Tree names - Latin & Common

Image via Wikipedia

With Vantagepoint Cartographics  involvement with trees, we need to know accurately, what type they are, whether they are indigenous to the UK, and more importantly their common and Latin names. I wanted a quick and easy source for this and decided to spend the weekend, well some of it, searching the net for sites that would help. I found several, each giving their own flavour and outlook on trees in general. So have a look at the list below, you might find them useful.

• http://www.sambal.co.uk/trees/trees.php
• http://www.british-trees.com/introduction/
• http://www-saps.plantsci.cam.ac.uk/trees/list.htm
• http://www.woodworking.co.uk/Technical/Trees/trees.html
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trees_of_Britain_and_Ireland
• http://www.treenames.net/
• http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/factsheets/trees-new/common_namesa_e.html

They are mostly UK sites but the last I think covers a lot more, and I found the Wiki site the best overall. This links nicely into our work with Vectorworks, and the  symbol library, adding the correct data  - spelling to any tree we list.

I also wanted to see if there were any good books about, I had been told of one, which I saw in one of the libraries belonging to a garden, “Know your common plant names” by Brian Davis & Brian Knapp ISBN0-9519 833-0-X but alas its out of print.

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Setting up Vectorworks Preferences

Image by Scays via FlickrOne of the first things anyone should do is to set up the two very different preference settings for the Vectorworks system and the independent files. This video outlines the two preference settings and looks at one or two of them in specific detail.
It makes life a lot easier to understand these settings and save time when establishing a new file as a lot of settings can be saved as specific templates. Our tutorial handbook uses these videos as part of the simple Vectorworks tutorials.

Vantagepoint Vectorworks videos go live

There are many Vectorworks videos out there, but most if not all, are for experienced CAD technologists, so we have sought to prepair simple videos that are for the complete beginner, showing the bits that Nemetchek and the others leave out, the opneing screem, are you on a mac or PC, things like this. All our movies are on Youtube and can be played over and over, until you get the idea, or message

VantagePoint Cartographics. The Garden suite mapping program

Image by Scays via Flickr
VantagePoint Cartographics Ltd, Vantagepoint-Garden program specialises in plotting the specimens of a plant collection with visually realistic, labeled symbols within Vectorworks, an  industry leading CAD drawing which can include all the physical features of a landscape, including buildings, paths, streams and contours. Suitable for sending to any professional landscape or Architectural office, including all irrigation, power and other services.
All map features can have extensive and multiple data tables associated with them which can be queried from within the drawing via our sophisticated "Vantagepoint Garden" search tools or via the Vectorworks internal spreadsheets. Data exported in the form of text tables can be queried externally in a spreadsheet or database. Objects can have class memberships across layers for deeper searches and more subtle control over visibility.
New specimens can be plotted from simple text data tables which determine all the attributes required for identification and research that you may have. Thousands of trees can be placed or updated automatically on the map in batches using this facility.
Plant symbols can also be easily placed manually, allowing attention to be focused on individual plants. A trilateration survey tool allows precise positioning of new objects with just two distance measurements from known points.
Map objects can be linked to external resources such as images, sounds, movies, or web pages.
Base maps can be imported as DXF/DWG/PDF from other CAD and mapping systems and edited with all the Vectorworks CAD tools.
Survey data points are supported by their own symbols and data records so that comparisons can be made between existing objects and their newly confirmed positions. All data collected in the course of GPS surveys are attached to these objects for permanent reference.
The accuracy of the map is maintained after scaling and other transformations and objects can be positioned to any required precision.
Plant data is never trapped within the map as all object attributes can be exported for use in other database systems. Your data stays yours.
The map can be rotated and printed at any scale or to PDF and exported in a variety of graphic formats for reuse in image/vector art packages such a Adobe Photoshop/Illustrator™ and Publisher for high quality promotional materials.
Statistical information on object data is available within the document using Vectorworks worksheets or from information exported to a spreadsheet with VantagePoint-Garden export functions.
Full backup and training of VantagePoint-Garden is always at hand from trained staff, via on site training, to remote video calls, and our training manuals.

Welcome to VP Cartographics

Image via WikipediaWelcome to this the first of many posts regarding our services for the mapping and logging of large tree collections using our unique software package to produce highly detailed maps that contain a rich collection of data relating to the terrain and the trees or objects within the map.


The VantagePoint/Garden suite gives you live searching on any object attribute, symmetrical import and export functions for survey and database data relating to your botanic collection and a wealth of labelling, editing and reporting functions to help you manage every object on the map. 
GPS surveys can be plotted on the map immediately, objects like buildings, paths and ponds drawn with precison and their areas and perimeters computed automatically. Share and save the knowledge and experience of your staff through the map and access master maps over a network allowing specialists to view layers of interest and contribute their own data. VantagePoint/Garden has a well studied interface with no unnecessary windows or alerts and is never punitive or geeky. It works on both Mac and Windows PC