ranging from less than 1000 mm to greater than 5000 mm. About 68 per cent of the rainfall is obtained during southwest monsoon while 16 per cent in post monsoon and the rest from summer (14 per cent) and winter rainfall (2 per cent). Bi-model rainfall pattern is noticed towards southern districts due to influence of both southwest and northeast monsoons while uni-model rainfall pattern towards northern districts of Kerala. Coconut productivity is better towards south despite dreaded disease of root-wilt when compared to that of northern districts due to less dryspells during summer. Floods during monsoon adversely affect paddy production in the State while prolonged droughts during summer in the absence of post monsoon rainfall adversely affect plantation crops’ production to a considerable extent. The wetlands in Kerala are rich sources of water during summer and act as sink during monsoon season. Such wetlands are fast declining in Kerala and converted as garden lands. Decreasing wetlands might be one of the reasons for frequent floods and droughts in Kerala in recent years. The forest cover of Kerala also declined from 70 per cent to 24 per cent over a period of one- hundred- and - fifty years due to deforestation and forest fires.

Coffee is grown at higher elevation across the Western Ghats between 750 and 1200 m amsl. It requires a certain degree of shade for its better performance. The annual rainfall over the coffee growing tracts varies between 1400 and 2600mm, having uni/bi-model rainfall with prolonged dryspell from November to May. It is more so over North of the Western Ghats. The mean annual maximum temperature varies between 24 and 30⁰C while the minimum between 15 and 18⁰C. The difference between maximum and minimum temperatures (temperature range) varies between 5 and 16⁰C across the coffee tract. The ‘Monsooned Malabar Coffee’ is a specialty coffee produced from the erstwhile ‘Malabar Region’. It undergoes certain changes in physical and biochemical characters when the coffee beans are processed during the summer monsoon (June to September). It is processed at Mangalore, located in Coastal Karnataka. The processing location experiences heavy rainfall of more than 1000 mm in July, followed by 950 mm in June and 600 mm in August. Out of 3264 mm of annual rainfall, 2852 mm is received during the monsoon period. It accounts more than 80 per cent of annual rainfall. The maximum temperature during the monsooning varies between 28 and 30°C while night temperature revolves between 22 and 24°C. Being located in the tropics along the West Coast, the crop processing environment in terms of surface air temperature is relatively uniform and moderate with a characteristic feature of heavy clouds and continuous rainfall during the monsoon period.

The global economy has adversely been affected to a considerable extent due to weather related disasters which are not uncommon in the recent past due to global warming and climate change. It is true in the case of the Indian economy too. The year 2010 was the warmest year ever recorded, followed by 2009 in India. The year 2015 was the warmest year globally. Model simulations indicate that a marked increase in rainfall and temperature over India would be seen during the current century. The maximum expected increase in rainfall is likely to be 10–30% over the Central India. Temperatures are likely to increase between 2 and 3^oC by the end of 2100 A.D. Greater number of high surges and increased occurrence of cyclones in post monsoon period along with increased maximum wind speed are also expected along the East Coast of the Country. As a result, the occurrence of floods and droughts, cold and heat waves adversely affected the foodgrains production to a large extent across the Country in one or other region as seen in 2014, 2012, 2009, 2004, 2002 and 1987. It is true in the case of plantation crops also, which are predominantly grown in the Humid Tropics like Kerala (8°15` N and 12°50`N latitudes and between 74°50`E and 77°30`E longitudes). As seen in previous chapters, summer drought and heavy rains including waterlogging during monsoon period is a threat to plantation crops production in the Humid Tropics to a considerable extent. Waterlogging and floods due to excess rains could be minimised by providing surface and subsurface drainage facilities in plantation gardens which will improve the soil health and nutritional status, in turn yields can be increased in plantation crops.

Landscaping combines elements of art and science to create a functional, aesthetically pleasing extension of indoor living to the outdoors. One initial purpose of landscape design is to blend mans’ technology (house or building) into the natural surroundings. To work towards a desirable landscape design, the landscape horticulturist must have a working knowledge of art elements and design principles.

The “art” is always changing as the plants grow, environmental conditions change and people use the space. For this reason, landscape designers use a design process that systematically considers all aspects of the land, the environment, the growing plants, and needs of user to ensure a visually pleasing, functional, and ecologically healthy design. The design process begins by determining the needs and desires of the user and the conditions of the site. With this information, the designer then organizes the plants and hardscape materials, which are collectively referred to as the features. The features can be physically described by the visual qualities of line, form, color, texture and visual weight—the elements of design. The principles are the fundamental concepts of composition—proportion, order, repetition and unity—that serve as guidelines to arrange or organize the features to create an aesthetically pleasing or beautiful landscape. Knowledge of the elements and principles of design are essential to designing a landscape and working through the design process.

Landscape models focus on both the integrated master landscape planning of a home gardening and specific garden design. The people should be educated to realize the importance of gardening, by providing good parks and gardens in cities for a large population to relax and enjoy the beauty of nature. The plants used in the landscape designing of gardens are directly or indirectly involved in increasing the aesthetic value of the city, changing microclimate, social behaviour of the people, checking pollution etc. The importance of landscape gardening in human welfare cannot be overlooked. Even in an under-developed country as India, people do not live by bread alone. They also need some finer things of life. The models described in this chapter are very basic features of any garden.

