Database Development

A crucial component of our project's success was the establishment of a streamlined and comprehensive plant database. Our team focused on researching and collecting data on plant species that were best suited for the Orange County region, given its long-standing drought conditions and the fact that several team members call it home. To create the database, we developed multiple Python and Java scripts that scraped reputable sources such as the USDA Plants Database for plant species that best exemplified Xeriscaping traits. We then formatted the plants into a modular framework that we creatively named "plants". Throughout our project's development, the database underwent about 12 different iterations, ranging from as few as 17 plants to as many as 12,383. The database currently used by our website contains approximately 500 plants, identified through their frequency in our searches and strong correlations with Xeriscaping characteristics.

Website Development

The most hands-on, time intensive aspect of our project was by far creating the website. This website, much like Rome, was not built in a day. Unlike Rome however, it was built in three days. Over a grueling 72 hour process with limited sleep and unlimited caffeine, we went from no experience in html, css, or javascript to having a fully-functional, and if I do say so myself, aesthetically pleasing website. Thank you Hayden for developing the website. All the files pertaining to this website are available on Hayden’s Github.