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Help Center › Admin screens, field by field › Designer: Plant library search, filters and zone finder
Designer: Plant library search, filters and zone finder
Every control for finding plants: search box, categories, Start with a goal, all filter groups, sort, hardiness zone and Find my hardiness zone.
On this page
You find the library in the Designer by tapping Add, then Plants & things. The same list also opens from the home screen. Anyone can use it. A filter never hides a plant unless you turn it on, and each chip shows how many plants it would give before you tap it.
Background: browse the plant library and filter plants.
Fields
Search and categories
| Field (exact label) | What it does for VisionScaper | What to enter and example | Default / notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Search N plants & features ds search |
Finds plants by words (name, color, light, “native” and more). | Type “red shade” and the list updates after a short pause. | Empty |
| Search library by voice (microphone) | Turns what you say into search words. | Tap, allow microphone, speak. Not available in every browser. | Off |
Category chips L.cat |
Chooses which kind of item is listed. Typing in the search box searches across all. | Options: Trees; Evergreens; Shrubs; Perennials; Grasses; Annuals; Vines; Features; My Library. Tap a chip. | Trees |
| Filters and more tools (disclosure) | Opens the filters, plus Add my own item and Plant ID buttons. | Tap to open. | Collapsed |
Feature group chips (Features category only) L.group |
Filters features by group instead of plant traits. | Options: All; plus each feature group such as Stone, Seating, Fire, Water, Lighting, Planters. Tap one. | All |
| Show N more | Loads the next 60 results. | Tap. | Hidden when everything is shown |
| i (plant facts, on each plant tile) | Opens the plant fact sheet and growth chart. | Tap the small i. | n/a |
| Edit (pencil on your own item tiles) | Opens that item to edit or delete. | Tap. | n/a |
Sort and clear
| Field (exact label) | What it does for VisionScaper | What to enter and example | Default / notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Sort F.sort |
Orders the list. | Options: A to Z; Tallest first; Shortest first; Widest first; Fastest growing. Pick one. | A to Z |
| Clear N filters | Turns every filter off but keeps your hardiness zone. | Tap. | n/a |
Start with a goal (one at a time)
Tapping a goal sets a ready-made filter. Tap again to clear.
| Field (exact label) | What it does for VisionScaper | What to enter and example | Default / notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Goal chips F.idea |
Each is a shortcut: for example Privacy screen means tall evergreen-type plants; Shady spot means shade-tolerant plants; Groundcover means low spreading plants. | Options: Privacy screen; Beside the house; Front of the bed; Shady spot; Deer-resistant; Native garden; Year-round interest; Fall color; Spring flowers; Summer color; Fast growers; Colorful leaves; Groundcover. Tap one. The group is open by default. | None |
Filter groups (collapsed lists; selected choices appear next to the group name)
Within a group you can pick several unless it says one choice. A plant must match at least one pick in every group you use.
| Field (exact label) | What it does for VisionScaper | What to enter and example | Default / notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Evergreen or not F.habit |
Keeps evergreens, or plants that lose their leaves. | Options: Evergreen; Drops its leaves. Tap one. | None |
Shape F.shape |
Filters by growth habit. | Options: Upright & narrow; Pyramid & cone; Rounded & mounded; Arching & grassy; Weeping; Low & spreading; Bold leaves & clumps; Multi-stem; Climbing. Tap any. | None |
Height when grown F.height |
Filters by mature height. | Options: Under 3 ft; 3 to 15 ft; 15 to 40 ft; Over 40 ft. Tap one. | None |
Width when grown F.width |
Filters by mature width. | Options: Under 2 ft; 2 to 5 ft; 5 to 10 ft; Over 10 ft. Tap one. | None |
How fast it grows F.rate |
Filters by growth speed. | Options: Slow; Medium; Fast. Tap one. | None |
Light F.sun |
Filters by the light a plant likes. | Options: Full sun; Part shade; Shade. Tap any. | None |
Flower color F.color |
Filters by flower color family. | Options: White; Yellow; Orange; Red; Pink; Purple; Blue; Green. Tap any. | None |
Blooms in F.month |
Keeps plants that bloom in the chosen months. | Options: Jan; Feb; Mar; Apr; May; Jun; Jul; Aug; Sep; Oct; Nov; Dec. Tap any. | None |
Fall color F.fallc |
Filters by autumn leaf color. | Options: Red & burgundy; Orange & copper; Yellow & gold. Tap any. | None |
Leaf color F.leaf |
Filters by leaf color. | Options: Green; Deep green; Gold & lime; Blue & silver; Burgundy & copper; Variegated. Tap any. | None |
Texture F.tex |
Filters by look and feel. | Options: Fine & feathery; Big bold leaves; Soft & fuzzy. Tap any. | None |
Winter and extra interest F.interest |
Filters for plants with something to see. | Options: Berries; Colorful or peeling bark; Plumes & seed heads; Good in winter. Tap any. | None |
Good to know F.needs |
Keeps native or deer-resistant plants. | Options: Native; Deer-resistant. Tap any. | None |
Hardiness zone
Information only. A zone never hides a plant by itself.
| Field (exact label) | What it does for VisionScaper | What to enter and example | Default / notes |
|---|---|---|---|
My zone F.zone |
Tells the tiles how a plant is likely to do where you live: Likely to thrive here, Borderline here, Tender here, May be too warm. | Options: Not set; Zone 1 to Zone 13. Pick your zone. | Not set (remembered on this device once set) |
| Find my hardiness zone | Opens the helper described below. | Tap. | n/a |
Likely to thrive here F.thrive |
Keeps only plants rated for your zone. | Tap. | Off |
Pet safe F.pet |
Keeps only plants confirmed safe for pets. | Tap. | Off |
Find my hardiness zone window
| Field (exact label) | What it does for VisionScaper | What to enter and example | Default / notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZIP code (U.S.) | The ZIP code to look up your zone online. | Options: 5 digits. Type 06032. The lookup contacts a public zone service; if it fails you are told to use the winter choices. | Empty |
| Look it up | Looks up the zone for the ZIP code and sets it. | Tap after typing five digits. | n/a |
| Winter choices | Sets a zone from how cold your winters get. | Options: Mild: it almost never freezes; Light freezes, rarely below 15 °F; Cold snaps near 5 °F; Cold, around −5 °F; Very cold, around −15 °F; Bitter, around −25 °F; Arctic, below −35 °F. Tap the one closest to your winters. | None |
| I already know it… | Sets the zone directly. | Options: Zone 1 to Zone 13. Pick your zone. | I already know it… |
Buttons at the bottom of Filters and more tools
| Field (exact label) | What it does for VisionScaper | What to enter and example | Default / notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Add my own item | Opens the Add my own item window (add from a photo). | Tap. | n/a |
| Plant ID | Opens Plant ID (see the same article). | Tap. | n/a |
Steps
- Tap Add, then Plants & things.
- Type in the Search box, or tap a category chip.
- Open Filters and more tools.
- Tap a Start with a goal chip such as Privacy screen, or open a group such as Light and tap choices.
- Check the counts on the chips before you tap them. A grey chip means zero plants.
- Set My zone (or press Find my hardiness zone) to see thrive/borderline/tender labels.
- Pick a Sort order.
- Tap a plant tile, then tap the photo to place it (place a plant). Hold Shift on a computer to place several.
Tips
- Combine one goal with one or two groups. Too many filters can leave an empty list; use Clear N filters.
If something goes wrong
- No matches. Try fewer filters or a simpler word like “red”, “shade” or “native”.
- The ZIP lookup fails. Use the winter buttons or pick your zone from the list.
- Pet safe is missing. It only shows when the library has pet data.