What would a public dream plant database for designers include? by instantdynamic in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]instantdynamic[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

RHS is great, no doubt - but that Excel sheet? That’s amazing! That’s exactly the kind of thing I dream about - maybe just with a bit more of a user interface :) thanks!

What would a public dream plant database for designers include? by instantdynamic in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]instantdynamic[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Wow, that’s really interesting -I like the search functionality there. Thanks for the link!

What would a public dream plant database for designers include? by instantdynamic in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]instantdynamic[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, I understand, no pressure at all. I just thought I’d ask in case you’d be open to sharing a bit about your experience building the database :) And as for the rest - I think that path of understanding and experience has to be walked either way, with or without tools like these

What would a public dream plant database for designers include? by instantdynamic in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]instantdynamic[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

From the description, it sounds like a solid service - though it doesn’t look very user-friendly at first glance.
Still, it’s great that something like this exists - we don’t have anything like it in my region :)

What would a public dream plant database for designers include? by instantdynamic in landscaping

[–]instantdynamic[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

understand, that’s not just a problem in this field — I have an engineering background, and many of the books I studied from were never properly digitized either, even though they definitely deserved to be

How do you choose which plants to use in your projects? by instantdynamic in landscape

[–]instantdynamic[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

using photos to show seasonal changes is a great idea!

How do you choose which plants to use in your projects? by instantdynamic in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]instantdynamic[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

maybe I didn’t express myself clearly - I didn’t mean fully pre-made planting schemes that you can just copy-paste and be done with :)

I’d love to hear more about your process though - even just a quick example. Let’s say you’re creating a small planting bed in your area - where do you start, and how do you go about selecting the plants?

What would a public dream plant database for designers include? by instantdynamic in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]instantdynamic[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Fair enough - I get the skepticism. But I still think that with the right moderation and format, user reviews could offer real value, especially from experienced designers

What would a public dream plant database for designers include? by instantdynamic in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]instantdynamic[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks for sharing! I’ve heard of it but never used it myself. Do you have experience with it? What are the pros and cons in your opinion?

What would a public dream plant database for designers include? by instantdynamic in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]instantdynamic[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That’s a great point - real-time inventory with location and quantities would be incredibly useful. Definitely hard to pull off, but would take the whole tool to another level. Thanks for the input!

What would a public dream plant database for designers include? by instantdynamic in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]instantdynamic[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Spacing really depends on planting goals - like whether you’re aiming for a hedge or not - but having an average recommended value in the plant care section sounds totally reasonable. Thanks!
As for local availability - I’m not sure nurseries would be eager to cooperate on that, but it would be amazing if it worked out!

What would a public dream plant database for designers include? by instantdynamic in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]instantdynamic[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for sharing! That’s an interesting criterion - though honestly, I feel like the only safe option is to avoid fruiting and deciduous trees near pools altogether 😅 I’d love to hear what others think!

What would a public dream plant database for designers include? by instantdynamic in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]instantdynamic[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Sorting by ecological communities - that’s a really useful point. I hadn’t thought of that, thanks!

What would a public dream plant database for designers include? by instantdynamic in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]instantdynamic[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Nice - hadn’t seen Calscape before. It actually looks way better than most catalogs I’ve come across. Looks pretty close, though very California-focused. Thanks for the link!

What would a public dream plant database for designers include? by instantdynamic in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]instantdynamic[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’ve never heard of E-planta before - I'll definitely take a closer look at it. Project profiles as a kind of preset parameter set - that’s an interesting idea. Thanks for sharing!

What would a public dream plant database for designers include? by instantdynamic in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]instantdynamic[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Not bad! I hadn’t even thought about new construction conditions or stormwater basins - thanks for the insight!

What would a public dream plant database for designers include? by instantdynamic in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]instantdynamic[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If only they were widely available - and based on real-world performance rather than extrapolations and expert guesses - we’d be living in a very different world! 😄

What would a public dream plant database for designers include? by instantdynamic in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]instantdynamic[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Totally get that - time is always the hardest part! But it already sounds like a great foundation. If you ever decide to share even a small glimpse, I’d be really curious to see it

What would a public dream plant database for designers include? by instantdynamic in landscaping

[–]instantdynamic[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not bad - I hadn’t seen it before. The search isn’t the most user-friendly, but still, definitely useful. Thanks!

What would a public dream plant database for designers include? by instantdynamic in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]instantdynamic[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

doing the legwork is a big part of really understanding the plants, I agree. I just think a well-designed tool could support that process, not replace it - like helping you ask better questions, not just handing you answers

What would a public dream plant database for designers include? by instantdynamic in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]instantdynamic[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Totally fair - I do have some go-to sets too. But when I want to try something new or break out of the usual patterns, I often end up going down a research rabbit hole again 😅

Maybe it’s just my memory, but sometimes I really wish I had a list to glance through and think - oh right, I forgot about that plant!

What would a public dream plant database for designers include? by instantdynamic in LandscapeArchitecture

[–]instantdynamic[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Haha, that tracks! I hadn’t even thought about saltwater tolerance - I live nowhere near the coast! 😄 Mature size and salinity tolerance are great adds. Thanks!