FlowerPedia by Muli Mobile is a fun and informative app for the iPhone
If you think about your garden even when you're away from it, here are 10 fun and informative garden-related (flowers, bugs, food) applications from the Apple iTunes store.
They're ready for downloading to your iPhone or iPod touch. And yes, they're frequently being updated based on users' feedback.
When you combine Silicon Valley technology, smart developers and savvy users, you come up with a great mix of garden and garden-related apps (can't forget birds, bugs, fun flowers, food and farmer's markets).
For an updated list of new gardening apps for the iPhone and iPod touch, see:
10 more garden apps for the iPhone and iPod touch
1. FlowerPedia by Muli Mobile
Updated: December 4, 2009
Version: 1.4
Cost: $4.99
Why it's cool: If you love flowers this is the app for you; it has nearly 1500 photos that can be used as backgrounds, emailed or browsed ; contains 100 families of flowers with tips on how to identify them. Gardening tips and medicinal properties are coming soon. Even better: no internet connection required. Updated version fixed the user interface.
2. iLocate- Gardening Supplies by Brighthouse Labs
Updated: October 6, 2009
Version: 2.0
Cost: $0.99
Why it's cool: Driving around and decide you need a garden hoe or a spade? This is a comprehensive database with contact info, driving directions, etc to locate stores where ever you may be. You can scroll through locations, search by zip code or GPS, one touch search. Updated version has less confusing faster interface, interactive map, ability to add a business, more accurate GPS and improved location specs.
3. Gardening by Jeff Hale
Updated: May 29, 2009
Version: 2.0
Cost: $1.99
Why it's cool: Tips on how to plant a healthy garden with a database of plants from which to choose; instructions on planting and when you can expect to harvest - you can record in a journal and take and save photos to document your progress.
4. Garden Ideas by Cartwa Marketing LLC
Updated: August 20, 2009
Version: 2.0
Cost: $0.99
Why it's cool: Not everybody has acres to garden -if you have a small plot then this app, with the help of master gardener Rebecca Kolls, can help you get started with video segments and how tos; this is more than just photos. Updates include ideas for the patio including growing a pizza garden, creating a bamboo trellis, growing lettuce in a pot.
5. iZen Garden - Portable Zen Garden by Random Ideas LLC
Updated: December 2, 2009
Version: 1.8.2
Cost: $2.99
Why it's cool: Is your day a little frazzled? Soothe the senses with this virtual zen garden already chosen as one of the "100 best apps and games on iPhone" by iLounge.com. plus tons more rave reviews. Your choice of 100 different stones, shells, fossils, plants to make up your garden while you listen to meditation soundtracks and fluttering butterfly wings. Updated version has beautiful flowers and elements like yin-yang (can't have an Asian garden without that) symbol.
Note: Now there's a separate iZen Garden for the iPad; upated on April 6, 2010, version 1.1. Costs more at $5.99
6. iBird Explorer PRO by Mitch Waite Group
Updated: February 2, 2010
Version: 2.3
Cost: $29.99
Why it's cool: Pricey but despite a few mixed reviews -most are very positive. Included this because most gardeners are delighted by birds in their garden. A comprehensive guide to bird identification, habitat, behavior plus photos and bird calls for over 900 North American birds; also a 4,000 page e-book. Bird songs and calls realistic enough to beckon birds to you.
Updates as of Jan. 26, 2010: Some birds have multiple vocalizations, new Birdpedia link with better content, new backup and restore to save favorites, every app now has a homepage which also shows related icons.
Updates as of Feb. 2, 2010: Fixed observed state/month search bug
7. Garden Design by Orilli LLC
Updated: April 7, 2009
Version: 2.0
Cost: $0.99
Why it's cool: This helps you with designing your garden because you use your iPhone camera to take a picture of your garden and then you add or subtract plants to see what it would look like; you can match color schemes, heights to complement what is already in place.
8. Vegetable gardening Guide by Rampart Software Development
Released: April 10, 2010
Version: 1.0
Cost: $2.99
Why it could be cool: Just released in early April 2010, this app promises to be the only veggie guide you'll need. This guide displays simple step-by-step instructions, many illustrations, lists, glossary and hyperlinks suitable for novice to experienced gardener. Also includes, info on growing seasons for U.S., Great Britain, Canada plus nutritional info and recipes.
