The Linear Garden: A Unique, Inexpensive, and Effective Way to Facilitate Plant Identification and Roadside Beautification

摘要

There are over 2500 registered botanical gardens worldwide that receive 200 million visitors every year (Botanic Gardens Conservation International, 2007). Aside from appealing to our aesthetic sense, botanic gardens and arboreta can be used as outdoor teaching laboratories. Numerous plant collections affiliated with universities have been integrated into landscape design, landscape construction, herbaceous and woody plant identification, and turfgrass management curricula (Hamilton, 1999; Olsen et al., 1999; VanDerZanden and Cook, 1999; Wilson et al., 2004). With the advancements in web technology, these learning exercises can reach much broader audiences. For example, Wilson and Danielson (2005) created an interactive virtual plant identificationand use instrument for a native landscaping course, where students can walk virtually through a botanical garden and self-select plants for additional taxonomic detail.