Grade 6 Agriculture Gardening Practices – Innovative Ornamental Gardening Notes
Innovative Ornamental Gardening
Ornamental gardening is growing plants mainly for their beauty — flowers, colored leaves, shapes and smells. "Innovative" means using creative ideas like recycling, vertical spaces, and new designs to make small or big gardens look great.
- Makes homes and schools beautiful.
- Helps birds and bees (pollinators).
- Teaches creativity and care for nature.
- Bougainvillea — bright and hardy (works in many regions).
- Hibiscus — big colorful flowers.
- Marigolds (Tagetes) — good around vegetable beds and schools.
- Frangipani (plumeria) — fragrant trees for warm areas.
- Croton — colourful leaves for borders.
- Portulaca (mukimuki) — drought-tolerant, good for sunny spots.
- Coastal and hot places: choose drought-tolerant plants like bougainvillea, frangipani, portulaca.
- Highlands and cooler areas (e.g., Nairobi, central): hibiscus, roses and more leafy plants work well.
- Small spaces: use pots, window boxes or vertical gardens on walls.
Most flowers need 4–6 hours of sun. Put sun-loving plants where they get morning sun.
Water early in the morning. Less in rainy season, more during drought. Check soil — water when top 2 cm is dry.
Use garden soil mixed with compost. Plants like food too — add compost every few months.
- Recycled bottle planters: cut a plastic bottle and hang it on a fence for herbs or flowers.
- Shoe/boot planters: old shoes make a cool hanging planter for succulents.
- Vertical pallet gardens: use a wooden pallet to grow many plants on a wall.
- Painted stone labels: paint rocks to label plants or make garden art.
- Color themes: choose two colours (e.g., orange & purple) to make the garden look smart.
- Find a clean 1.5L plastic bottle and paint it if you want.
- Cut the bottle in half (ask an adult to help with scissors).
- Make two holes near the top to put a string or wire through for hanging.
- Fill with soil and plant marigold or portulaca seedlings.
- Hang on a fence or balcony where there is morning sun. Water lightly every morning.
- Use kitchen compost (vegetable peelings) to feed plants.
- Collect rainwater for watering when possible.
- Choose native or drought-tolerant plants to save water.
- Always ask an adult for help when using tools or cutting plastic.
- Do not touch pesticides — use natural methods (handpick pests or use neem oil with adult help).
Compost = rotted plant food that helps soil. • Pollinator = bee or bird that helps flowers make seeds. • Drought-tolerant = plants that survive with little water.
Make a vertical garden with old wooden pallets. Each student paints one pot, plants a flower, and writes their name on a painted stone. Display it at the school gate.
- When is the best time to water plants? (A)
- Name one recycled item you can use as a planter. (B)
- Give one plant good for dry Kenya areas. (C)