Surprises in the Master Database

[Trevor Ellis]

I didn't realize that at least some of the contents of so many actual gardens would appear on the MDB since I was expecting to see basically a list of plants. I've only had a quick look  but it's interesting to see how other people use the programs and the alterations/additions they make. For example in 'culture grades - height bands' I personally use the system from an old Hillier 'Dictionary of Trees & Shrubs' which I'v had since about 1981 and this classes by name & height such as 'Medium shrub 3-5' (1-1.5m)'. The range being from prostrate through dwarf shrub up to large tree. In addition to leaf forms, also in the culture grades, having leaf margins, leaf tips and leaf base shapes can be useful too especially for plant identification. The book is extremely useful and compact and later editions are probably even better (must upgrade mine!). That's one of the beauties of the program isn't it - that we can all have a system that suits our individual personality profiles in addition to the functionality profiles that we each require from it. Many of these will be common of course, some may be totally individual and yet others will influence and modify our own approaches. What could be better!?

[ideasguy]

Thanks for that posting Trevor.
I'm delighted to see the MDB being explored in this way. I had a feeling that there was a lot of stuff in there that wasn't being found.
Theres hundreds of man hours of work in there (many by moi;D)

For newbies (?? ) to see the gardens, start the Slide Show GA014
Select a Gardener from the pop up and click Start the Show
Some gardeners in the list don't have Garden Photos, so you have to "explore" at this stage of development of the MDB
Those that do are a treat!

I'm very interested in that Classification of Shrubs that you've brought to our attention, Trevor.
For anyone who isn't doesn't know about the wonders of Global Editing in IG series, heres a document I published on the subject:
http://www.ideasgenie.com/uig/cpclassifs.htm
Trevor is obviously having fun with that feature.

In future edition of IG Pro, I'd like to add a graphic to go with Culture Grades.
e.g. Leaf types, and allow the user to attach a little GIF for each leaf type.
I could provide a set of GIF's in the Master database.

[Trevor Ellis]

Glad that you've suggested the GIF's George. Didn't like to impose that one on you. It would be a good addition I think since it would encourage those of us not habitually considering such things maybe to do so. Teaching and learning facility also eh - whatever next!?

[ideasguy]

Its something for the future, Trevor, and certainly a useful feature bearing in mind that everything is "visual" nowadays.