#312008
Apr 6th, 2010 at 10:18 AM
|
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,105 Likes: 1
The Gnome
|
The Gnome
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,105 Likes: 1 |
The PDCP needs a data base.... We've all collected lots of data in here as well as on our computers, in notebooks and on pieces of scratch paper. Unfortunately I never came up with a cohesive plan to bring all the data together in one database. Since I have been fiddling with pages and especially with the directories and the navigation system I have been setting up little 'helps' to make it easier for me to do my work. My little 'helps' led me to set up the newer directory pages you have seen with the little 'care icons' for each plant. I keep adding directories to cover different sets of criteria... annuals, alkaline soil, hummingbird flowers etc. and each set always had some of the same plants and some that are unique to the list. I am working on setting up a standard of six columns that you will see in a minute. To save the trouble of searching 8 directories to see if a certain plant has already had its profile posted, I went and grabbed every plant profile from each directory and I slapped them onto a big long page. I am working on editing out duplicate data entries and organizing this plant data base. I added new icons to indicate if the plant is suitable for as I progress. ![[Linked Image]](http://www.thegardenhelper.com/graphic2/bflyflower.gif) ![[Linked Image]](http://www.thegardenhelper.com/graphic2/birdflower.gif) If anyone is interested in helping me work on this data set, I would sure appreciate the help. There are many levels and ways of helping! To help prevent duplicating our efforts I will post what I am up to on a regular basis. Some of the things that can be done include: Many plant profiles only have 2-4 columns filled (especially the annuals) If you would like, you could adopt a segment of the list and fill in the missing data. Start a topic to let others know that you plan on working on x,y and z, and then I will be able to add your plant data into the data base. Anyone is welcome to add any (legal) plant profile they'd like to the database by starting a topic with the plant's name and the information needed to fill the six data columns. Accuracy is very important! Another thing that could be added to the data base would a third row of icons indicating the colors possible with each plant. (I would probable limit the number of color choices to five before declaring "all colors" or 'many" or something. This would be another 'adopt a plant' and make a topic for it... i.e. "Dahlia flower colors"  uh... what else???? As I said, I will be cleaning up duplicates and making a few revisions and changes. As you'll see, the list is already extensive but we still have a few thousand plants that aren't in our data base yet! BTW... I moved the PDCP forum to my log to make it easier to find Have fun!
Last edited by Bill; Sep 30th, 2011 at 11:24 PM.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,105 Likes: 1
The Gnome
|
The Gnome
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,105 Likes: 1 |
Feel free to collect and post data about anything that we don't have covered... We'll get it in the data base! Possible Topic: Missing usda zones from chart? Possible Topic: Easy plants for kids? Possible Topic: Critter gardens... Tiger lily, butterfly bush, elephant ear, cranesbill? Possible Topic: Fragrant flowers? Possible Topic: Medicinal plants? Possible Topic: Plants with texture? Eventually I will need to figure out an attractive and functional method of displaying and utilizing our "Calendar of Bloom" we will be able to set up with the 'monthly what's bloomin' posts that you were all nice enough to keep track of! (I told you we'd use that information someday, but I never claimed that I did anything fast!)
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 30,686 Likes: 62
Northern Star
|
Northern Star
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 30,686 Likes: 62 |
~~Tam~ You can bury all your troubles by digging in the dirt. ![[Linked Image from agardenersforum.com]](//www.agardenersforum.com/images/psd/sunny.jpg)
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 21,848
Hot Rod
|
Hot Rod
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 21,848 |
Good idea Bill, None of us claim to be born fast .....None 
![[Linked Image]](//www.agardenersforum.com/images/graphics/buttons/dodge.gif) ![[Linked Image]](//www.agardenersforum.com/images/graphics/buttons/gardenhelper.jpg) PS... My horse isn't here, this is my Nitemare..
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 47,131 Likes: 34
Frogger
|
Frogger
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 47,131 Likes: 34 |
great idea Bill. and nope I for one am not fast--not even maybe. 
![[Linked Image from agardenersforum.com]](//www.agardenersforum.com/images/graphics/buttons/junie.gif) ![[Linked Image from agardenersforum.com]](//www.agardenersforum.com/images/graphics/buttons/gardenhelper.jpg) ________ Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!! .....