9. Garden Insects by Natural Guides LLC
Released: March 27, 2009
Version: 1.0
Cost: $0.99
Why it's cool: North Woods Garden Insects Guide zeros in on 18 of the most common garden pests nibbling those holes in your vegetables and describes earthy friendly home remedies to eradicate, discourage and make them unwelcome; full color photos.
10. Locavore by Buster McLeod
Updated: February 16, 2010
Version: 2.3.1
Cost: $3.99
Why it's cool: Eating local is smart for you and the environment. This app shows you the availability of 234 fruits and vegetables at any time of year and where to find them. Features include: detecting what U.S. state you're in, local food in season now and what's available soon, farmer's markets near you, links to Wikipedia and Epicurious (with recipes) and app updates on Twitter. Updates were cosmetic fix and bug that caused crashes (eek) for some California locations.
Updates as of Feb. 16, 2010: Stability improvements
Comments
Just came accross this: www.edengardendesigner.com. Looks a bit like Garden Design - you can use your own photo, but it has a built in library of plants. Oh, and the flowers wave in the wind. Very nice!
Thanks, Sonja! Very helpful indeed.
A few months after this original post, there's a few reference guides for plants on the iPhone:
Landscaper's Companion
Botany Buddy
Audubone Wildflowers
Thanks Dave. I will "revisit" the Apple store :-) These apps are fun and informative and it's cool that developers are always coming up with new ideas.
Just wanted to say that I released a new iPhone app today called Master Gardener. Its got a built-in database of about 40,000 plants, access to the wikipedia, unlimited garden lists, etc. I designed it with a team of gardeners.
David, thanks for the heads up on your new app. I will check it out. have you seen my article titled "10 More garden apps"? It's dated 11/6/09. I will look at yours on the Apple store and may add it to my latest article. We gardeners LOVE the ability to be connected to so much info whenever we want it.
www.GardenPilot.com
App features branded plant collections and local retailers that sell them.
For your consideration.
A few I have downloaded are GardenLog, Herbs Free version,and Pocket Garden.
We have just released Garden Buddy version 1.0.
It is a handy little app that helps out with common Garden Math calculations and materials estimation for things like how many yards of much are needed to cover a given area, what size liner and pump to buy for pond etc.
Version 1.0 is for North America, but we will have UK, EU version available over the next few weeks
Search for "Garden Buddy" on the Apple Appstore
If anyone is interested in more gardening apps, my company has just completed a brand new one called Gardening Toolkit. We've put lots of plant information into it and it even shows you when to plant things in your area.
Look for 'Gardening Toolkit' on the App Store.
For those of you looking for a garden designer app for the iPhone/iPad: www.imygarden.com It looks pretty interesting so far with all the bulbs that you can plant.
The imygarden app is supposed to be launched next week, you can get a sneak peek here: http://www.imygarden.com
The application is called Garden Buddy version 2.0 , it is an application that helps out gardeners with common gardening math calculations such as how many cubic yards of bulk mulch does someone needs to cover a 10ft x 18ft plant bed 3 inches deep and many other common gardening tasks.
Garden Buddy also includes a database of vegetables with planting information
Garden Buddy also helps gardeners find nearby supplies , service providers, and interesting places to visit, it does this by using either the Iphone GPS or entered postal code and country code on devices like the Ipad and Ipod Touch which do not have built in GPS capability.
Garden Buddy 1.0 was featured in the New York Time home and Garden section on may 5th 2010 as one of the top gardening Apps for the Iphone.
Hi Sonja
Thank you for mentioning our app, FlowerPedia, in your article. We truly appreciate receiving feedback and feature requests about our app, because it helps improve our product.
An important thing I should note is that we are currently aware of an incompatibility issue with FlowerPedia on the latest Apple software, iOS4 and on iPad. Some parts of the app cause it to quit back to the device home screen. We are working hard on resolving this issue and hope to have an update released and approved soon.
Thanks again and all the best
Alexey
Muli Mobile
An android phone can help you a lot in gardening too.
Tips, Tricks, Methods, Planning, Maintaining, alerts, (even) motivation, etc. Check the Link below.
http://www.theandroidsoul.com/best-android-apps-for-gardening/
Android's mascot is green, not it's helping the world go greener too. To me, android surely rocks!
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