PlantFiles is not only the largest plant database in the world, but is remarkable in that its growth is due to the collaborative efforts of 28,010 gardeners. Any registered user can add a new plant entry, picture or comment, as well as report errors. A volunteer team of editors review new entries and pictures, as well as correct errors reported.

In 2004, we began recognizing contributors (whom we've affectionately dubbed "Uber Gardeners") that have demonstrated an uncommon level of commitment to helping make PlantFiles as complete and thorough as possible. We're delighted to recognize them for the role they play in the continued success of PlantFiles. This updated list spotlights several new Ubers; as always, there are several more members close to joining the ranks of these dedicated contributors. We will continue to periodically evaluate the list so we can recognize the individuals who share so much of their expertise and time to help PlantFiles grow.

We hope the efforts of these individuals will inspire all PF users to become more actively involved in PlantFiles. The helpful information you read within the database was shared by a fellow gardener, and what you know about a particular plant can in turn help someone else. In addition to adding pictures, comments and details, you can easily and quickly add your ZIP code to the plants that grow in your garden or nearby. This simple process will help compile data that is more specific and useful than the existing zone charts.

Happy gardening,
Dave, Founder
Terry Lea, managing editor

The List...

• palmbob's contributions of images and information has greatly increased and enhanced the database's information on palm and succulent plants. He has created over 2,600 entries and 2,800 comments, and shared nearly 13,000 images along with checking off more than 21,000 details since joining the site in early 2003.

• carolann was one of our earliest contributors of images and information on Hemerocallis and Iris. She has provided over 3,200 images and nearly 400 entries since joining us in mid-2002, and her efforts have helped attract more daylily and iris growers who have also begun sharing images and information.

• Farmerdill joined the site in October 2003, and has focused his efforts on the vegetables of PlantFiles. He has added nearly 13,000 entries, over 14,000 comments and checked off over 137,000 details, all of which benefit gardeners needing to know the ins and outs of particular vegetable cultivars.

• kennedyh has helped broaden the horizons of PlantFiles by sharing his extensive knowledge of Australia's native plants. He has created over 2,200 entries, and shared more than 7,000 images and checked off over 12,000 details since joining us in early 2003. In addition to his PlantFiles contributions, he edits the BugFiles feature.

• jody joined Dave's Garden back in September 2000, and is numbered among our long-time members. Her expertise in Hostas and other perennial plants has helped us create an extensive library of images and information with her contribution of over 1,300 entries, over 1,600 comments, 900 images and checking off over 49,000 details.

• puttytat brings a tremendous amount of information and images about the Iris genus to PlantFiles. Since joining us in mid-2003, she has created over 1,300 plant entries and over 2,400 images and checked off over 500 details. Through her efforts, the Iris entries have become more useful and interesting to our readers.

• mystic is another one of our long-time DG members; since joining us in September 2000 she has added more than 8,000 entries for a wide variety of plants, along with nearly 1,300 comments and 2,300 images. She has also checked off nearly 243,000 details to help complete entries for the benefit of all users, and she's currently helping to add hybridizer and year of introduction to the Hemerocallis entries along with serving as an editor of PlantFiles.

• poppysue was one of the very first members to add information to PlantFiles, and she created more than 500 entries, added more than 1,400 images and checked off over 4,900 details after joining us in October 2000. She was one of our first PlantFiles editors, although she has retired from active duty. We're grateful for her expertise and help to build PlantFiles into what it is today.

• lupinelover is a devoted rose lover, and her research helped create more than 1,300 Rose entries within PlantFiles upon joining us in April 2002. She also added more than 400 comments and nearly 200 images, and checked off more than 8,000 details.

• Happenstance joined Dave's Garden in August 2003, and has added over 1,200 plants, over 300 comments and over 1,700 images as well as checking off more than 7,000 details and over 900 ZIP code reports. Many of her contributions are succulents and other plants that do well in California's unique climate.

• Monocromatico is an international member of Dave's Garden, hailing from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Since joining the site in 2003, he has shared his knowledge of tropical plants while working on his Master's Thesis on the taxonomy of the Camellia (Theaceae) family. He has added more than 300 plants, 500 comments, and shared nearly 900 images and checked off nearly 2,800 details.

