Perry's Perennial Pages


The Perennial Arcade

Quizzes, Mad Libs, Crosswords, and Word Jumbles on Herbaceous Perennials,  for Kids
Dr. Leonard Perry, Extension Professor, University of Vermont

Perennial Power (Quizzes)

dotPerennials for Containers-- match cultivars with their genera, and example combinations (new 5/08)

dotPulmonaria-- match some of the newer cultivars of lungwort to their descriptions (new 4/08)

dotBotanic Gardens-- match some of our countries premier public gardens to facts on them  (new 3/08)

dotColorful Perennial Groundcovers for Dry Habitats-- some great perennial groundcovers for the Southwest  (new 2/08)

dotRozanne perennial geranium-- learn what's true or false on this perennial plant of the year  (new 1/08)

dotDrink to these perennials-- cultivars with beverage names  (new 12/07)

dotChoice perennials-- new or underutilized, as featured on this website (new 11/07)

dotLow water use perennials, names-- match the common and scientific names (new 10/07)

dotPerennial families-- know which family some common perennial genera belong to? (new 9/07)

dotPerennial habitats, sun-- match the genus to its soil moisture preference (new 8/07)

Heuchera-- test your knowledge of new cultivars of this popular genus (new 7/07)

All in the Families-- match the perennial to its family (new 6/07)

When to Divide?-- see if you know how often these perennials usually need dividing (new 5/07)

Meet the Aster family-- match the cultivars with the genera in this big and important perennial family (new 4/07)

Perennial habitats--heavy clay soils quiz-- match the names of these plants suitable for this site (new 3/07)

Chocolate flowers quiz-- test your knowledge of flowers with "chocolate" names (new 2/07)

Walker's Low Catmint-- how much do you know about the Perennial Plant of the Year for 2007? (new 1/07)

Holiday Herbaceous Names-- match the seasonal cultivar name with the genus (new 12/06)

Black Plants for Green Thumbs-- learn some plants with dark foliage (new 11/06)

Perennial Habitats, dry shade-- choose which of these perennials fits best in this habitat (new 10/06)

Perennial Habitats, boggy soil-- choose which of these perennials fits best in this habitat (new 9/06)

Seaside Perennials-- do you know which of these perennials fits best in this habitat? (new 8/06)

Garden Math Conversions-- At some point gardening involves mixing or measuring.  How good are you at some basic conversions? There is useful table here as well you may want to save for future reference. (new 7/06)

Hardy Roses-- can you name the rose classes for some of the hardiest cultivars? (new 6/06)

Trollius-- great late spring perennials.  match the cultivar with its description (new 5/06)

Perennial Habitats, deep shade-- choose which plants are appropriate for this garden habitat (new 4/06)

Soils 102-- match the soil properties and their terms, stuff to know for successful gardens! (new 3/06)

Native New England shade perennials-- learn nnes for this habitat while matching common and scientific names (new 02/06)

Oh Deer!-- how well do you know your deer control methods? (new 01/06)

Common Names to Love-- match the humorous name to the plant (new 12/05)

Botany Quiz 401-- a real test of your botany knowledge, in particular of primroses (new 11/05)

Horticulture Word Origins and Lore-- learn some interesting facts on where some plant names come from (new 10/05)

Gardens-- How well do you know where some gardens are located? (new 9/05)

Weed names-- match the genus with the common names of common weeds (new 8/05)

Veronica-- match cultivars or species with descriptions of speedwells (new 7/05)

Salvia nemorosa-- match cultivars with descriptions of this good garden perennial (new 6/05)

Soils 101-- match keys and properties of good soils (new 5/05)

A genus, a family-- match those genera beginning with "A", with their family (new 4/05)

Famous Horticulturists-- do you know influential horticulturists of history?  do this, then the crossword below (new 3/05)

Sing'in the Blues-- match the genus with cultivar of blue-flowered perennials (new 2/05)

Spanish Perennial Names-- match the Spanish name with the English genus (new 1/05)

Which genus, which cultivar part II?-- newer cultivars than the previous, perhaps harder? (new 12/04)

Which genus, which cultivar?-- match the two (new 11/04)

Periwinkle cultivars--  match and learn some new Vinca minor choices  (new 10/04)

German Perennial Names--  match and learn translations of these German perennial names  (new 09/04)

Canadian Explorer Roses--  learn who the people are that some of this hardy series were named after (new 08/04)

Astilbe-- fill in the letters of cultivars of this great summer perennial for moist shade (new 07/04)

David Austin Roses-- match the description with one of these popular, common cultivars from this series  (new 06/04)

Tulips-- match the common tulip cultivar with its class or grouping (new 05/04)

Shrub Roses-- match the description with the cultivar of this great group of garden roses (new 04/04)

Daffodils--  how well do you know some key cultivars? (new 03/04)

Rose Groupings--  roses are the big flower this month with Valentines.  match the rose cultivar with its classification group (new 02/04)

Flowers at the Zoo-- match the flower name with its "animal" relation (new 01/04)

Ornamental Grass Cultivars-- match the cultivar with the genus (new 12/03)

Flora trivia--  interesting facts, some better known than others, from the reference Flora(new 11/03)

Ornamental Grasses-- match the scientific and common names for this great group of generally low maintenance plants? (new 10/03)

Ferns for Fun-- usually an underutilized group of perennials; how well do you know them? (new 9/03)

In the Eye of the Daylily-- for the real daylily enthusiast, eyezone daylilies (new 8/03)

Patriotic Perennials-- match the patriotic name with the description (new 7/03)

Begin with the letter "P"--  match the genus name with the common name (new 6/03)