Garden Walls

A garden lover will never like to block the view of his garden by putting a wall along periphery of the garden. A garden as it is enjoyed from inside should also be visible from outside but sometimes, it is necessary from safety and beauty point of view to obscure the ugly sight of an open drain. A compromise is to have a low brick wall of say 60-90 cm height and to put over it some grills, so that the view is not totally obstructed from outside. Alternatively, walls from 1.80 to 5.0 m may also be erected based upon the size of the garden.

Mans’ progress in this universe is posing a threat to the environment, we live in. If we do not treat the environment well, nature will have its own repercussions and we will inevitably have to bear the consequences. We have already begun to suffer for not taking care of mother earth in the past. The earth is warming up each year and this rise in temperature will have its effects on the earths’ inhabitants. Pollution, global warming, acid rain, deforestation, extinction of species, depletion of ozone layer, soil erosion and floods are some of the commonly heard problems of the environment and they are seem to be inter related. The objective of ornamental horticulture is the functional and aesthetic integration of people, building and site, using plants and space as its main tools. The necessity of it in landscape architecture is for positive control of the fast changing landscape for the future. Landscape architecture can help a major way to alleviate the earths’ problems. The landscape which includes urban, agricultural forests and other lands becomes a component of nature and thus ensuring that our landscapes are healthy in the first step towards this goal. The landscape gardener is a necessity because very a few people are capable of selecting the right kind of plants for their grounds; they cannot imagine a landscape picture in terms of varieties and groups, the way an expert can. Planning a piece of land with ornamental plants and features transforming it into a beautiful garden requires experience, patience and knowledge about land topography, soils and climatic factors.

The vividity of the garden depends on its design, features and the most vitally on plants, the key elements which make the garden enliven. Selection of variety of ornamentals is done in order to exhibit different form of growth, flowering time, leaf and stem texture, flower colour etc. Therefore trees, shrubs, climbers, annuals, bulbous plants and ornamental grasses usually find place in the garden along with other secondary groups. Plants play a pivotal role in the protection of our environment as well as improving human life. Apart from their physical characteristics, plants aid in cleaning the environment and reducing some of the harsher effects of heat, sound, wind, air and also serves as complementor, attractor, emphasizer, diverter, indicators and provide aesthetic function by creating attractiveness for human activities.

The green buildings are the needs of present day in India as well in the world. The easy availability of most of the green materials and equipments in the country has made it easier for designers to adopt local materials to a very large extent in the construction of green buildings. Now, there is an imminent need for service providers, who would be required in large number, not in hundreds but in thousands, as the movement is heading to reach greater heights. The green building movement is here to stay for the benefit of individuals, society and the country at large in the era of climate change.

With increase in the urbanization and industrialization, there is more pressure on available land and natural resources. In coming era, there will be only limited space available for city dwellers. In buildings one can grow a wide range of flowering and foliage plants. Plants not necessarily one confined to the outdoor only but bed room, kitchen, staircases, patios, windows and other locations can be made green with suitable plants. Indian Council of Green Building (ICGB) has developed the rating system.

Green Building in Santiago, Chile

A large amount of materials are used and energy consumed in construction and operation of average building. Many steps have been taken to reduce consumption of energy by developing new types of vehicle, energy sources, recycled materials and designing environment friendly buildings. These buildings are also known as green buildings or green construction or sustainable building.

Cities or urban conglomerations are fast developing and where the rate of land availability has infinitesimally small; vertical expansion and taller buildings have emerged and are defining the city skyline. Though this may speak well of the economic development, but the increase in hard paved areas and roads may spell trouble for the environment as urban heat island (UHI) effect. The causes of Urban Heat Island are primarily due to the absorption of solar radiation (Short wave) by building/urban materials that is subsequently re-radiated (long wave) to the surroundings. In addition, heat generated from the use of air- conditioning coupled with the greenhouse effect of pollutants also contribute to the increase in temperature. Such increase in temperature with the presence of air pollutants can result in the accumulation of smog, damages the natural environment and jeopardizes human health. It also costs consumers more money because it takes more energy to cool buildings. Who can forget the regular news of Beijing repeatedly topping the list of most polluted cities and fresh air is available in cans!

Fresh air cans are in no means a firm solution. Plants are atmosphere cleansers, can serve to filter carbon dioxide and other toxins in environment, cool the air by transpiration and also provide cooling shade. Research work shows the benefits of using light colour roofs and roof gardens to minimize the heat gain inside the buildings. This would in turn reduce the energy consumption of air conditioning in buildings. Rooftops, balconies and terraces have often been referred to as the “last urban frontier” of cities, in the sense that they represent the last significant remaining space to be exploited to create a green oasis and an area of relative peace and privacy away from the urban bustle. Given the social, economic and environmental contributions of urban greenery to the quality of life in cities and the realization that cities more often than not lack sufficient greenery, greening of rooftops, balconies and terraces is therefore a logical, effective and high impact way to re-inject the much needed greenery in urban settings thus reinventing the concept of hanging gardens.

Lawn is an integral part of any garden and it gives pleasure while sitting during evening in summer and one can enjoy good sunshine during winter. Hence, it is often referred as “heart of the garden”. It is covered with perennial grass and provides open landscape to the house and adds aesthetic beauty to the surroundings. Good lawn is essential to have in a good garden. It is permanent feature, which occupies 60% share of total garden area. Here in this chapter lawn is divided into two parts. There are approximately 620 genera and 10,000 species of grasses worldwide. Grasses are used extensively used throughout the world for their beauty and utility. Grasses are found from temperate to tropical to arid semi arid regions and suits in most extreme climatic conditions and have adapted to a worldwide climate and zones. Grasses are used as fodder, food, medicinal and for aesthetics purpose and it belongs to family Gramineae.

