Peradeniya Gardens

Botanical garden in Peradeniya, near Kandy, Sri Lanka, noted for its rich and varied collections of tropical woody plants. Occupying 59 hectares (146 acres), it has about 4,000 species of plants. The most important specimens of the garden include palms, some of which are planted in impressive avenues. Significant, too, are the collections of orchids, gymnosperms, and flowering trees.

The gardens were founded in 1821 primarily to introduce coffee trees and various other tropical plants of economic importance to the region. Even after it took on a more botanical emphasis in the 1840s, the garden remained a centre for horticultural activities. Under the directorship of the botanist George H.K. Thwaites, the garden played an important role in establishing the country’s flourishing tea industry in the late 1870s. Thwaites also brought in and cultivated the Brazilian rubber tree, which became a crop producer vital to Sri Lanka’s economy. The botanical collection has developed into one of the finest in the region.

Unit 2 Gardening and its types

Task 1. Read and memorize the words:

ornamental garden – декоративный сад

graph paper – миллиметровка (бумага)

rectangle [‘rek,t ngl] – прямоугольник

square [skw ] – квадрат

triangle [‘trai ngl] – треугольник

potager – сад

gravel – гравий

path – тропинка

wheelbarrow – тележка

fence – забор

Task 2. Read the sentences and translate them into Russian:

Example: To paint the walls is a pleasure for her.

Красить стены для нее удовольствие.

1. To decorate your garden is a difficult task.

2. To focus on small things is impossible for her.

3. To marry him was her dream.

Example: When building a house they made many mistakes

При строительстве дома они сделали много ошибок.

1. When planning the garden draw a plan first.

2. When planting this tree don’t forget to water it.

3. When decorating the garden you may use statues.

Example: the food you eat – еда, которую ты ешь

the plan you have

the garden he bought

the tree he planted

the path he saw

the fountain he built

the materials you use

Example: a reading boy – читающий мальчик

building a house – строя дом

an opened window – открытое окно

A planted tree, crossing paths, repeating patterns, planting trees, choosing plants, closed door, making a flower bed, a painted fence.

Task 3. Translate the words and insert them into the sentences:

at least

although

nearly

so

for example

1. … the party was not interesting they decided to go.

2. Many things can decorate your garden, …, statues, trellis, pillars etc.

3. The rain has stopped … we can go.

4. This tree is … 10 meters high.

5. You are late! But … you are ready for the lesson!

Task 4. Read and translate the text:

The garden is a refuge, a place for peace and tranquility in the midst of our chaotic life. What better pleasure can one derive from hobby gardening than creating your own ornamental garden. To enhance your already beautiful landscape with maybe the right garden island featuring a small pond, water fountain, statue, or plantings is pleasure in itself.

To some people, a garden suggests vegetables planted in straight rows. Flowers and fancy garden designs, to them, are something not really practical. But the two interests have a long history, and they need not exclude one another.

A strong design should be the foundation of a formal potager. Most designs start with a square or rectangle divided by crossing paths. Small beds are arranged symmetrically among the paths in simple, repeating patterns. Combinations of basic shapes - squares, rectangles and triangles -- can result in vigorous and pleasing patterns.

Measure your site and draw it to scale on graph paper. Let your own stature help determine the size of the beds, making planting areas no wider than 6 feet, or about twice the distance you can comfortably reach. Allow generous working paths, at least a yard wide. Secondary paths may be narrower.

The design you sketch on paper is the "plan" view of the garden, like the floor plan of a house. To lift the garden, and your eye, from the horizontal plane, introduce vertical elements such as fruit trees or a trellis. Some vertical features should be permanent, others seasonal. Enclosing the potager with a fence may not be necessary, although it frames the design nicely.

Paved paths are appropriate in a formal vegetable garden, and they must be laid before planting begins. Bricks, especially old bricks, give a rich color and feel to the garden. You could lay wide cement paving stones on the main paths, between borders of bricks set in sand, to make a smooth surface for the wheelbarrow. Local materials nearly always look best, so borrow ideas from gardens in your area.

The plants you choose for your potager will depend on the climate and your tastes. When planting, you can create patterns in each bed, designs within the overall geometry of the garden. Balance and repetition will give a sense of order. Several kinds of greens might be sown in alternating diagonal drills within a rectangular bed, for example, repeated in mirror image on the other side of the walk.

When speaking of different types of gardens, classifications may be different. There is a set of garden types based on a historical period in which the nation`s garden culture was notable. For example there exist an Italian garden, an English garden and a Japanese garden.

Gardens may also focus on and be named for a group of plant species. Then several types are defined;

• Container Gardening • Ornamental Gardening • Outdoor Gardening

• Indoor Gardening • Landscape Gardening • Perennial Gardening

• Rock Gardening • Greenhouse Gardening • Shade Gardening

• Water Gardening • Rose Gardening • Vegetable Gardening

• Kitchen Garden • Backyard Gardening • Soilless Gardening

Gardening often involves more than just planting flowers. Create a themed garden, choose plants that attract butterflies, or establish a backyard pond. You can even grow your own food!

Task 5. Agree or disagree with the following statements:

1. The garden is a center of our chaotic life.

2. All people think that a garden must have vegetables planted in straight rows.

3. Numerous statues should be the foundation of a formal potager.

4. When you start a design you should first draw a plan.

5. In any garden there must be a fence

6. When you choose plants for your garden you should think of the climate.

7. There is just one classification of the garden.

8. Gardening is not just planting flowers.

Task 6. Translate from English into Russian:

1) refuge; 2) ornamental garden; 3) beautiful landscape; 4) a small pond; 5) fancy garden designs; 6) exclude; 7) determine the size; 8) comfortably; 9) at least; 10) permanent; 11) appropriate; 12) especially; 13) smooth surface; 14) nearly; 15) borrow ideas; 16) depend on; 17) a sense of order; 18) exist; 19) plant species; 20) butterflies; 21) grow.

Task 7. Match the beginning and the end of the sentences:

1. Balance and repetition will give

2. The plants you choose will depend on

3. To some people, a garden suggests

4. Paved paths are appropriate in

5. Local materials look best, so borrow

6. Gardens may also focus on

7. Allow generous

8. Several kinds of greens might be sown in

1. a sense of order.

2. the climate and your tastes.

3. vegetables planted in straight rows

4. a formal vegetable garden

5. ideas from gardens in your area.

6. a group of plant species

7. working paths, at least a yard wide.

8. alternating diagonal drills within a rectangular bed

Task 8. Insert prepositions:

1. You can derive pleasure … creating your own garden.

2. The garden was designed … simple patterns.

3. Your plan will result … nothing.

4. First he drew a sketch … his future garden … paper.

5. This designer borrowed some ideas … the magazine.

6. The choice of plants depends … the climate very much.

7. This classification focuses … plant species.

Task 9. Retell the text using the following expressions:

first …

then …

after that …

the following step is …

the most important is ...

one should remember …

one shouldn’t forget …

and finally …

Task 10. Translate into English:

1) сделать набросок; 2) зависеть от климата; 3) группа растений; 4) вымощенные дорожки; 5) старые кирпичи; 6) гладкая поверхность; 7) тематический сад; 8) тележка; 9) прямоугольная клумба; 10) квадрат; 11) декоративный сад; 12) симметрично расположенный; 13) забор; 14) чувство порядка; 15) различные виды садов.