PLANTS SPECIES IDENTIFIED IN FRONT GARDENS OF TOWN'S HOUSING ESTATES

Front gardens constitute a traditional form of greenery, mainly characteristic of single family houses. Little gardens established in the areas adjacent to blocks of flats constitute a relatively new phenomenon in urban landscape. The occurrence of plants in front gardens of Lublin’s housing estates was examined in the years 2008–2009. Two years ago were made additional comparative work in Łęczna and Biała Podlaska in order to find out to the effect that species composition of front gardens. The studies were undertaken in order to determine the generic differentiation of the plants in spontaneously setting-up gardens. The list included all plants, if they were planted by the hosts of a darden, the plants from planned plantings performed by specialist firms within housing estate greenery management were neglected. In the case of synanthropic plants and spontaneously passing from natural communities, only those were taken into consideration, which were purposefully planted or incorporated into the gardens and were not an effect of negligence. In total 262 species were determined in 325 gardens. Perennial plants were predominant: 152 species, one-year plants 52 and shrubs were represented by 49 plants, twoyear plants – 9 species. As to the numerical force of occurrences in gardens the first place was taken by orris iris – 147 occurences, then tagetes, encountered in 133 gardens and roses – in 116.