• Paulwhwest is one of our youngest members, and since joining Dave's Garden in 2002, he's added more than 1,400 entries, over 1,000 comments, and more than 400 images and over 14,000 details. In addition to his contributions to PlantFiles, he's also the creator of our site's banner images.

• PanamonCreel hails from Quebec, Canada and worked diligently to increase the database with tropical and succulent plant species, including Adeniums, Hoyas, Aloes, and many lesser-known genera. Since joining the site in October, 2002, he has created over 1,300 entries and checked off over 1,900 details.

• Jeff_Beck joined DG in January 2004 and has added almost 100 new entries, along with sharing over 1,000 images and checking off over 270 details. His images - especially close-up details of trees, shrubs and perennials - provide invaluable assistance for readers trying to identify plants.

• Weezingreens gardens in Alaska, growing beautiful plants despite the challenges of climate and shortened growing season. She joined DG in early 2002, and in addition to generously sharing her seeds and knowledge with other members, she has added over 200 plants, more than 270 comments, more than 800 images and checked off more than 2,500 details.

• Floridian has helped increase the number of entries and images of native plants of the Deep South. Her beautiful photography is frequently requested for other venues. Since joining Dave's Garden in mid-2001, she has over 300 plant entries, over 1,000 images and checked off more than 4,300 details.

• htop is from southern Texas, and joined Dave's Garden in 2003. Since then, she has created over 250 entries, and almost 2,900 images, more than 700 comments, plus checked off nearly 10,000 details, along with providing over 800 ZIP code reports.

• Thaumaturgist joined us in mid-2003, and has added nearly 900 beautiful images, many of which are of edible fruits grown in Florida, helping users to identify and compare varieties and species.

• Evert is another young member, and hails from Finland. Since joining Dave's Garden in mid-2001, he has shared more than 600 images of ornamental plants, and created over 100 entries for PlantFiles as well as checking off over 350 details.

• Margiempv is from Arizona, and is a self-described serious backyard hybridizer of Iris; since joining us in late 2003, she has contributed over 270 entries, added more than 500 comments, 1,200 images and nearly 1,500 details to numerous entries.

• Xenomorf is a keen and knowledgeable grower of cactus and succulents and plants native to the arid climate of Arizona, and has added over 6,900 entries, along with more than 6,900 images and more than 1,800 comments, along with adding over 75,000 details since joining us in May 2004.

• Todd_Boland hails from St. John's, Newfoundland, where he is a horticulture instructor and grows alpine-rock garden plants, azaleas/rhododendrons and dwarf shrubs. Since joining us in February 2004, he has added more than 1,800 new plant entries, over 1,100 comments and nearly 2,600 images as well as helping complete entries over 24,000 details.

• philomel joined Dave's Garden in January 2002 and resides in Termes d'Armagnac, France. She has added almost 300 plants to the PlantFiles, along with over 300 comments, over 500 images, and over 2,500 details.

• JoanJ joined us in August 2001, and hails from North Dakota. During her time at DG, she has created over 4,000 new entries (many are Irises, along with other perennials), submitted more than 3,000 comments and over 1,200 images, and nearly 600 ZIP code reports, as well as helping complete entries with over 147,000 details. Joan is currently serving as a PlantFiles Administrator.

• Big_Red is from Kentucky, and since joining Dave's Garden in January 2001 has helped increase the vegetable information in PlantFiles with over 850 entries, nearly 800 comments, nearly 600 images, and more than 8,200 details. Sadly, Big_Red passed away on Feb 27, 2008.

• melody is another long-time member of DG. Since joining us in January 2001, she has added over 130 new entries to PlantFiles, along with more than 480 comments, over 600 images and nearly 10,000 details. She is a keen heirloom gardener and is often found helping organize regional DG round-ups in or near her home state of Kentucky. She also helps edit the Garden Watchdog to keep all the entries updated.

• bootandall is from Blenheim, New Zealand, where she works for Devon Nursery. Since joining us in August 2003, she has added over 400 entries for ornamental shrubs and perennials, as well as contributed over 1,500 images and checked off more than 3,200 details.