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,105 Likes: 1
The Gnome
|
The Gnome
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,105 Likes: 1 |
 I did a bunch of organizing on the Plant Profile list this morning. Currently I am working on elaborating on the descriptions and adding the plant care icons to the ornamental grasses page. Then I will integrate those plant profiles into the PDCP master list. http://www.thegardenhelper.com/grasstypes.html
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 47,131 Likes: 34
Frogger
|
Frogger
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 47,131 Likes: 34 |
 Good deal
![[Linked Image from agardenersforum.com]](//www.agardenersforum.com/images/graphics/buttons/junie.gif) ![[Linked Image from agardenersforum.com]](//www.agardenersforum.com/images/graphics/buttons/gardenhelper.jpg) ________ Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!! .....
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,105 Likes: 1
The Gnome
|
The Gnome
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,105 Likes: 1 |
I thought I would complicate my life a little more, so I added one of these ![[Linked Image]](http://www.thegardenhelper.com/graphic2/nodeer.gif) to my 'to do' list...
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 30,686 Likes: 62
Northern Star
|
Northern Star
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 30,686 Likes: 62 |
Are you being 'over run' Willy?
~~Tam~ You can bury all your troubles by digging in the dirt. ![[Linked Image from agardenersforum.com]](//www.agardenersforum.com/images/psd/sunny.jpg)
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,105 Likes: 1
The Gnome
|
The Gnome
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,105 Likes: 1 |
Are you being 'over run' Willy? To be honest, I didn't realize the magnitude of my brain fart when I came up with it. I will probably come up with another icon or two before I have my breakdown...
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,105 Likes: 1
The Gnome
|
The Gnome
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,105 Likes: 1 |
ohhhh...... the deer,  no I never have trouble with them. I added the icon because there are so many deer resistant plants. When the data set is in place we will be able to use any icons as anchors to refine a search. I may hafta go back to school again before we get there though.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 30,686 Likes: 62
Northern Star
|
Northern Star
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 30,686 Likes: 62 |
Oh my, you have a lot of work ahead of you... Sorry I got confused...but then you know by now, I confuse very easily. 
~~Tam~ You can bury all your troubles by digging in the dirt. ![[Linked Image from agardenersforum.com]](//www.agardenersforum.com/images/psd/sunny.jpg)
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,105 Likes: 1
The Gnome
|
The Gnome
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,105 Likes: 1 |
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 47,131 Likes: 34
Frogger
|
Frogger
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 47,131 Likes: 34 |
well in my opinion smaller would beOK if you could still tell waht they are.
I say give us a few samples & see which size is the smallest we can recognize???
![[Linked Image from agardenersforum.com]](//www.agardenersforum.com/images/graphics/buttons/junie.gif) ![[Linked Image from agardenersforum.com]](//www.agardenersforum.com/images/graphics/buttons/gardenhelper.jpg) ________ Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!! .....
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 21,848
Hot Rod
|
Hot Rod
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 21,848 |
Let them that size , we wont have to put our glasses on to see..LOL dodge
![[Linked Image]](//www.agardenersforum.com/images/graphics/buttons/dodge.gif) ![[Linked Image]](//www.agardenersforum.com/images/graphics/buttons/gardenhelper.jpg) PS... My horse isn't here, this is my Nitemare..
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,105 Likes: 1
The Gnome
|
The Gnome
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,105 Likes: 1 |
How is that? 
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 21,848
Hot Rod
|
Hot Rod
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 21,848 |
Well bigger is easier to c...........
![[Linked Image]](//www.agardenersforum.com/images/graphics/buttons/dodge.gif) ![[Linked Image]](//www.agardenersforum.com/images/graphics/buttons/gardenhelper.jpg) PS... My horse isn't here, this is my Nitemare..
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,310
Grande Damme
|
Grande Damme
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,310 |
Bill I would like to help with this but I'm not sure I understand what you need done. If someone would show me how, I have plenty of time for working on things....
I like your icons by the way!