Computer-Aided Design (CAD) is the use of Computer Technology for the design of objects which are real or virtual. CAD involves more than just shapes. As in the manual drafting of technical and engineering drawings, the output of CAD must convey information such as materials, processes, dimensions, and tolerances according to application-specific conventions. CAD may be used to design curves and figures in two-dimensional (2D) space; or curves, surfaces, and solids in three-dimensional (3D) objects.

The landscape gardening for aesthetic appreciation is an integral part of the progress achieved through the growing world floriculture business that has reached a $ 40 billion mark and valueless aesthetic emotional gains. The industry is continuously rising through transitional changes to have more accepted and unique applications as a wide and economic choice to the consumers with regards to the energy saving in the system. The use of energy for sustenance of the landscape plants before and after planting can be a benchmark in time to come as no one can believe that the plants instead can grow with still better traits either be it the foliage colour, variegation, shape, size and or form beside the fact that the consumption of such altered/compact plants has increased manifold in house, gardens, parks and indoors with a large number of products worldwide in a eco-friendly manner.

At the same time there is great environmental consciousness towards transforming landscape gardening with more natural and unspoiled system of growing plants and maintaining them in the landscape as perennial ones. The system being independent of distance of use or application offers an ease of transport into a mass for large-scale uniform planting. This is the fact that in the recent times, the commercial growers do not rely on the nature to introduce the genetic mutation that will make them millionaires but depends on the art and scientific knowhow to create a novelty in its own. This has resulted in the seriousness and painstaking effort of the growers to produce the plants round the year in new forms and shapes to put forward a new plant with extra-ordinary marketable characteristics every year, e.g. compact chrysanthemum, kalanchoe, bromeliads, orchids, etc are some of the common products with an unusual and eye-catching hue in the auction markets. Similarly, a large number of annual and perennial plants perfectly suited for various kind of landscaping, slope, soil types and moisture regimes under the specific and artificial environment created for a specific growth of the plant.

The state of Jammu and Kashmir is highly mountainous except for a short belt joining the Punjab plains. Geographically, the state of Jammu and Kashmir is divided into three regions -alpine desert of Ladakh, subtropical region of Jammu and predominantly temperate region of Kashmir valley. The valley is rich in herbaceous flora with huge potential for landscape use, however, many of which are still not exploited much for the purpose. Plants which live and bloom year after year are known as perennials which have an importance of their own and are backbone of any well-planned garden. The stems of herbaceous perennials die at the ground level each winter. They comprise a vast group of plants widely differing in size, leaf texture, flower color and are found in all the gardening countries of the world. The monotonous spread of concrete and glass in cities can have a dehumanizing effect. Growing colourful flowers in the house compound and in the parks will greatly enhance the beauty of surroundings in the countryside, the towns and cities. Flowers also bring happiness to life and boast the sagging spirits. The assemblage and display of colourful and attractive herbaceous perennials can achieve very significant and telling effects on the environment particularly in the landscaping of the house compounds, gardens, parks, health resorts and hotels. Now a day herbaceous plants are also used therapeutically to cure several problems related to humans. Judicious selection of native and introduced herbaceous perennials should camouflage with the type of habitation, building pattern, colour of the countryside etc. These plants should occupy only well thought of position in the landscape. There are always a number of shady spots in our lawns/gardens especially towards north-east side of a structure where lawn grass fails to grow or show poor growth. These spots can be converted into perennial herbaceous border of foliage plants.

Trees and shrubs are often the most dominant plants in landscapes but ground covers and vines play an important role too. The low spreading form of ground covers can connect and unify major planting areas and even serve as a focal point when the plants are flowering. In contrast to annuals, perennials provide savings in time, labour and expenses each year because where adapted to a specific climate zone, they can successfully over come winter and re- establish for more than a single growing season. Perennials are probably the most diverse plant group, providing a huge variety of shape, form, colour, texture and scent with which to design a planting. Since there is an increasing trend and awareness of planned landscaping in the public and in view of its value in preserving the environment, there is an urgent need to identify and select the appropriate native, naturalized and exotic planting material for specific sites /locations. Information regarding herbaceous perennials surveyed and identified in Kashmir Valley with prospective use in landscaping are given as under:

Whether you are an experienced gardener or a newcomer to the high desert, learning how to successfully garden the desert can be an exciting challenge. With minimal annual precipitation, a short growing season and fluctuating temperatures, maintaining an attractive, healthy landscape can keep you on your toes. Most gardeners value the natural beauty of our native landscapes, but are interested in enhancing it with additional plants to add more color and texture. Can a more beautiful landscape be created and still be water efficient and sustainable? The answer is YES.

The Meaning of Xeriscape

The word xeriscaping (pronounced zer-iskap- ing) is commonly referred to as water-wise or water-smart gardening. Xeros is derived from the Greek word meaningdry’. However, do not let the Greek derivative conjure up images of a dry, desert-like, “blandscape.” Xeriscaping and Xerogardening refer to landscape gardening in ways that reduce or eliminate the need for supplemental irrigation. It is promoted in areas that do not have easily accessible supplies of fresh water and is gaining acceptance in other areas as climate pattern changes. Xeriscape is a proactive approach to curbing wasteful use of a valuable natural resource. Xeriscaping, is a seven step method that combines innovative water conservation techniques with sound horticultural practices. Not only it is possible to have a colorful and beautiful landscape while conserving water, but it can become more sustainable while saving you time, energy and money.

