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Aug 1, 2014 7:52 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: D Brawner
Daufuskie Island SC (Zone 8b)
I noticed that the "Uses" list is very long and was wondering if anyone thought that maybe using categories. I think breaking the big list into categorical groupings will make it easier to manage.
Just a quick 5min example:
*Utility Uses:
Erosion control
Guardian plant
Groundcover
Shade Tree
Attracts Bees
Attracts Birds
Attracts Butterflies
Attracts Hummingbirds
Will Naturalize
Good as a cover crop
Useful for timber production
Suitable for forage
*Visual Uses:
Provides winter interest
Flowering Tree
Water gardens
Cut Flower
Dried Flower
Suitable as Annual
*Edible Uses:
Culinary Herb
Vegetable
Salad greens
Cooked greens
*Medical Uses:
Medicinal Herb
*Location Uses:
Street Tree
Suitable for xeriscaping
Patio/Ornamental/Small Tree
Suitable as a houseplant
Suitable for terrariums
Suitable for bog gardening
Suitable for alpine/rock gardens
Suitable for espalier
Suitable for Topiary
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Aug 1, 2014 8:00 AM CST
Garden.org Admin
Name: Dave Whitinger
Southlake, Texas (Zone 8a)
Region: Texas Seed Starter Vegetable Grower Tomato Heads Vermiculture Garden Research Contributor
Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Region: Ukraine Garden Sages
The Uses category has indeed been a large catch all category that keeps getting larger and larger the more we put in. I'm all for moving these things around a bit and it wouldn't take much work to do.

I like your proposal above except for :

*Medical Uses:
Medicinal Herb

Having a category for one option probably isn't ideal. I wonder if Medicinal Herb can somehow be placed along with the edible features.
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Aug 1, 2014 8:18 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: D Brawner
Daufuskie Island SC (Zone 8b)
Yeah I saw that too but I just made a quick mockup with the first things that came to mind.
I wasn't sure if you wanted to categorize what was there now and/or maybe also add categories of things you would like to see in the future. With my perm hat on under utility uses having 'usable fiber' and 'usable dye' would be nice to know. But i see my garden as more of a Super Walmart ;-)
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Aug 1, 2014 8:28 AM CST
Name: Deb
Planet Earth (Zone 8b)
Region: Pacific Northwest Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Garden Ideas: Master Level
Depending how detailed we want to get, medicinal could be split to include broad subcategories - antiseptic, astringent, diuretic, etc. Otherwise I think it could simply be a sub of Utility Uses.
I want to live in a world where the chicken can cross the road without its motives being questioned.
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Aug 1, 2014 7:04 PM CST
Name: Sandy B.
Ford River Twp, Michigan UP (Zone 4b)
(Zone 4b-maybe 5a)
Charter ATP Member Bee Lover Butterflies Birds I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
Seed Starter Vegetable Grower Greenhouse Region: United States of America Region: Michigan Enjoys or suffers cold winters
Why not under "edible uses," together with "culinary herb" ?
“Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight." ~ Albert Schweitzer
C/F temp conversion
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Aug 1, 2014 7:06 PM CST
Plants Admin
Name: Zuzu
Northern California (Zone 9a)
Region: Ukraine Charter ATP Member Region: California Cat Lover Roses Clematis
Irises Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Plant Identifier Garden Sages Plant Database Moderator Garden Ideas: Master Level
I think some aren't ingested for medical reasons, but are rubbed on the skin instead, so that would rule out the "edible" description.
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Aug 1, 2014 8:50 PM CST
Name: Sandy B.
Ford River Twp, Michigan UP (Zone 4b)
(Zone 4b-maybe 5a)
Charter ATP Member Bee Lover Butterflies Birds I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Million Pollinator Garden Challenge
Seed Starter Vegetable Grower Greenhouse Region: United States of America Region: Michigan Enjoys or suffers cold winters
Ah -- good point, Zuzu! Smiling
“Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight." ~ Albert Schweitzer
C/F temp conversion
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Aug 4, 2014 8:18 AM CST
Name: Deb
Planet Earth (Zone 8b)
Region: Pacific Northwest Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Garden Ideas: Master Level
And many herbs that are used medicinally are actually toxic so edibles is likely not a good all-around fit for them.
I want to live in a world where the chicken can cross the road without its motives being questioned.
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Aug 4, 2014 12:13 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: D Brawner
Daufuskie Island SC (Zone 8b)
What are your thoughts on just these two groups as a where and who it attracts?

Suitable locations: - (so were can you put it outside of the usual)
houseplant/indoors
terrariums
bog gardening
alpine/rock gardens
espalier
Water gardens
Topiary
Street Tree
*beach front/salt spray
xeriscaping
Patio/Ornamental/Small Tree

Wildlife Attractant:
Bees
Birds
Butterflies
Hummingbirds
*Other Beneficial Insects
*Deer
*Squares
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Aug 4, 2014 1:33 PM CST
Garden.org Admin
Name: Dave Whitinger
Southlake, Texas (Zone 8a)
Region: Texas Seed Starter Vegetable Grower Tomato Heads Vermiculture Garden Research Contributor
Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Region: Ukraine Garden Sages
I love the idea of both groups.
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Aug 4, 2014 2:53 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: D Brawner
Daufuskie Island SC (Zone 8b)
Ok this grouping requires a little more change but I'm just 'can kicking'.
Some things would move out of other categories but its a group for what part do you it and another part for how.

Edible Parts:
Fruit
Flower
Bark
Stem
Leaves
*Roots
*Bulb
*Seeds/Nuts

Eating Method:
Tea
Culinary Herb/Spice
Raw
Cooked
?Fermented?

