Glossary of gardening terms - L:

Lath
In gardening, an overhead structure of evenly spaced slats of wood or other materials used to create shade.

Layering
A method of propagation, by which a branch of a plant is rooted while still attached to the plant by securing it to the soil with a piece of wire or other means, the roots will then be formed on the branch where it contacts the soil.

Lawn
A lawn is an area of land planted with grass and sometimes clover and other plants, which are maintained at an even low height.

Lawnmower
A lawn mower (often spelled as one word—lawnmower) is a type of mower, used to cut grass to an even length on a smaller scale. Mowers were invented in Britain in 1830 by Edwin Beard Budding, primarily to cut the lawn on sports grounds and expansive gardens. Since many sports had just been invented in Britain that required a flat soft ground (such as croquet, cricket, soccer and rugby), a more efficient way of making uniform length grass was needed, and so the mower was born.

Leaching
the process by which soluble materials in the soil, such as salts, nutrients, pesticide chemicals or contaminants, are washed into a lower layer of soil or are dissolved and carried away by water.

Leaf mould
Leaf mold is a form of compost produced by the breakdown of shrub and tree leaves.

Leaf scar
The scarred portion of a twig where a leaf once attached. After several years, the enlarging twig becomes a branch, and the bark of the branch overwhelms the leaf scars, rendering them non-existent.

Lighting
Lighting refers to the devices or techniques used for illumination, usually referring to artificial light sources such as lamps or flashlights.

Loam
Loam is the term for a soil that has a favorable mix of sand and clay. It falls in between in most soil characteristics. It cultivates moderately well and is moderately fertile, depending on the amount of organic material. Loam also holds moisture well. All in all, most gardeners prefer to garden in loam or sandy loam, it avoids the problems the other types of soil pose. However all soils can be improved.