Traditions of growing and using of plants in villages and small towns of Ukraine in the 70–80s of the XX century

Abstract

Aim. The purpose of the article is to describe the traditions of growing and using plants in the villages and small towns and to highlight the range of plants that were most often planted near houses during the 1970s and 80s in Ukraine. Methods. The study was conducted in the villages of Kyiv (Rogoziv), Zhytomyr (Hardyshivka) regions, in the suburbs of Kyiv (Bilychi, Zhulyany) and Borzna (Chernihiv region) by interviewing and eyewitness based accounts. Results. The article covers the list of traditional agricultural, fruit and ornamental plants for rural areas of Ukraine during the 1970s and 80s. The names of cultivars, methods of cultivation, meaning and traditional use of the plants are given. The peculiarities of the range of cultures depending on the studied area are analyzed. Conclusions. As a result of our research, the list of plants species grown in the villages of Ukraine during the 1970s and 80s included 104 species. Ornamental and food plants that were grown and used in the villages of Ukraine during the 1970s and 80s mostly were herbaceous annuals and perennials. A significant portion of them were vegetable fruit and berry plants. Among ornamental plants, medium- and tall plants with bright flowers and (or) strong aroma became more popular and widespread. These were species and cultivars that are easily propagated by seeds and division, do not require careful care and are resistant to diseases and pests.