English Garden Big Brain Tests

Enjoy these English Garden Big Brain quizzes we've created for you, helping to test the English Garden knowledge you have.

Question 1

Which type of tulip are infested with a virus , before you buy them?

Plastic tulips
All tulips
none
Rembrandt tulips
Rembrandt tulips are purposely infected with a benign virus that is responsible for the stripes and spots of the flowers.

Question 2

What plant is commonly called Lambies Lugs?

Stachys lanata
Lungwort
Sheeps fescue grass
Stachys grandiflora
It is Stachys lanata, or lambs ears! I cheated as lugs is highland Scots for ears!!!

Question 3

What is the correct name of the Century plant?

Centaurea candissima
Centaurea cyanus
Agave americana
Cordyline australis
Agave americana. A common fallacy is that it takes 100 years for it to bloom.

Question 4

Which common spring flowering shrub is a relic from the time of the dinosaurs?

Ribes
forsythia
Camellia
Magnolia
Fossilised magnolias have been found dating from the end of the dinosaur era.

Question 5

Which Rose was thought to have been named after sweet rosamund?

Rosa gallica versicolor
Rosa rugosa
Rosa chinensis
Rosa canina
It was Rosa gallica versicolor, sometimes known as Rosa mundi

Question 6

Which hardy herbaceous plant´s foliage was used as a motif in classical Greek and Roman architecture?

The olive
The rose
the apple
Acanthus
The wonderfully ornate frescoes often featured Acanthus(bear´s breeches), foliage.

Question 7

Which pernicious weed was once used as a substitute for coffee, in war time Britain.

Japanese knotweed
dandelion
daisy
buttercup
The roots of the dandelion were roasted, ground and used as a coffee substitute.

Question 8

Why are Yew trees so often seen in old graveyards?

They protected the church from lightening strikes.
They look pretty.
They grew quickly
our ancester´s just liked the look of them.
It was a common belief that the yew trees would protect the church from lightening.

Question 9

Why are holly and mistletoe not used to decorate chuches at Christmastime.

They are seen as pagan plants
They are not attractive enough
They did not exist in Bethlehem
They are too expensive.
The use of holly and mistletoe is a tradition that pre-dates christianity

Question 10

Where does cycle come into the name Cyclamen?

Wild bulbs were once collected by cyclists in Persia(Iran).
The flower stem curls into a circle when the seeds have set
The wild cyclamen looks like a bicycle.
Cyclamen come originally from Cycla in northern Greece.
The flower stem does indeed curl into a circular shape when the seeds have set.

Question 11

Where does the name dandelion come from?

A play on the words dandy lion
The plant originates from Lyon in France
Lions like to eat this plant
From the french dents de lion
Well done! dents de lion is french for lions teeth, which the jagged leaves resemble.

Question 12

Why is Primula auricula sometimes called dusty miller?

The plant attracts dust.
Dusty Miller discovered the plant
The leaves and flowers have a flour-like covering of farina
The plant will only grow in very dry soil
Correct. The old-english country name is dusty miller as the entire plant looks like it has been covered with flour.

Question 13

When is the best month to plant tulip bulbs

September
November
April
October
Tulips are prone to fungal diseases and are best planted when the soil has had some frost. So the best time is indeed November

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