Maps

[Alice]

In case you missed the discussion under the heading Raab Cima di Rapa I'm posting this here. I suggested, if it was possible, it would be good to have a map so that we could all see where in the country other grapes are. There's an example of the kind of thing I'm talking about under Raab........

L J has said she will speak to the web designer and see what can be done.

Thinking about it I remember earlier in the year lots of people were asking about the dates of their last frosts etc. Too soon we will be coming up to the first frosts which vary across the regions. Maybe we could have a map showing the climate variations across the country - rainfall, average monthly temps, first and last frosts etc. I'm sure L J could take this one up for us too.

I've put on a poll to see what interest there would be in this idea. Hope you will all take a few seconds to vote

[JennieAtkinson]

Thanks Alice - thats a great idea.

[Lesley Jay]

As I said Alice I have asked what can be done. However, as weather and climate patterns are changing each year, resulting in some crazy weather, I don't think that weather statistics on a map would work. Far better I think to have a dedicated weather thread - which is something I asked for 6 months ago!!

[eskymo]

I think that's a brilliant idea! Love it! but no idea how you would go about creating it and updating it. It's going to be difficult for the designer, as when would the information be collated and updated...it's a nightmare from that point of view as the information would be received in such a haphazard way from so many different sources. I'm a web designer and I wouldn't like to tackle it - far too complicated.

I think a dedicated weather section of the forum would be an easier solution.

[Alice]

Eskymo, I was more thinking about using official figures from the met office - say 5 year averages. It was very obvious earlier in the year that some members had no idea when the last frost could be expected in their area. Here (according to official figures ) there has never been a frost after 31st May or before the 1st of September. These dates will be different for diffeent parts of the country but the official stats exist. I have them for the whole of Scotland (courtesy of an HMSO publication The Climate of Scotland) and would be happy to supply them. It also provides average maximum daytime temps and minimum night time temps for each month with average rainfall etc. It would only be a case of producing a map and a key (I would be happy to do that) and putting the map on the site. That would be down to the web designer. As well as providing information for us about our own area, it would let us see the conditions our gardening friends in other parts of the country are growing in. eg Average maximum daily temperature in May in Shetland is 10 degrees, here its about 17 and much warmer further south. Obviously such a map would be no substitute for the weather forecast but would provide good regional averages and a general picture of what to expect for those who are new to gardening and haven't paid too much attention to these things before. Judging by the Poll I think there is a fair amount of interest in the idea and it would be relatively simple to do. Now there's an idea. If it doesn't come to pass I could put it on a blog myself and add a link. And yes, it would be good to have a dedicated weather section on the forum too.

[Lesley Jay]

Alice this is information we can all obtain if we want to via the internet. I personally think a climate map will not work and a dedicated weather section is what we need. As I said I asked for this 6 months ago. As for the voting only 15 people have voted in favour out of 101 members who have visited the site since you posted the poll.

[Lesley Jay]

Alice I have just got word back from our web designer and unfortunately it will not be possible to have the maps on the grapevine.

[lyndap]

None of the maps at all? I was really looking forward to perhaps seeing where every one was. What a shame!!!

[eskymo]

it would be nic to have a mpa of where all of the members are...

[Alice]

Hello Leslay Jay, thank you for letting me know the outcome of my suggeston. It was only an idea I thought might be useful to members. My best wishes to you for getting a weather thread started. I think that could be very helpful to all of us. Happy gardening.

[Lesley Jay]

I will ask again for a dedicated weather section. I am sure it really will be a very useful addition to the grapevine. Any suggestions for the forum that anyone might have in the future I will always put to the web designer.