Often it is thought that a xeriscape means the use of all native or low water use plants, resulting in limited plant selection. However xeriscapes can incorporate hundreds of plant choices including trees, shrubs, evergreens, perennials and grasses. Plants whose natural requirements are appropriate to the local climate are emphasized, and care is taken to avoid losing water through evaporation and run off. The specific plants used in xeriscaping depend upon the climate. The concept originated in Denver, Colorado, in early 1980s. Because of severe drought conditions, Denver rationed water and prohibited irrigation of lawns and yards. As a result, vegetation in yards withered, and Denver landscapers began promoting what they called xeriscape, a landscaping approach that uses small amounts of water but maintains a traditional look. In some areas, terms likes water-conserving landscapes, drought tolerant landscaping, zeroscaping and smart scaping are used instead.

Bonsai is an art of growing and training of a woody plant in a miniature form in a shallow container imitating natural look of an old aged tree. It differs from a pot plant where either the foliage or the flower is the main criterion, but here the artistic look of the tree in a miniature and natural form maintained for many years is desired.

The word Bonsai’ is a combination of two Japanese words, Bon (meaning shallow pan) and Sai (meaning plant), which can be translated as “tray planting”. By growing the trees in shallow containers, the growth is checked or dwarfed but the plant is not starved. A properly maintained bonsai should outlive a full size tree of the same species. Bonsai is a small tree in comparison to its huge life-sized tree of the same species. Thus, Bonsai is specially trained ordinary tree or plant, not special hybrid dwarfs. Bonsai culture is viewed as a hobby that allows greater understanding and association with nature. This art of bonsai is linked with Zen Buddhism - where this art originated as pastime that merged with natural elements and developed into a unique method of meditation and expression. The bonsai is even expressed as “heaven and earth in one container”

Bonsai is developed from seeds, cuttings, layering or grafting from young trees or from naturally occurring stunted trees transplanted into shallow containers. Most bonsai range in height from 5 centimeter (2 inch) to 1.2 meter (4 ft). Bonsai is kept small and trained by pruning branches and roots, periodic repotting, pinching off new growth and wiring the branches and trunk for giving desired shape. Tradition holds that three basic virtues are necessary to create a bonsai: shin-zen-bi standing for truth, goodness and beauty which are parallel to Hindu concept of Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram. The bonsai must look natural and should never show the intervention of human hands (with the exception of Chinese bonsai which in many cases depicts images of dragons and other influential symbols of the culture at the time of origination). Bonsai is primarily kept outdoors in partial shade with exception of some plants suited, trained and indoor grown. In traditional Japanese rooms, there is a tokonoma, the alcove, specially designed for the display of bonsai on special occasions. Bonsai can live for hundreds of years with utmost care and the prized specimens are being passed from generation to generation, admired for their age and valued as a reminder of those who have cared for them over the centuries.

Horticulture and allied sector are integral elements for food and nutritional security in the country. Horticulture is the main segment, while its various sub- segments are fruits, vegetables, aromatic and herbal plants, flowers, spices, tubers, plantation crops and ornamental plants. All these are regarded as essential ingredients of economic security. The wide range of agro-climatic conditions of India is conducive for growing a large variety of horticultural crops, including, root and tuber crops, mushroom and ornamental crops.

The Government of India recognized horticulture crops as a means of diversification in agriculture in an eco-friendly manner through efficient use of land and optimum utilization of natural resources. Horticulture seeks to create ample opportunities for employment, particularly for unemployed youths and women folk. India has maintained leadership in the production of many commodities like fruits, vegetables, flowers and ornamental plants and particularly in landscape business.

India is coming up in landscaping and ornamental horticulture. There is wide scope since large number of MNC and business houses have come up in India. The purchasing power of people has increased to a greater extent.

Thus, over the years, much progress are made for advancement of horticulture and allied sector. Rising investments resulted in increased production and availability of horticultural produces in the rural and urban areas. Many schemes and policies were introduced from time to time for upliftment and commercialization of the sector. Large number of investors are taking advantage of the existing potentials in the sector, as well as trying to explore the untapped potentials in the field of horticulture.

Introduction

Bougainvillea is a popular ornamental plant in the tropics and sub-tropics of the world. The plant is mainly grown for its attractive bracts in wide array of colours which splash colour to the surrounding where it grows. Wide adaptability to different agro-climatic conditions and easy multiplication has made it a popular ornamental plant of the world. The mass effect of the colourful bracts of Bougainvillea can alter the face of any given place in a magnificent way which could not be achieved by punctuating any other plant. The flowering of Bougainvillea is compared with the Azalea of temperate countries and very truly called as Glory of the Tropics.’

The popularity of Bougainvillea has now crossed from tropical to temperate countries and successfully being grown as pot plants in green houses. Selection of cultivars of Bougainvillea spectabilis and B. peruviana for temperate region is recommended for better result. Availability of a large number of cultivars under horticulturally important species, provide a unique scope to the Bougainvillea lovers for wide choice according to their need. Single bracted cultivars with large bracts in different colours are obvious choice for every landscape designer while double bracted cultivars produce mass effect of colour as specimen plant. Considering its ornamental and commercial importance in nursery trade, R & D work were taken up by different national research institutes (IARI, IIHR, NBRI, BARC), agricultural universities, Agri-Horticultural Societies (Kolkata and Chennai) and even by progressive nursery men. As a result, a large number of new cultivars have been developed in India. Considering the contribution made by India, The international registration authority for new cultivars lies with The Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi which is an international recognition conferred upon by International Society for Horticultural Science.

