The improved handling of taxonomy in Hortis was this month’s star, allowing gardens to start recording supplemental taxonomic data for their plant collection. We also launched our new referral program, giving you the opportunity to earn discounts by introducing other institutions to Hortis.

Meanwhile, the preparations are completed for our exhibit and workshop at the annual American Public Gardens Association conference. Read more about May’s highlights below.

Manage your taxa with local taxonomy

Enhance your taxonomic data using the new taxon records feature, enabling you to record author citations, common names, and notes. Browse all taxa from your organisation or individual collection sites, and enjoy more efficient accessioning with autocomplete.

Here’s a full list of the new taxonomy-related features:

• Taxon record page with activity log and related accessions and plant materials
• List of taxa for the Organisation and Collection Sites, including searching, sorting & filtering
• Taxon in “breadcrumb” navigation scheme for all records 
• Create, update and archive taxa within your organisation
• View activity related to taxa on site dashboards
• Select from your taxa (or add a new taxon) when creating accessions
• Download list of taxa as CSV

This is our first step towards integration with other taxonomic datasets. To start with, we are looking at applying higher taxonomic ranks from Plants of the World Online and Catalogue of Life, two of the most comprehensive and widely-used plant taxonomic databases. Our plan is to release this in June, so stay tuned!

"Refer and Save" with our new referral program

Refer a fellow botanic garden to Hortis and enjoy mutual benefits. Your referred garden receives a 10% discount on their first invoice, while you receive the same amount off your next renewal. You can save even more with each additional referral. To participate, simply log in to Hortis and click on the "Refer & Save" link in the main menu.‍‍

Join us at the annual APGA conference in Texas

Many botanic gardens struggle to maintain accurate and up-to-date plant records. In our interactive workshop this year, we will provide insights and practical tips to help you support your garden’s vision and mission.

Drawing on inspiration from the community, we will share stories from gardens that have reached their record-keeping goals. Join us at our exhibit or our workshop to explore new and inspiring ways of keeping better plant records.

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To access a complete list of all the updates, please visit the Release Notes page.