Ornamental Horticulture and Landscape Gardening: An Overview and Introduction

The production of ornamental plants and floriculture is by far the most diverse sector of horticulture. Relying on a long tradition of cultivar selection and improvement, highly specialized subsectors have emerged. The ornamental horticulture comprises two parts, viz. ornamental plants which encompasses a wide array of plants and includes the production and marketing of herbaceous plants, bedding plants, flowering plants, foliage plants or houseplants, cut cultivated greens, and cut flowers and landscape gardening industry that involves the cultivation, maintenance of plants, and beautification of an area. Ornamental horticulture and landscape gardening has blossomed into commercial activity with considerable growth and a useful crop diversification option, particularly for small farmers over the past three decades. The ornamental industry has witnessed commendable changes with the growth of cities, population explosion, and with the growing habit of “saying it with flowers.” Due to the changing lifestyle, the present-day ornamental and landscape industry has become one of the most dynamic and fast-growing sectors with a significant rate of growth and achievement during the past few years and has extended worldwide with the major production centers shifting, i.e., from developed to developing countries.