Recently, lot of development taking place for further popularization and exploitation of Bougainvillea around the world by way of development of new cultivars, standardization agro-technology suited to different zones. Countries like Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and India have been excelling in this area. Establishment of American Bougainvillea Society is another landmark in Bougainvillea cultivation.

House plants play an integral role in providing decorative value and aesthetic sense to the place. They are important component of interiorscaping and provides softscape. House plants are also considered as natural air filters as they provide freshness and many house plants are reported to absorb many house pollutants. The demand of house plants are generating many employment opportunities like plant rental services, interiorscaping etc. The house plants are preferred in homes, offices, hospitals, multiplexes etc.

Placement

These attractive house plants rightly deserve their place as interior decorations. “Shade loving” is an adjective often used to describe house plants, but this is a misnomer, Plants may be shade tolerant but they do not actually seek poor light. Diffused light through the glasses or windows’ can be effective you can supplement the suns’ rays with artificial light in the form of a “warm white” fluorescent tube. Then may be shifting them after frequent intervals in the open for a short duration in morning hours to supplement the sunlight during winter months and leaving them out overnight and bringing them after exposing them to early morning sunlight during hot months exposure for a desired time frame in the monsoon are some of the effective methods to make your house plants feel happier.

Seasonals or annual flowers refers to the group of herbaceous plants which complete their life-cycle i.e. both vegetative and reproductive phase within one year or one season. They are most popular among garden lovers and amateurs as they are easy to culture and moreover they also provide a beautiful and instant display of colours in the garden. Seasonals are mostly preferred for growing in pots, beds, borders, window boxes, hanging baskets or as cut flower for interior decoration. They enhance the aesthetic value of a place within a short span of time and create the instant landscape. Seasonals are generally grown in beds either individually with or without perennial plants in borders. They are also grown for cut flowers for interior decoration or for loose flower purpose. Some of the seasonals are valued for their naturally dried flowers like straw flower, paper flower etc. Some of annuals the annuals also provide sweet fragrance to the garden.

Introduction

Floriculture is a fast emerging, rapidly expanding industry in the present scenario. The importance of flowers has been realized throughout the world and now it has been developed into an intensive form of agriculture. Flowers play an integral role in life of each and every human being. They are the part and parcel of day to day activities. There is common saying with flowers that a man is born with flowers, live with flowers and dies with flowers. This shows the importance of flowers in our lives since time immemorial. The flowers create an atmosphere of beauty, happiness and harmony. With the fast changing lifestyles, floriculture can become a lucrative business in India in view of low labour cost, varied agro climatic conditions and large collection of plant wealth.

Among flowers, loose flowers hold an important place in terms of high demand for usage in various religious and social ceremonies. They are mainly used for worshipping, making floral garlands, floral decorations in wedding, religious functions, interior decoration, self adornment etc. The earlier trend of using flowers for aesthetic value is changing slowly into business with the realization of its vast economic potential as value addition of flowers by drying, extraction of essential oils, colouring pigments, antioxidants etc. is also gaining importance.

In India, mostly loose flowers dominate the domestic market. Marigold, jasmine, tuberose, crossandra and china aster are the major loose flowers grown in India. Production technology of these flowers is described as:

Flowers and plants are associated with mankind from the dawn of civilization. In the modern era these have become an integral part of human life, as love for flowers and ornamental plants is a common natural instinct in human beings. The catchy flowers glowing and glowing in all their grandeurs with simplicity always make them tempting to wish the season to continue for never ending, but it may be beyond reach of human beings. However, the answer for it could be by producing and preserving ever-lasting or long-lasting flowers and other attractive ornamental plant parts. These are now becoming favorites especially with the adventurous flower lovers across the globe. The beauty and fresh look of cut flowers and cut foliage is generally lost due to microbial activities and biochemical changes thus these are retained only for a few days even by using the best techniques of post harvest management (Datta, 1999). The charm of dried ornamental plant parts can be maintained from a few months to years with lesser cost if protected from the damage of high humidity as in dried flowers, the microbial activities in the aging process come to stand still.

The main characteristics of dried ornamentals are novelty, longevity, aesthetics, flexibility and year-round availability. The dehydrated or dried ornamentals are generally inexpensive and are sought for their everlasting and attractive appearance globally (Smith, 2000). Being largely focused on the qualities of attractive flowers, living plants and plant parts, floriculturists generally pay little attention to dried and preserved flowers and plants. Therefore, these products remained overlooked and underrated throughout the world. These are overlooked in the sense that their considerable economic importance is generally unrecognized and these are underrated in the sense that their aesthetic contribution is largely discounted. In contrast to other areas of floriculture including post-harvest management, relatively very little public funded research and development projects were undertaken on the dried flower industry across the globe (Joyce, 1998). This has slowed the pace in optimizing the dehydration technology and quality of the produces. Privately funded research and development work has sustained, but such findings are usually kept secret and limited information are available to the common man. Thus, this component of floriculture industry has remained ill defined with respect to the processes, products and organizations in the developed and developing countries. As we see in major cut flower crops, there are defined standards available for judging the quality, however these are lacking in dried ornamentals. There is an urgent need to start war- footing efforts and awareness on the dried ornamentals to attract greater public support to conduct concentrated research and development with more professionalism in the trade of these products.