Merme
![[Linked Image]](//www.agardenersforum.com/images/graphics/buttons/merme.gif) ![[Linked Image]](//www.agardenersforum.com/images/graphics/buttons/gardenhelper.jpg) We were given two hands to hold, two eyes to see, two ears to listen & two legs to walk. But why were we given only one heart? The other heart was given to another for us to find.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 18,857 Likes: 32
Patriot
|
Patriot
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 18,857 Likes: 32 |
Loving the data base page. The icons make it so easy. The flower icons are great.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,105 Likes: 1
The Gnome
|
The Gnome
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,105 Likes: 1 |
Loving the data base page. The icons make it so easy. The flower icons are great. Thank you! It keeps growing every day.I am pondering adding two more features to each data base... A photo icon that gives a quick view of the plant, and a small '12 month bar' showing bloom period directly below the flower icons. Such things will take time though. I added the information from everyone's 'Blue flower Profiles' today. In a couple cases I combined the profile with other data from the sites to make the data page entry. Thank you all for your help here, and a big thanks to Merme for researching flower colors for me. I won't even try to guess how many profile entries are left to do. I still have a few lists of lists to get through though. My next batch will finish off the last of the flowers listed on the Hummingbird Page. After that will be birds or butterfly flowers or some such list... Here's the list I'll be working on now...
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 30,001
A Gnome's Best Friend
|
A Gnome's Best Friend
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 30,001 |
Let them that size , we wont have to put our glasses on to see..LOL dodge I like that size ,, any smaller and us older folks couldn't see them very well :wink:
![[Linked Image]](//www.agardenersforum.com/images/graphics/buttons/angelblossom.gif) "Grace without perfection is more to be desired than perfection without grace."
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,105 Likes: 1
The Gnome
|
The Gnome
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,105 Likes: 1 |
Let them that size , we wont have to put our glasses on to see..LOL dodge I like that size ,, any smaller and us older folks couldn't see them very well :wink:  OK! Since that is the 'already reduced by 20%' size you are seeing now! :wink: Its not done yet, but here is an example of how the data base will help... The Hummingbird page as it is now... I will split the page and move the little table of plants from the old page and put it onto a new page, and it will look something like this
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,310
Grande Damme
|
Grande Damme
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,310 |
I like the changes very much, Bill! It is so much easier to read and to find wanted information quickly!!
Way to go!
![[Linked Image]](//www.agardenersforum.com/images/graphics/buttons/merme.gif) ![[Linked Image]](//www.agardenersforum.com/images/graphics/buttons/gardenhelper.jpg) We were given two hands to hold, two eyes to see, two ears to listen & two legs to walk. But why were we given only one heart? The other heart was given to another for us to find.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 30,686 Likes: 62
Northern Star
|
Northern Star
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 30,686 Likes: 62 |
~~Tam~ You can bury all your troubles by digging in the dirt. ![[Linked Image from agardenersforum.com]](//www.agardenersforum.com/images/psd/sunny.jpg)
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,105 Likes: 1
The Gnome
|
The Gnome
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 4,105 Likes: 1 |
 Statistically, these numbers mean nothing because they are just numbers that my program spit out when I added a snip of 'on_mouseover' coding to the plant icons. This is not a count of how many plants in each group... only a count of how many times each icon appears as of today (8 pages) Anyway, I just thought I'd post these numbers just for the fun of it... Icons and how many times each one appeared today. Sun 959 p. shade 274 shade 208 toxic 78 low water 264 med. " 922 high " 548 Hummers 234 bfly 133 birds 68 no deer 157 vines 90 annual 114 biennial 5 house pl 36 white 458 red 304 pink 377 yellow 326 blue 222 purple 299 orange 140 burgundy 30 green 22 brown 14 silver 9
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 18,857 Likes: 32
Patriot
|
Patriot
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 18,857 Likes: 32 |
Oh my gosh Yes! I love the hummingbird flower page. The icons are a wonderful addition.
|
|
|
|
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,310
Grande Damme
|
Grande Damme
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 23,310 |
These statistics are fascinating and fun, Bill. Thanks for sharing them!
![[Linked Image]](//www.agardenersforum.com/images/graphics/buttons/merme.gif) ![[Linked Image]](//www.agardenersforum.com/images/graphics/buttons/gardenhelper.jpg) We were given two hands to hold, two eyes to see, two ears to listen & two legs to walk. But why were we given only one heart? The other heart was given to another for us to find.
|
|
|
Forums65
Topics14,317
Posts241,511
Average Daily Posts3
|
Members16,003
Most Online10,356 Nov 2nd, 2019
|
|
|
|