Transcript:
(Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript)
Hi! Welcome to the SBS Learn English podcast, where we help Australians to speak, understand and connect.
We acknowledge the Cammerygal people as the Traditional Owners of the land we’re recording on – and pay respect to their elders past and present.
My name is Josipa, and like you, I need to practise new words and phrases constantly.
But before I get into the lesson, let me shout out to Marie, who left us a review on Apple podcasts. She said, "That's fantastic, exactly what I was looking for. "
Well, thank you, Marie. If you are looking for lessons on particular topics or just have general feedback, we’d love it if you also left a review. You might be the next shout out we do!
So, let's spring into action, become active and start working on our phrases for my favourite season of the year. Spring! Yes. Spring is finally here; plants are growing, and everyone wants to talk about gardening . Just like Susie and Allan; let's hear them,
Allan
You have some lovely natives, Susie. Where’ll you put them?
Susie
They need partial sun, and they’ll make a lovely ornamental garden, so I was thinking… in this corner here.
Allan
I love natives because they are low maintenance and not too thirsty. That’s good for me because I don’t have a green thumb!
Josipa
Allan asked Susie about her native plants. Native animals or plants, like the golden wattle, Australia's national flower, are indigenous to a place.
Or plants can be introduced, which is when a species is accidentally or deliberately brought into an area. So, you could ask someone,
In your area, is it natives or mainly introduced trees and plants?
Susie has a special corner in mind for her native plans.
Susie
They need partial sun, and they’ll make a lovely ornamental garden.
Do your plants need full sun or part shade? Is your garden bed in a partially or fully shaded spot? If you don’t have a garden, what kind would like to have, flower, vegie or ornamental?
An ornamental garden is designed because of how it looks than the production of crops like vegetables or herbs.
They will often include plants with flowers or colourful foliage (that means leaves).
You could also describe your garden as low maintenance if it doesn’t need a lot of work like weeding, pruning.
Your garden may be drought tolerant if it doesn’t require a lot of water or thirsty if it’s the opposite.
Native Australian plants are often low maintenance and drought tolerant.
You can use the word ‘tolerant’ to describe other things related to plants as well. Next time you are buying plants, look out for the phrases ‘sun tolerant’, ‘pest tolerant’ or ‘wind tolerant’.
And how are you as a gardener?
Do you have a green thumb?
I don’t have a green thumb unfortunately.
To have a green thumb means to have an unusual ability to make plants grow well.
I hope Susie does! She gave Allan a big list and sent him shopping for some garden tools. Let’s check on him,
Allan
Ah, there it is. Susie’s list. …What does it say?... A trowel, secateurs, an angled shovel… l wonder if I can get her an angled shovel at a good price. What else? Pruners, watering can, and shears. Wait a second, she added a hose here at the bottom of the page as well.
Allan is buying some gardening tools. First, he mentioned,
A trowel, secateurs, a shovel.
A trowel is a small, handheld tool with a curved scoop for lifting plants or earth.
Secateurs are a pair of pruning clippers for use with one hand.
Allan had a specific shovel in mind.
I wonder if I can get an angled shovel at a good price.
An angled shovel is a shovel with a blade that makes it makes it good for digging.
Then we heard Allan mention,
Pruners, a watering can, shears and a hose.
Pruners, watering can, shears, a hose and let’s add lawnmower and fork. These are the names of some of the gardening tools.
Now Allan is talking with Susie, who, for the purpose of this dialogue. is a horticulturalist, an expert in gardens.
Allan
I’m looking for some easy- to- care perennials.
Susie
Do you prefer seedlings or seeds?
Allan
I’m not sure, what would you suggest?
Susie
Well… seedlings are quicker and easier. If you want to sow seeds, this will save you money but it will take longer.
Ok, let's not beat around the bush. We have a lot to explain.
By the way, to “beat around the bush” means to discuss a matter without getting to the point.
So, if I say to someone, "Please, don't beat around the bush," I'm asking them to get to the point and stop talking about many unimportant things.
So, Allan is buying some flowers. He said,
I’m looking for some easy-to-care perennials.
A perennial plant, or simply perennial, is a plant that can keep growing over many seasons. This is different to annual plants that only last for one season.
Susie then asked,
Do you prefer seedlings or seeds?
Seedlings are young plants developing from seeds. Basically, seedlings are seeds that have already sprouted.
They will save you some time, which comes at a price. Just like Susie said,
Susie
Well… seedlings are quicker and easier. If you want to sow seeds, this will save you money but it will take longer.
Sowing is another way to say planting, but only if you are talking about seeds. You can sow seeds but you can’t sow plants. You have to plant plants! Confusing, right!