A greenhouse with all measures of climate control is one important component for integrated greenhouse crop production and protection. However, the growing period is very often limited to few months in the year, because of insufficient ventilation and cooling in summer as well as heating in winter. Structures and shapes of greenhouses are adapted insufficiently to climate conditions. Climate control and greenhouse structures have to be adapted and optimized with regard to outside climate, and growers must be trained in these adapted technologies. A greenhouse structure with light transmittance (through framework and cladding material), ventilation, heating, cooling, and protection from insect pests by screening, as well as all influences of management, irrigation, fertilization, water quality, physical and biological plant protection is an integrated system. Greenhouse structures should be designed according to the climate conditions and to the general design criteria, as well as to the locally available and cost-effective materials. The import of greenhouses from countries with a different climate fails very often, because they are not adapted to the local conditions. Even an appropriate greenhouse structure can fail if mounting and continuous maintenance are not guaranteed. Temperatures and global radiation allow open-air crop production throughout the year in many subtropical and tropical countries.

Vegetable and flower production are significantly influenced by the seasonality and weather conditions. The extent of their production causes considerable fluctuations in the prices and quality of vegetables. Striking a balance between all-season availability of vegetables and flowers with minimum environmental impact, and still to remain competitive, is a major challenge for the implementation of modern technology of crop production.

The floriculture industry, at present, comprises of the cultivation and trade of cut and loose flowers, potted plants, foliage and bedding plants and dried flowers under open field as well as under protected environment conditions. Globally, more than 145 countries are involved in cultivation of floriculture crops. Though the art of growing flowers is not new to India, large scale commercial cultivation especially protected cultivation in poly houses is relatively new in India. Enormous genetic diversity, varied agroclimatic conditions and versatile human resources offers India a unique scope for diversification in to new avenues which were not explored to a greater extent. India also has a strong dry flower industry which contributes a major share to the overall trade. Other segments like fillers, potted plants, seeds and planting material turf grass industry and value added products also contribute a share in the overall growth of floriculture sector.

Cut flower production is a growing business in most Asian countries as the result of higher per capita income of people. Technology for production is well known and has been utilized to the maximum in many countries. As a consequence, cut flowers are commercially produced in larger quantities in these countries resulting in surpluses during normal periods of blooming, end result of which is a lower price for cut flowers. On the other hand, such prices are much higher during periods of needs such as certain special occasions, or off-season.

Ornamentals are beautiful plants used in home and urban landscaping to enhance quality of our lives. Ornamental crops are widely cultivated worldwide and appreciated for their characteristics and unique appreciable qualities such as attractive color, impressive shape and size of flower and for fragrance of flowers and foliage. Earlier ornamental plants were largely associated with our social life. Of late trends has changed towards commercialization and now they are used for decoration, personal adornment and value added products viz. dry flowers, extraction of essential oils, perfumes and dyes and in landscaping. Further, it helps in creating more job opportunities for youth and women.

The growing demands for quality flowers, introduction of new ornamental plants and diversification needs more attention in ornamental floriculture industry. Novelty is the key to success in ornamental horticulture. Introduction of exotic ornamentals and the domestication and release of new genotypes of wild ornamentals is always welcome in this connection. Some exotic ornamentals hitherto not widely grown in Indian gardens as well as a few native ornamentals with capability to bring in a color revolution and having the potential for exploitation are discussed below.

Principles to create effects

Balance

It is a visual equilibrium of different garden elements.

Formal Garden : Balance is achieved by positioning plants, other landscape objects at equal distance from a real (or) imaginary plane (or) axis.

Informal Garden : Balancing is mainly a neutralizing effect. (eg.) Opposite colours in the colour wheel, contrasting texture, different numbers, shapes, forms, line and pattern are cleverly employed to neutralize one another.

Proportion

It refers to the share of the different parts (or) components to the whole. It refers to all ingredients being mixed in right measure, not essentially in equal measure.

I. General information

1. Lalbagh garden is located at Bangalore
2. Founder of Lalbagh garden is Hyder Ali and his son Tipu Sultan
3. Total area of Lalbagh garden is 50 hectares and developed during 1760
4. Brindavan garden is located at Mysore
5. Government botanic garden, Ooty was established during 1848
6. Total area of Ooty botanic garden is 20 hectares

I. General information

1. Formal type of garden is laid out in a symmetrical or a geometrical pattern
2. Features of a formal garden are trimmed formal hedges, cypress, ashoka trees
3. Informal type of garden in which all plants and features are arranged in a natural way
4. Wild garden was laid out by William Robinson
5. Examples for formal type of gardens are Mughal, Persian, Indian and French style
6. Examples for informal type of gardens are English and Japanese garden
7. Main features of English garden are lawn, herbaceous border and rockery
8. Main features of Italian garden are massive flight of marble stairs, decorative urns, fountains
9. Mughal type of garden is a replica of ancient Persian garden

I. General information

1. Common names of trees

• Acacia nilotica – Black babool, Indian gum-Arabic tree
• Acacia auriculiformis – Golden shower
• Adansonia digitata – Baobab, Monkey bread
• Adenanthera pavonina – Red sandal wood, bead tree, red wood
• Ailanthus excelsa – tree of heaven, paradise tree
• Albizia julibrissin – Pink siris, silk tree

I. General information

1. Shrub is a woody or semi-woody perennial plant with little or no trunk and grows up to a height from 50 cm to less than four meters.
2. Shrubbery border is an area of the garden devoted exclusively for growing shrubs planted in a row of rectangular fashion.
3. Plants suitable for shrubbery border.

