Science is the stuff that brings you industrial machinery and unnatural things. But science also brings us new and better ways of doing natural activities, like gardening, and a better understanding of our hobbies. Simply planting flowers and shrubs in your garden and hoping they grow is something almost anyone can do. But if you really want to have a stylish garden, you need to understand your garden, to delve into the science of life. You need to take up horticulture. We'll tell you all about horticulture and how to get into it. You can also view the full definition here.

Horticulture is, simply put, the science of plant cultivation. It involves studying plants as well as improving their yields and ability to survive. Some horticulturalists study food crops, but if you're a hobby gardener or a landscaper, you're more likely to pursue the ornamental plants branch to improve the look of your garden. Some horticulturalists work with trees and shrubs while others focus on fruits, vegetables, flowers, or wine making. If you're taking it up as a hobby, there's no need for you to narrow your focus like this unless you have very specific plans for your garden.

Some of the subjects you'll be delving into if you choose to pursue a more in depth knowledge of horticulture are biology, botany, entomology, chemistry, and genetics. In real horticulture, extensive use of mathematics, statistics, and equations are made, but as a hobby gardener you needn't worry too much about getting that in depth unless you want to start your own business using horticulture to grow flowers or other plants. To start seeing results in your garden, you only need to know the basics of how things work, and not so much of the why.

Real horticulturalists study for years to obtain their proficiency, with many going past the bachelor's degree level and into the masters or PhD level. These career horticulturalists often end up with at least one registered trademark for their work on new techniques for gardening. If your ambitions aren't that high, simply visit your local library for a book on horticulture. You can also tune your television into the Home and Garden channel for some expert advice.

You may be surprised to know that if you've got something of a green thumb and are adept at figuring out what planting and care methods work best for different plants, you are already practicing horticulture. Using water and fertilizers, forming plant hybrids, experimenting with crop or flower rotation, and making forays into greenhouse growing are all horticultural activities. If you're making progress in improving your garden through trial and error (i.e. experimentation) you might consider sharing your findings on a blog so others can benefit from your horticultural activities.