This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.
这里是美国之音慢速英语农业报道。
Trees and plants are called ornamentals if their main job is to add beauty and interest to a garden. Dogwood trees, for example, are a popular ornamental in some areas because of their white or pink blooms in the spring. Cherry and plum trees can also add beauty to landscaping even if they never produce fruit.
能为花园增添美景或趣味的树木和植株被称为观赏植物。例如，山茱萸在一些地方是很受欢迎的观赏植物，因为它们在春季会开出白色或粉红色的花。樱桃树和李子树即使不结果，也能为园林增添美景。
Ornamental trees and bushes or shrubs can serve other useful purposes besides just looking good. Some also smell good and can be used to make scented oils -- for example, lavender and lilac.
观赏树木和灌木除了看上去漂亮之外，还有其他的一些用途。它们中的一些气味很好闻，可以用来制造香精油--例如薰衣草和紫丁香。
Ornamentals can be used to mark the border of a property or to provide privacy from neighbors. They can be used to hide trash cans and storage sheds.
观赏植物可以用来标记房屋的边界，或者为邻里之间提供隐私空间。还能用于隐蔽垃圾桶和储藏库。
Most ornamentals have the same needs as other plants -- water, mulch, pruning for shape and inspection for pests. But master gardener Bob Orazi says, "Most of them take care of themselves after the first six months."
大部分观赏植物都有着和其他植物相同的需求——水，护根物，修剪和检查病虫害。但是园艺大师鲍勃·奥拉西（Bob Orazi）表示，“大部分观赏植物在六个月之后就能自理。”
Bob Orazi is a horticultural adviser in Howard County, Maryland. Years of experience have shown him that people often decide to plant an ornamental bush when they see one in bloom. They might see the yellow blooms on a forsythia bush -- one of the first signs of spring -- and decide to plant one. But he says most ornamentals are better to plant just before their leaves open.
奥拉西是马里兰州霍华德县的园艺顾问。多年的经验使他了解到，人们通常在看到开花的观赏植物之后决定自己种植。他们可能看到一株连翘上开出黄色的花朵——这是春天到来的最初迹象——然后决定种植连翘。但是他表示，大部分观赏植物应该在叶子长出之前种植。
Some ornamentals and other plants are sold with their roots in a ball of dirt held together with burlap. But David Robson of the University of Illinois Extension says more and more plants are grown in containers. They are easier to ship that way.
一些观赏植物和其他植物出售时根部都埋在麻袋包紧的泥土中。但是伊利诺伊州大学推广部门的大卫·罗宾逊（David Robson）表示，越来越多的植物种在容器中，这样更方便运输。
However, the roots may become encircled by growing around and around in the pot. So his advice is to pull the plant out of the container, then cut the bottom half of the root ball into four parts.
然而，随着植物在容器中不断生长，其根部可能会缠绕在一起。所以，他建议将植物从容器中取出来，将底下一半的球状根系切成四部分。
This process is known as "butterflying." The bottom of the root ball will look something like the spread-open wings of a butterfly. David Robson says planting the root ball this way will improve growth.
这个过程被称为“切瓣（butterflying）。” 球状根系的底部看上去像是张开翅膀的蝴蝶。罗宾逊表示，通过这个方式种植后将加速植物生长。
DAVID ROBSON: "It is amazing on a tree or shrub how much faster growth you will get. But you do have to remember by butterflying, you are cutting down the overall height of that root ball. So maybe butterfly it first and then measure how tall your root ball is. Then dig your hole. Make sure you do not dig it too deep so the plant is sitting below the soil line."
罗宾逊：“这样，树木或灌木会以惊人的速度生长。但是你必须记住，通过切瓣降低了球根系的整体高度。所以，先将根系切开，然后测量一下高度，然后再挖坑。确保不要挖的太深，这样植株就可以刚好埋在地平面以下。”
He also advises against letting shrubs grow taller than four and a half meters.
他还建议不要让灌木的生长高度超过4.5米。
DAVID ROBSON: "[If] some shrubs get too tall, you start losing their ability to produce good flowers."
罗宾逊：“如果一些灌木长的太高，就开不出漂亮的花朵。”
In that case, your ornamental plant might not be so ornamental.
这样的话，你的观赏植物可能就不那么具有观赏价值了。