Gardenate is a gardening reference guide app. This format is ideal for reference books that aren’t intended for continuous reading. Readers can easily access information without having to search through the entire book.
The use of earthy colours (greens and browns) is an example of design being being suited to content.
Above: each crop has its own page with planting information. The designer has employed many traditional elements of book design. There’s a running head at the top of the screen. The chapter heading is in a larger type than the main text and separated by a paragraph rule. The planting chart uses colour to make it eye-catching and is clearly captioned. The important information is broken into bulletpoints and placed in a text box to distinguish it from the main text.
The links at the bottom of the screen allow the reader to navigate the book without having to return to the contents page. The ‘plant in garden’ section includes space for readers to make notes on their own garden. This is another advantage over a print book, since readers can easily delete or add information without running out of space.
The ‘notes’ link lets readers add their own notes or check earlier notes. As in a print book, the running header style is consistent throughout the book.
