Choosing Plants for a New Garden Bed
A new gardener is at a nursery, asking a sales associate for advice on selecting suitable plants for a sunny garden bed, considering their climate and desired aesthetic.
Dialogue
Listen and follow along with the conversation
Vocabulary
Essential words and phrases from the dialogue
garden bed
A prepared area of soil in a garden where plants are grown, like a raised plot for flowers or vegetables.
full sun
A spot that gets direct sunlight for most of the day, important for choosing plants that thrive in bright light.
aesthetic
The visual style or look you want, such as colorful or natural, when designing a garden or space.
climate zone
A numbered area based on average weather like temperature and rainfall, used to pick plants that will survive locally.
low-maintenance
Something that needs little care or work, like plants that don't require frequent watering or pruning.
pops of color
Bright, eye-catching colors that add excitement and variety to a garden or design.
hardy
Strong and tough, able to handle difficult conditions like cold, heat, or poor soil.
drought-tolerant
Able to survive with very little water, useful for areas with dry weather or low watering habits.
established
When a plant has grown roots deeply and is settled in the soil, making it stronger against stress.
pollinators
Animals like bees and butterflies that carry pollen between flowers to help plants grow fruit or seeds.
Key Sentences
Important phrases to remember and practice
I'm setting up a new garden bed and need some advice on what to plant.
This is a polite way to start a conversation asking for help. Use it in stores or with experts when seeking recommendations. It uses present continuous 'I'm setting up' for ongoing actions and 'need some advice' to express a request softly.
What kind of aesthetic are you going for?
A question to learn someone's preferred style or look. Useful in shopping or design talks. 'Going for' is an informal idiom meaning 'aiming for' or 'choosing', making it natural for casual conversations.
I'd love something low-maintenance, maybe with some pops of color.
Expresses preferences using 'I'd love' for polite wishes. Great for describing wants in gardening or shopping. 'Maybe' adds flexibility, and the sentence lists qualities with commas for clarity.
For zone 7b and full sun, you have a lot of great options.
Gives advice based on conditions. Use this to suggest choices in similar scenarios. It starts with 'For [condition]' to specify context, and 'a lot of great options' encourages positively.
Do they attract pollinators? I'm trying to encourage more bees and butterflies.
Asks about a feature and explains a goal. Helpful for eco-friendly gardening questions. 'Do they [verb]?' is a simple yes/no question, and 'I'm trying to' shows ongoing effort.
Once established, lantanas are quite drought-tolerant.
Describes plant qualities after a certain point. Use for explaining care needs. 'Once [condition], [result]' shows sequence, and 'quite' softens the adjective for natural emphasis.
They are! Once established, lantanas are quite drought-tolerant.
Affirms and adds details enthusiastically. 'They are!' is a quick agreement. Useful in sales or advice-giving to build on questions, repeating key info for emphasis.