Vital Statistics: 32, full-time job, single, recently moved from the city to an acreage and wants to fully utilize her new space.
Goals/Needs: Beginner gardener, wants to learn the basics of plant needs and how/when to plant them to allow for the best harvest
Motivations: Utilize her new space to the best of her capabilities. Learn the basics about plants and their needs
Frustrations:
No prior plant knowledge, making her attempts to learn very overwhelming, especially when most of her time is spent working.
Has never had this much space before, so organizing it is confusing.
Unsure what different stages of the plant cycle look like, so unsure when to harvest, prune, weed, water, etc.
Activities:
Uses the catalog to learn about what plants work well together and how much room they need to prosper.
Uses the pictures from the catalog as a reference point to ensure caring for/harvesting is done at the right time.
Uses the garden bed planner to ensure her crops are planted enough distance away from each other and with other plants that compliment it.
Technical Usage: Very technically inclined as she works with computers at her job daily. Has spend most of her adult life around technology, so she knows how to get around an interface.
Vital Statistics: 38, Married, two children, office job, lives in a suburban house with a small backyard and a patio. Enjoys home improvement projects and experimenting with gardening.
Goals/Needs:
Wants to make a more adventurous attempt at gardening
Aims to grow a mix of vegetables , herbs, and a few flowers
Needs a simple tool to plan help plan the layout of garden plots and containers to maximize space
Motivations: Loves the idea of homegrown produce, wants to teach his children about gardening, wants to create a relaxing outdoor space for the family to enjoy. Wants to become more self-sufficient and reduce grocery costs.
Frustrations:
Overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information on gardening and the variety of plants
Struggles to find reliable resources for when and how to plant, especially for his climate zone
Has had past failed attempts at gardening due to lack of knowledge about plant care
Activities:
Use the companion planter to come up with unique plant combinations for garden boxes and planters.
Use the layout planner to replicate his garden and patio space.
Use the reminders to keep track of all the different plants he has under his care.
Technical Usage: Comfortable with smartphones, basic apps, and web browsing. Uses smartphone regularly for scheduling, reminders, and to-do lists. Occasionally uses desktop tools for home project planning but prefers mobile apps for their convenience while outside
Vital Statistics: 65, retired, advanced gardener, spends time with grandchildren, lives with grandpa Gertrude, has been gardening for years.
Goals/Needs: getting older and doesn’t remember things as good as she used to, would like reminders so she doesn’t forget to tend to her plants. Has the free time and interested in trying something new but plays it safe.
Motivations: Share with her family & Impress neighbours.
Frustrations: forgetting to water, not remembering when she should fertilize, prune or weed. No patience for over complicated apps.
Activities:
Uses the reminders to keep on top of her gardens needs
Referencing the to-do list feature to plan her week and tell her husband what needs to be done
Technical Usage: has an iPhone, but needs grandchildren’s assistance
Vital Statistics: 28, Beginner/Intermediate Gardener, works 9-5 in an office, has longterm partner, dog and cat, likes to travel, go to workout classes and frequent the farmers market. She has been gardening for a few years but has limited time and space on her shaded balcony
Goals/Needs:
wants to get creative with how to get the most out of space small outdoor space
really enjoys planning her garden out ahead of time but has a hard time keeping track of her multiple garden boxes and their different sun/shade conditions
Motivations: wants to have fresh herbs and produce to cook with, dreams of having a large garden one day and hopes to get the most out of her current space. Has a hard time keeping track of her garden to-dos along side her busy schedule.
Frustrations: Finds it hard to find resources and planners for balcony vegetable gardening, struggles with not getting full sun on her often shaded balcony
Activities:
uses the garden planner to input her different planters and get to planning her next years garden layout
imports the different light conditions of each planter so that the planner is tailored to her specific needs
Technical Usage: Is very used to used her phone for planning everything in her life. Very tech savvy and likes to be able to customize things to her needs without it being overly complicated.