I. General information

1. Climbers which climbs up with the help of tendrils are Antigonon leptopus, Bignonia gracilis, Pyrostegia venusta, Clematis paniculata
2. Climbers which climbs up with the help of thorns or prickles are Bougainvillea spp., climbing rose
3. Climbers which climbs up with the help of root and rootlets are Campsis grandiflora, Ficus repens
4. A climber which climbs up with the help of sticky substances from growing points is Ficus repens
5. A Climber which climbs up with the help of hookers is Combretum comosum
6. Climbers which climbs up with the help of clingers are Passiflora caerulea, Passiflora quadrangularis and Hydrangea petiolaris
7. Climbers which grow well under sunny situation are Pyrostegia venusta, Quisqualis indica, Antigonon leptopus, Adenocalymma alliaceum, Bougainvillea spp., Campsis grandiflora and Wisteria sinensis

I. General information

1. A group of ornamental plants which complete their life cycle in one season or in a year is called annuals
2. Time of sowing of summer annual seeds is February- March
3. Time of sowing of rainy season annual seeds is June- July
4. Time of sowing of winter annual seeds is September- October
5. Based on growing season, annuals are classified into summer, rainy & winter
6. Based on hardiness, annuals are classified into hardy, half hardy & tender
7. Based on photoperiodic requirement annuals are classified into short day, long day, day neutral, long short day, short long day & intermediate

I. General information

The nature of roots

The roots of palms are usually tough and thick, although slender and wiry types are existing. Some roots creep over the soil’s surface, while a few palms even develop aerial roots that may eventually make them appear to be growing on stilts.

A few palms develop aerial roots at or near the base of the trunk or stems. These include Crysophila warscewiczii (Rootspine palm) and Clinostigma exorrhizum. Other palms with aerial roots include Pinanga aristata, Verschaffeltia splendida (Seychelles stilt palm) and Socratea exorrhiza. Some of these develop into stilt or prop roots, which often form a cone and give the palm extra support, they usually occurs on plams native to wet soils and humid conditions, whereas the base of the palms is at risk from decay. Indeed, in a few instances, the lower part of the trunk withers and the palm is entirely supported by these roots.

I. General information

1. Plants propagated through modified underground stems are grouped into tubers, bulbs, rhizomes
2. An example of a bulbous plant propagated through tuber is dahlia
3. Bulbous plants which are propagated through corms are Gladiolus, Freesia, Tetonia and Tigrida
4. Bulbous plants propagated through bulbs are Amaryllis, Tuberose, Zephyranthes and Crinum
5. Bulbous plants propagated through rhizome are Alstroemeria, Bamboo, Canna, Convallaris, Hydechium, Iris and Zantedeschia
6. Bulbous plant propagated through tubercle is Bowiea volubilis
7. Bulbous plants propagated through tuberous roots are Dahlia, Eranthis, Ipomoea, Mirabilis, Ranunculus and Tapioca
8. Bulbous plants propagated through tuberous stem are Begonia and Cyclamen
9. Bulbous plant propagated through offsets are daffodil, tulip and iris

I. General information

1. All cacti are succulents
2. All succulents are not cacti
3. All the genus belonging to the family Cactaceae are native of America
4. A genus in Cactaceae family which is not native of America is Rhipsalis
5. Sedum and Sempervivum are native to temperate Europe
6. Aporocactus, Rhipsalis and Schlumbergera are native of Mexico
7. Dischidia and Hoya are native of South-East Asia

I. General information

1. Japanese flower arrangement is called as Ikebana
2. Meaning for Ikebana is flowers kept alive
3. Western style of flower arrangement involves symmetrical arrangement of flowering plants in a vase
4. Ikebana style possess asymmetric flower arrangement
5. Tatebana is a type of flower arrangement in which flowers are placed in standing arrangement and are of tall nature
6. Basic lines of Japanese flower arrangement are heaven, man and earth
7. ‘Shin’ in Japanese flower arrangement represents Heaven
8. ‘Soe’ in Japanese flower arrangement represents Man

I. General information

1. Bonsai is defined as Japanese art of growing trees & shrubs by extreme dwarfing in a shallow container
2. Bonsai, the name is derived from two words, Bon & Sai
3. The meaning for the word ‘Bon’ is tray or shallow container
4. The meaning for the ‘Sai’ is to grow
5. Origin of Bonsai is china
6. In Mamie bonsai, plant height is 2-6 inches
7. In small bonsai, plant height is 6-12 inches
8. In medium bonsai, plant height is 12-24 inches

I. General information

1. Cool season turf grasses are Perennial rye grass, Creeping bent grass, Colonial bent grass, Kentucky blue grass, Canada blue grass, Poa spp, Festuca spp, Agrostis spp, Lolium spp
2. Warm season turf grasses (25-35^oC) are Cynodon sp, Zoysia sp, Stenotaphrum secundatum, Paspalum notatum, Eremochloa ophiuroides, Axonopus sp, Pennisetum clandestinum, Buchloe dactyloides
3. Broad leafed turf grasses are Arachis pintoi, Dichondra repens
4. Based on mowing height, turf grasses are classified into tall, medium & dwarf
5. Turf grasses which needs high mowing height of>3.5 cm are Tall fescue, sheep fescue, Canada blue grass, fine fescue, wheat grass, orchard grass
6. Turf grasses which requires medium mowing height of d” 3.5 to 1.0 cm are perennial rye grass, Kentucky blue grass, Buffalo grass, etc.,
7. Turf grasses which requires low mowing height of d” 1.0 cm are colonial bent grass, creeping bent grass, Annual blue grass
8. Turf grasses are classified based on their recuperative capacity into fast, medium & slow

