Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens relies on the BG-Base database to preserve information about our plants in an efficient and practical format. Noted botanist Dr. Joanne Sharpe, a long-time research volunteer at the Gardens, initiated our use of this excellent resource. When Sharmon Provan joined the Gardens staff in 2004, Joanne trained her on BG-Base, and now Sharmon administers the database.

BG-Base, which was created by Mike O’Neal of Topsham, Maine, and Kerry Walters of the Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Scotland, offers the Gardens a way to not only keep track of the plants we have on the grounds, but also to record a series of facts about each one, including the plant’s supplier, date of purchase, planting date, specific garden location, and condition.

Most importantly, we retain a complete listing of relevant botanical, cultivar, and common names of each of our plants and also have the capability to export the BG-Base database information directly to our label-engraving machine. This is an example of how the natural sciences and technology can combine to educate and inform, furthering the mission of Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens.

Eventually, we will offer access to our BG-Base to the public via the Gardens’ website, possibly with the addition of photos. For specific questions about our plant database, contact Sharmon at sprovan@mainegardens.org.