Changing the plant award categories

[TinaW]

I'm curious to know if I can change the plant award catagory boxes in
GA100S36. Can I eliminate any of the award categories I don't use or add a different
award instead? For instance, in our area (the Pacific Northwest) there are
the Great Plant Picks. This designation is given to any plant that is well
suited to our area, has great characteristics, is disease resistant, has multi season interest, easy
to grow, etc. The GPP website is http://www.greatplantpicks.org/
It contains some wonderful plants. I would love to be able to designate plants on my main data files as a Great Plant Pick.

[ideasguy]

I asked Tina to post this on the forum so we could discuss the pro's and con's.

Thanks for the link to the Great Plant Picks website Tina. I've printed off 2004, 2005 and 2006 selections.
As a matter of great interest to all members, the climate in the Pacific Northwest (USA) is fairly close to that in the UK. Gordon can best advise on that score - he gardened in the UK before moving to PNW region.
Thus, the plant selections will be of particular interest to those in the UK and probably the northern regions of continental Europe. (Greenfinger in Belgium)
I see the great Dan Hinckley has been giving advise to the selection panel, Tina!

I will create a "Gardener" in the Master Database called "Great Plant Picks" with "Garden Areas" = 2004, 2005 and 2006.
I will then add the plants in the master database to the Garden areas.
That puts them in nice sections, and easy to research. Simply select and edit a plant, and click the Google button.
Ive done this already for RHS AGM plants (the list is building up gradually)

Now on to how to deal with Tinas dilemna.

There are a number of options (theres always two or more option in IG!)
1) I add more check box fields (for use in GA100S36) 
2) I allow the user to configure the Check box fields
I could do this in preferences, but it would be best to creat a new Files program and add it to the Menu under Files tab.
3) I do 2) AND 3)
4) We keep things as they are, and allow users to configure such things using GA003
To fully understand this option, go to Ideas Genie on the Web.
Take the link to: Understanding Ideas Genie Principles
Take the link to: Plant Culture/Properties Classifications.
Takes you to this page:
http://www.ideasgenie.com/uig/cpclassifs.htm

Ive done this today, in the Master database (it will be in the next issue)
In GA003, Ive created a new Culture/Requirement property called => Awards
For Awards, Ive created four Grades =>:
RHS - AGM (Award of Garden Merit)
AAS - All America Selection
AAS Gold Medal
Great Plant Picks
For each of these, Ive added a single qualifier=> Awarded the
For each of these, Ive used a recognisable abbreviation=> Yes
You can have a go at setting this up in your own database.

In the case of Great Plant Picks, the Query Text reads:
Awards - Awarded the Great Plant Picks 
(Perhaps you can suggest something better, but it keeps all awards looking similar)

Advantages:
The query program (GA006) recognises EVERY entry you make using Culture/Property classifications.
Thus, Tina will be able to do a query using GA006 and use the GPP classification as an EXTRA parameter
to extract a list of plants for use in a garden design for a client.
Please note that the Query program does NOT allow you to filter using the check boxes in GA100S36.

Please add your comments.
Do you know of other regional awards? I did come across one on a German web site.
This discussion is not limited to awards, of course.