1) For the non Genera specific Awards field, is there a preferred way to write them out?

For example, is AGM preferred or RHS AGM, or something else?
MOBOT lists Plants of Merit - Outstanding Plants for the Lower Midwest. http://www.missouribotanicalga...
and http://www.plantsofmerit.org/ . Not sure how to note this.

AGM is the only one I've noted other than Genera specific awards.

2) Should a standardized list eventually be offered?

I can't really speak to #1 and will go along with whatever the consensus of the group is.

As for #2, I would think eventually we will want to do that, and when the time comes for that, I will be able to script the entire thing; I would just need a map of all the possible words that would appear and what checkboxes each would belong to. It wouldn't be difficult or too big of a deal.

Obviously the "group" has no consensus, but as usual I have opinions.

1) Who is the typical user of the plant database? I know AGM, AAS, MOBOT as would most dedicated plant nerds. Probably every gardener in Great Britain knows AGM, but maybe not AAS, ARS or MOBOT. Newer gardeners might not have a clue what any of these acronyms mean. Perhaps until there's a check list, I will write out the whole award: Missouri Botanical Garden Plant of Merit or All-America Selection. More work, but very clear to all users. Of course, earlier today I used AAS - should follow my own suggestions .

2) Whoa, that's a hum-dinger checkbox list you're contemplating Dave. Besides the biggies, like AGM, AAS, Fleuroselect, most, if not all states, through universities or state hort societies have awards: e.g. Texas Superstars, Texas Earthkind, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society Gold Metal Plant Award. And how about arboretums: Dallas Arboretum FlameProof Award. Then there are the awards for the various societies: daylilies, iris, roses, etc. and quite often their geographical sub-groups, not to mention plant sub-groups within the society. Yikes. Would you just do the most common ones as a checkbox, with the ability to add more regional awards as needed, or the whole shebang?

Monica