1. Ornamental ferns

Adiantum capillus – Maiden hair fern

Asplenium nidus – Bird’s nest fern

Cheilanthes argentea – Silver fern

Davallia bullata – Squirrels foot fern

Nephrolepsis aureum - Boston fern

Polypodium aureum – Hare’s foot fern

Pteris cretica – Brake/ Ribbon fern

Drynaria quercifolia -Oak-leaf fern / basket fern

I. General information

1. Cacti plants suitable for rock garden are Opuntia, Cereus and Mamillaria
2. Succulents suitable for rock garden are Agave, Aloe, Euphorbia splendens, Sedum, Sempervivum, Stapelia, Yucca, Furcraea
3. Ferns suitable for rock garden are Drynaria, Nephrodium, Nephrolepis, Polypodium
4. Famous rock garden of India is located at Chandigarh
5. The founder of Rock garden in Chandigarh is Nek Chand
6. Annuals suitable for rock garden are

I. General information

1. Lotus stem is referred as naval cord of Lord Vishnu
2. Lotus flower is described as the throne of Brahma
3. Vishnu, Brahma and Laxshmi are associated with lotus
4. Poet Asvaghosa reported that Lord Buddha saw lotuses and flowering trees in Nandavana
5. Surface flowering plants of water garden are

I. General information

I. General Information

Use of computers into the design process has benefited landscaping industry in several ways. There are several advantages in using computers for design. The most important factor is that the computer can store and handle large amount of engineering data, which can be used in various stages of design, development and manufacturer, like conceptual design, analysis, component design, documentation, process planning and manufacturing. The product development approach using the computer aided design and computer aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) results in better and consistently good quality products invariably at a lower cost, with the attendant benefits of faster development of different variants of the product or model. The following table highlights the relative advantage of human designers and computers.

Definition, Significance and Importance

Landscape design and gardening is the technique of design application to beautify our surroundings, our homes, office buildings and everywhere in open space with plants and garden features to give the soothing effect on the body, mind and soul. Rapid urbanization, industrialization with population explosion has been constantly depleting our natural resources through deforestation, ripping of hills and exposing them to erosion, pollution of rivers, streams and lakes with little understanding of the natural environment which supports human life. It is the application of the art and techniques of Landscape Gardening that can spell magic to our surroundings enhancing aesthetic beauty besides, improving and conserving environment. Besides, landscape beautification and ecological balance provision, other beneficial influence of gardens in human life have been researched and studied. Psychologists have found that access to plants and green spaces provides a sense of rest and allows workers to be more productive. Flowers convey our inner feelings sympathy, romance or celebration (pride and joy) or contrition in the most beautiful and delicate manner. Flowers are also used to express religious feelings. Interaction with gardens and natural spaces offers a variety of mental, physical and social beneficial influence for humans, ranging from stress reduction, quicker healing and mitigation of Attention Deficit Disorder in children to decreasing crime and air pollution. Studies throughout the world have proven the power of green spaces to improve human health. Recent studies in the Netherlands and Japan show that people with easy access to green space showed better health and lower mortality rates.

Gardens have been considered important, sacred from ancient time and the styles developed being inspired form its surroundings. Thus the influences of climate, general landform, religion, spiritual vision, culture, nation, prevailing political conditions, social factors, architectural styles, etc have influenced in developing specific garden style in a particular region. These styles developed slowly over hundreds of years and remained insulated and remained intact till the travelling approach between different countries got well established. Later as the mobility between different countries became widespread, these style forms became intermingled and refined even to new forms. This resulted into the development of Japanese garden style or the arts of ‘bonsai’ making which had its origin in China, or the creation of west coast American garden that originated from the Bauhaus and modern movement that stated life in Germany, the mughal garden style in India based on Persian style from Iran etc.

Basically, the different garden styles can be classified into formal, informal, intermediate and wild garden styles. Aristotle, the father of mathematics and Pythagorus, the father of geometry and disciple of Aristotle, strongly influenced the geometry, mathematics and calculative features of formal garden style. While informal garden style have evolved from the eastern vision of thoughts, originated with Laotsu and Confucious contemplation (preaching) that manifested gardens to express peaceful and compassionate atmosphere influencing meditation, silence and internal harmony.

Modern garden designs are classified on the basis of utility, need, location and materials used. Nowadays, garden types are focused on issues contributing towards ecological balance, biodiversity, environmental moderation and sustainability as well as personal preference and taste. This has given new perspectives to roof gardening, rock gardening, home gardening, kitchen gardening, green belt development, traffic islands, avenue plantation etc. Further there is incorporation of alternative energy sources like solar systems, water harvesting, etc. A garden could be for entertainment or a place to relax for some people and for others, a productive kitchen or herbal garden is more important. Some common garden types are given below, where in it is also possible to combine elements of two or three different types to create something entirely different.

Garden should serve the feelings of comfort and pleasure along with soothing effect on mind and soul of the owner and the visitors. This should be the basic aim of the landscape designer along the budget. Landscape artist should never imitate another garden which has secured popularity but should develop one’s own design. Every plot or site may not be even and ideal for designing a garden. The principles of landscape design work together to create the overall look of the garden. Natural undulations of a barren landform should be utilized with its advantages and also to break the monotony of leveled plain. The principles of garden designing interact with the elements of color, texture, line, form and scale to develop a unified landscape design that blends the beauty of nature with the splendor of modern architecture.