Geraniums (not Pelargoniums)-- match the name with the description? (new 5/03)

Yellow in the Garden-- how well do you know the yellow-flowering perennials? (new 4/03)

Heuchera by the Dozens-- there are so many new cultivars out there, how well do you know them? (new 3/03)

Cultivars of Love-- cultivar names related to the them of Love (new 2/03)

Perennial Geraniums-- just that! match the description to the cultivar (new 1/03)

Don't Mow the Grass Quiz-- ornamental grasses  (new 12/02)

PG-rated Perennials Quiz-- suggestive names perhaps?  match them (new 11/02)

Liliaceae Quiz-- trivia and facts on members of the lily family (new 10/02)

Go for the Gold-- a matching quiz on gold-leaved hostas? (new 9/02)

Food for Thought-- know perennials with food names? (new 8/02)

Cannas-- check your knowledge of this group (new 7/02)

Anything but Green-- a quiz on variegated and bordered hostas (new 6/02)

Drought Quiz-- plants and practices for drought conditions (new 5/02)

Blue Without You--a quiz on blue hostas (new 4/02)

Who Was ___? Pioneers of Horticulture Quiz (new 12/01)

Garden History Trivia Quiz (new 12/01)

Test Your Botany Knowledge-- on the basics of plant classification and structure, multiple choice

How Well Do You Know Your Perennials?-- A quiz for "beginners".  (redesigned 3/00)

Perennial Trivia-- For the advanced perennial enthusiast. (redesigned 3/00)

Perennials and Places-- How well do you know your perennials and geography? This quiz hotlinks you around the world of perennials.

Perennials and Persons-- Do you know who discovered specific plants or lent their names?

Perennials and States-- Check your knowledge of geography, learn some places to visit.

Who said that?-- Try and match the quotes with the authors.

Perennial Origins and Garden History Quiz-- some famous gardens, plant origins

Perennial Plant Names Quiz--match the name with its name origin

Edible and Useful Perennials Quiz-- lore and perennials used over the centuries

An A-Z of Plant Names Quiz-- roots and etymology of plant names

Who were these perennial persons? -- breeders and other associated with perennials

Interactive Perennial Quiz #1--The Genera-- multiple choice, for java-enabled browsers

Interactive Perennial Quiz #2--Plant Structure-- multiple choice, for java-enabled browsers

Interactive Perennial Quiz #3--Perennial Geraniums-- multiple choice, for java-enabled browsers
 

Mad Libs
Fill in the blanks for the words called for, then submit to see what story you've just completed.  These are always humorous, and if you haven't done one before you may be in for a surprise!

A Mad Visit to the Flower Show (new 1/03)

The Mad Bookstore (new 1/03)
 
 

Perennial Crossword Puzzles
These puzzles can be played easily by several methods.

A) some puzzles created with Crossword Weaver can be either printed to fill in with pencil, or played online if links are given.

B) downloading the free Across Lite software, for those puzzles so noted, then
1.access the puzzle through your browser by clicking the title above
2.if the puzzle opens and you can play, fine. If not, merely save this .puz puzzle file onto your computer using your brower's buttons or from drop-down menus (look for "Save As"). Then from the Across Lite program installed on your computer, access this file you just saved on your computer and you should be able to play.

C) if the above doesn't work, OR you don't have time or disk space for software downloads, OR you like the "old-fashioned" way of doing crosswords, go to the photo file of the puzzle if given which you can print out and then play, with pencil! Or you can print the Adobe Acrobat version if you have this software (download Acrobat free).

Crossword Puzzles
NEW 4/06--Native Plants
NEW 3/06--Perennials for heavy clay soils
NEW 2/06--Meet the Aster family
NEW 1/06--Potentially Poisonous Perennials
Famous Horticulturists
Horticulture Origins and Lore
Soil Terms
Weed Names | play online
More Plant Terms: easiest done when printed, answers linked
Plant Terms: easiest done when printed, answers linked
Perennial Plant Culture: Across Lite puzzle | photo puzzle to print
Perennial Plant Names (harder): Across Lite puzzle | photo puzzle to print
Perennial Plant Names 2: Across Lite puzzle | photo puzzle to print
Perennial Latin Names: Across Lite puzzle | photo puzzle to print | Adobe Acrobat version

Crossword Answers
Perennial Plant Culture
Perennial Plant Names
Perennial Plant Names 2
Perennial Latin Names | Adobe Acrobat version
 

Find-the-Word, Word Jumbles, Word Search
In this familiar word jumble puzzle type, you'll find a grid of letters in which to circle words either horizontal, vertical or diagonal and either forwards or backwards. These you should print out to play.

new 1/05-- Soil terms
To grow perennials well you must know soils.  Test your knowledge here, perhaps learn some new terms.
Color terms
Many plant names, especially species, are terms for color.  How well do you know these?
Famous Persons of Horticulture
This is a real test of your history knowledge.  Search for the persons who have had an impact on our history, practices, and plants of horticulture.  Articles are linked just in case you need them!
Perennials for Cold Climates
Search for the 25 perennial genera.
Perennial Culture
Words relating to perennials, their growth, and culture.

for Kids
Ariannah's Garden Puzzle (word jumble)
A word jumble puzzle as above you can print out and play, created by my daughter Ariannah when 9 years old. Good for the novice gardener as well as for kids.
Ariannah's In-the-Park Puzzle (word jumble)
A word jumble puzzle as above, created by mydaughter Ariannah. Words are things you find in a park. Good for the novice gardener as well as for kids. Print and play!

Print and color: hummingbird and columbine, butterfly, geranium, garden beetle



Where am I?  Perry's Perennial Pages |  Perennial Arcade