Well, fellow garden week we have a complete change of tune in this column: I've devised a quiz for you. First prize comes courtesy of Avoca Handweavers in Kilmacanogue, Co Wicklow, and is a gift voucher for €100. It may be spent in the shop, restaurant, nursery - or in all three. I also have three runners-up prizes of a year's subscription (10 issues, value £20) to The Irish Garden magazine, for yourself, or if you're already a subscriber, for a friend or relation. I've no idea how you'll fare with the quiz, so if I get a sack of correct answers, I'll draw four for the prizes. And if there are no completely correct entries (although I doubt that will occur), the best four will win. Answers (keep them short and sweet, please) should be sent to "Christmas Gardening Quiz, The Irish Times Weekend Supplement, D'Ol ier Street, Dublin 2", and should arrive no later than Wednesday January 5th. Or you can send your answers by e-mail (no attachments please) to jpowers@irish-times.ie, by January 5th.
The answers and the winners will appear in the January 22nd column.
1. What type of creature are these three plants commonly known to attract: buddleia, sedum and nettle?
2. Laurus nobilis is the Latin name for what wellknown Mediterranean plant?
3. Most gardeners grow "geraniums" as potted specimens on patio or windowsill. What is the correct name for these pungent-leaved, half-hardy plants?
4. What is the preferred food of the Sarracenia or pitcher plant?
5. Give the common names for three different plants that include the word "egg".
6. What does the term allelopathy mean?
7. Which of the following herbs like to be planted in full sun: lavender, rosemary and thyme?
8. Name two Irish gardens that were designed by the architect, Edwin Lutyens.
9. Who was the plantswoman, known as "Bumps" to her friends, with whom Lutyens (or "Lut-Lut"!) formed a professional partnership ?
10. All adult vine weevils (Otiorhynchus sulcatus) are female. True or false?
11. Which garden plant has cultivars named `Osprey', `Blackbird' and `Flamingo'?
12. Hostas are especially prone to what garden pest?
13. When clearing away a crop of beans why is it a good idea to cut them away at ground level, leaving their roots in the soil? 14. The fruits of which of these plants are edible: Solanum tuberosum, Lycopersicon esculentum, Solanum melongena?
15. To what family do the above plants belong?
16. `Bloody Butcher', `Sheep's Nose' and `Widow's Friend' are all varieties of what?
17. What Irish rose breeder raised the following hybrid tea roses: Grandpa Dickson, Big Chief and Precious Platinum?
18. Which of the above roses is yellow?
19. Where are the tallest box hedges in the world?
20. Which of the following plant species have varieties that are suitable for growing in coastal situations: cordyline, pittosporum, hydrangea and fuchsia?
21. Why is it inadvisable to save and propagate seed from F1 hybrid plants?
22. Arrange these seeds in order of size, smallest first: lettuce, runner bean, cucumber.
23. Painted Lady, Lady Di and Fergie are varieties of what kind of vegetable?
24. "Damping off" is a fungal condition that attacks plants at what stage in their lives?
25. The sombre yew of church yards is the Irish yew (Taxus baccata `Fastigiata'). Where is the original tree from which all Irish yews are cloned?
26. Which of these plants have attractive seed heads that last into the winter: Dipsacus fullonum, Agapanthus africanus and Tar axacum officinale ?
27. What is special about ericaceous compost?
28. Where in Ireland is the longest avenue of Wellingtonias (Sequoiadendron giganteum)?
29. What does monocarpic mean?
30. Which well-known Irish gardens are on the following rivers: Vartry and Tolka?
31. Ivory Egg, Snow White Cherry and Golden Queen are all varieties of what plant?
32. What kitchen garden plant takes so long to germinate that they say the seed travels seven times to the devil before it sprouts?
33. Prunus serrula, Acer griseum and Rubus cockburnianus are quite different plants, but they share a common characteristic an d are often planted for this reason. What is it?
34. In what branch of horticulture would you be likely to encounter "jin" and "sharimiki"?
35. Cranesbill (Geranium) and stork's bill (Erodium) owe their common names to a distinctive feature. What is it?
36. Which of these bamboo types is more suitable for a small garden, and why: a pachymorph or a leptomorph?
37. What is remarkable about Angraecum sesquipedale, an orchid that was of great interest to Charles Darwin?
38. In which famous Irish garden is there a Red Hand of Ulster picked out in bedding begonias and a topiarised yew in the shape of a harp?
39. What is calibrated in Scoville Heat Units?
40. Which Irish-born saint is the patron saint both of French cab-drivers and of gardeners?
41. What do you call the disorder of tomatoes where the flesh and skin nearest the stalk fail to ripen and remain green or yellow?
42. Aloysia triphylla and Melissa officinalis both smell strongly of the same substance, what is it?
43. In what historic Irish demesne, currently under restoration, is the "Jealous Wall"?
44. What do these plants have in common: Lysimachia punctata `Alexander', Pittosporum tenuifolium `Irene Paterson' and Hedera c olchica `Paddy's Pride'?
45. Aphids, scale insects and thrips feed on what kind of essential matter in plants?
46. Stag's-horn sumach, or Rhus typhina is a beautiful small tree with a very annoying habit. What is it?
47. The Habanero chilli pepper is a variety of Capsicum chinense, a plant native to which continent?
48. In companion planting, which type of marigold is supposed to fend off whitefly: English, French or African?
49. What is the common name for Araucaria araucana?
50. Which of these plants is not native to Ireland: Fuchsia magellanica, Gentiana verna, Dryas octopetala?