The uses of cooked greens,salad greens ,Vegetable could be converted by checking cooked and/or raw and which plant part.
Your thoughts?
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Aug 4, 2014 3:22 PM CST
Garden.org Admin
Name: Dave Whitinger
Southlake, Texas (Zone 8a)
Region: Texas Seed Starter Vegetable Grower Tomato Heads Vermiculture Garden Research Contributor
Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Region: Ukraine Garden Sages
Yes that all sounds great to me.
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Aug 4, 2014 5:40 PM CST
Name: Ann ~Heat zn 9, Sunset
North Fl. (Zone 8b)
Garden Sages Region: Ukraine Native Plants and Wildflowers Xeriscape Organic Gardener I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database!
Garden Ideas: Master Level Butterflies Charter ATP Member Plant Identifier Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Dog Lover
dbrawner said:What are your thoughts on just these two groups as a where and who it attracts?

Suitable locations: - (so were can you put it outside of the usual)
houseplant/indoors
terrariums
bog gardening
alpine/rock gardens
espalier
Water gardens
Topiary
Street Tree
*beach front/salt spray
xeriscaping
Patio/Ornamental/Small Tree

Wildlife Attractant:
Bees
Birds
Butterflies
Hummingbirds
*Other Beneficial Insects
*Deer
*Squares







What is *Squares? I'm suspecting a simple typo & you meant squirrels unless there's wildlife I don't know about being called squares.
I am a strong believer in the simple fact is that what matters in this life is how we treat others. I think that's what living is all about. Not what I've done in my life but how I've treated others. ~~ Sharon Brown
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Aug 4, 2014 7:05 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: D Brawner
Daufuskie Island SC (Zone 8b)
LOL yes I meant squirrels.
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Aug 4, 2014 7:22 PM CST
Name: Ann ~Heat zn 9, Sunset
North Fl. (Zone 8b)
Garden Sages Region: Ukraine Native Plants and Wildflowers Xeriscape Organic Gardener I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database!
Garden Ideas: Master Level Butterflies Charter ATP Member Plant Identifier Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Dog Lover
Thumbs up

I think we should add rabbits to that list. And gophers, pocket gophers.
I am a strong believer in the simple fact is that what matters in this life is how we treat others. I think that's what living is all about. Not what I've done in my life but how I've treated others. ~~ Sharon Brown
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Aug 4, 2014 8:14 PM CST
Plants Admin
Name: Zuzu
Northern California (Zone 9a)
Region: Ukraine Charter ATP Member Region: California Cat Lover Roses Clematis
Irises Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Plant Identifier Garden Sages Plant Database Moderator Garden Ideas: Master Level
I prefer the deer resistant checkbox we already have. Almost anything would attract deer. I think it's easier and more useful to list the plants that are resistant.

Gophers fall into the same category. I think they're attracted to everything but daffodils, society garlic, arum, and some alliums and euphorbias. I used to think they only wanted my bulbs and roses, but after I started planting those in gopher-proof cages, the gophers started eating everything else. A massive oak tree in my county was killed by gophers a few years ago.
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Aug 4, 2014 9:47 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: D Brawner
Daufuskie Island SC (Zone 8b)
How about adding
Wildlife Resistant:
Birds (fliers)
Deer/Goat (big ground 4 leggers)
Squares/Chipmunk (tree critters)
Gophers/Vole (underground critters)
Rabbits (small ground 4 leggers)
?Fish? ( I've never done a water garden so i don't know if you have to worry about your carp eating all your plants)
?Insect?
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Aug 5, 2014 6:14 AM CST
Garden.org Admin
Name: Dave Whitinger
Southlake, Texas (Zone 8a)
Region: Texas Seed Starter Vegetable Grower Tomato Heads Vermiculture Garden Research Contributor
Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Region: Ukraine Garden Sages
Wildlife Resistance seems like a good idea. I'd suggest leaving off fish and insects, though.
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Aug 5, 2014 7:13 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: D Brawner
Daufuskie Island SC (Zone 8b)
Yeah i wasn't sure if fish resistance was a thing ;-)
Insects would just fall into hardy.

There should be "bullet proof" checkbox for things like Sansevieria trifasciata and Morus nigra.
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Aug 5, 2014 9:04 AM CST
Name: Deb
Planet Earth (Zone 8b)
Region: Pacific Northwest Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Garden Ideas: Master Level
Here is a suggestion for herbal uses, if we want to break that down to specifics. If so, I would invite @Sharon to comment/edit:

Analgesic – relieves pain
Anti-inflammatory – reduces inflammation
Antioxidant – prevents cell damage
Antipyretic – reduces fever
Antiseptic – inhibits or prevents decay or growth of bacteria
Antispasmodic – relieves or prevents spasms and cramps
Aphrodisiac – increases sexual desire
Appetizer – increases appetite
Astringent – slows bleeding or mucus discharge
Carminative – prevents gas forming or aids in expelling
Demulcent – soothes and relieves irritation of inflamed mucous membranes
Dentrifrice – cleans teeth and gums
Digestive – assists digestion
Diuretic – promotes production & excretion of urine
Emetic – causes vomiting
Emmenagogue – helps with menstrual problems
Emollient – softens & soothes skin
Expectorant – thins & ejects mucous
Hepatic – aids liver function
Laxative – promotes evacuation of the bowels
Sedative – calms or reduces stress or anxiety, induces sleep
Stimulant – increases activity or efficiency of a system or organ
Tonic – restores and strengthens
I want to live in a world where the chicken can cross the road without its motives being questioned.

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