Botanical Words Alphabetical List - BO

BOG GARDEN: A garden devoted to moisture-loving plants. Low-lying, marshy sites are good for this.

BOLE: The trunk of a tree.

BONE MEAL: Ground bone, raw or steamed, that is used as a fertilizer to add phosphoric acid to the soil. It is especially beneficial in herb gardens.

BONSAI: A shrub or tree grown in a container and dwarfed by pruning, pinching, and wiring to produce a desired shape.

BONSAI DISH: A planter for holding a miniaturized tree or shrub.

BORDER: A narrow strip of garden that encloses or separates a portion of lawn or other landform by a path, walk, driveway, street, or building. Usually planted with perennials or flowering shrubs for spring and summer bloom.

BORDER FENCE: A short fence, usually only 12 to 18 inches high, of wood or metal, used to mark and separate flower beds from foot traffic and lawn mowers.

BORIC ACID: A salt that can be effectively used as a barrier against some crawling household pests such as ants. If kept dry, it can be used outdoors.

BORON: A trace element usually present in most soils but sometimes added by applying fertilizer.

BOSKET: A grove; a thicket or small plantation in a garden, park, etc., formed of trees, shrubs, or tall plants.

BOTANIC: Pertaining to botany, or the scientific study of plants.

BOTANICAL INSECTICIDE: Any natural insecticide derived from plants. They include pyrethrum, neem, rotenone, rynia, sabadilla, and nicotine sulfate. They break down quickly when exposed to sun and must be applied often. They are usually non-toxic, but not always.

BOTANY: The science of plants, their classification and study.

BOTRYOID: Having the form of a bunch of grapes.

BOUGH: An arm or branch of a tree.

BOW SAW: A tool having a straight blade attached at both ends to a curved handle, in all making the shape of the letter D. It is used for cutting branches.

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