Blog
Garden Explorer Has Officially Launched!
After three years of working on a grant and testing a map, we have officially launched Garden Explorer! Now visitors will be able to use a mobile device while in the garden to get information and images of plants as well as points of interest in the garden. You can search by plant name, accession number, or garden feature.
With your location services turned on you will be able to see where you are on the map in relation to the plants, the nearest bathroom, and even the parking lot. You will also have access to this map on a computer through a link on our website. This will allow you to explore the collection or to map out your next visit.
HOW WE DID IT
The Morris received an Institute of Museum and Library Services grant in fall 2022. The goal of the grant was to create a mobile-friendly map for visitors and staff to explore and learn more about our living collection of plants.
We began the process by determining the best way to collect centimeter-accurate global positioning system (GPS) points for every accessioned plant within the collection. To do this, we needed to establish a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) reference station at the Morris to ensure the real-time kinematic (RTK) corrections (high-precision data streams) we needed for accurate points. After our equipment was set up and ready to go, we set out to collect points for our more than 11,000 accessioned plants. We spent countless hours collecting these points, section by section, to ensure nothing was missed.
Once these points were collected, we worked with our contractors to connect our database, our collected GPS points, and our drone imagery basemap to create a mobile-friendly map known as Garden Explorer.
This winter we trained staff and volunteers on how to use this accessible map, so they are ready to assist visitors if they have any questions. We are excited to launch Garden Explorer as we welcome the warmer weather and spring flowers. Dive in and discover fun and fascinating facts about our collection!