Database research Query 1

Jane McGary janemcgary@earthlink.net
Wed, 22 Oct 2003 11:38:36 PDT
Dash asked for feedback on what should be included in a horticultural 
database intended for collections management. Compared to a botanic garden 
or major nursery, I have only a small collection (my database has about 
1300 entries), but here are some features I would want:

1. Ability to sort, display, and print in a variety of layouts for 
different purposes. And the layouts should be easy to design!

2. Exportable to a Word document, so the list can be e-mailed to people who 
don't have the database program.

3. In addition to the obvious nomenclature fields, here are those I use: 
source, date acquired, location (I have the bulb frames coded in numbered 
sections), cost per bulb, price (if I sell bulbs), flowering date, and 
comments. Others might want fields such as height and flower description -- 
if I want to note these, I put them in "Comment". Another useful field, 
which I'll add to my database soon, would be "Authority," for citation of 
the books or articles where you have checked the plant against its 
published description -- something we all need to do more. [And another 
topic entirely is a really good bibliography on bulbs, indexed by genera 
and maybe species, which we should put together cooperatively and add to 
the PBS website. I will volunteer to coordinate such a project, since 
massive bibliographies are one of my specialties.]

4. Would there be a way to add thumbnail photos, or would that make the 
database too big?

Jane McGary
Northwestern Oregon, USA


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