ABSTRACT
Horticulture may be described as the practice of growing plants in a relatively intensive manner. This contrasts with agriculture, which, in most Western European countries, relies on a high level of machinery use over an extensive area of land, consequently involving few people in the production process. The management of horticultural units requires an understanding of the plant in isolation as well as its performance in the appropriate community. There is a fundamental difference between production horticulture and service horticulture which is the development and upkeep of gardens and landscape for their amenity, cultural and recreational purposes. Managing horticultural units requires the ability to make the best choice of control for the combinations of plant species and harmful species with due regard to beneficial organisms whilst staying within the legal constraints. Turf management is very much a specialist horticultural profession which is an essential part of the sports industry.
