Privacy Policy

Last updated: July 18, 2025

1. Introduction

Welcome to Plant.Garden ("we," "our," or "us"). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our plant directory website Plant.Garden.

Website Purpose: This website operates as a plant directory and identification service. We may display advertisements and affiliate content to support our services. We are committed to protecting your personal information according to data protection standards.

Advertising Disclosure: Our website may display advertisements from third-party advertising networks which may collect and use your information for targeted advertising purposes. We may also receive compensation for featuring certain plant nurseries or garden centers.

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. By accessing or using our website, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with the terms of this Privacy Policy, please do not access or use our website.

2. Information We Collect

Personal Information

We may collect personal information when you voluntarily provide it to us through:

• Submitting a plant nursery or garden center listing
• Using our plant identification service
• Contacting us through our contact form
• Reporting incorrect information
• Using location-based services (with your permission)
• Subscribing to our newsletter

This personal information may include:

• Identification Data: Name, business name, contact person details
• Contact Data: Email address, phone number, business address
• Business Information: Plant nursery details, operating hours, plant inventory
• Location Data: GPS coordinates, address information (with your consent)
• Communication Data: Messages sent through our contact forms
• Plant Data: Photos uploaded for plant identification

Automatically Collected Information

When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain technical information about your device and usage patterns:

• Technical Data: IP address, browser type and version, operating system, device identifiers
• Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent on our site, search terms, plant identification requests
• Device Data: Screen resolution, device type, browser language settings
• Location Data: Geographic location (city/state level) for localized plant recommendations

3. How We Use Your Information

Primary Service Uses:

• Directory Service: Display and maintain our plant directory
• Plant Identification: Process and respond to plant identification requests
• Listing Management: Process, verify, and publish plant business listings
• Communication: Respond to your inquiries and provide customer support
• Website Operation: Maintain website functionality and user experience

Analytics and Improvement:

• Analyze usage patterns to enhance user experience
• Track website performance and service effectiveness
• Generate insights for service development and improvement
• Improve our plant identification accuracy

Security and Legal Uses:

• Prevent spam, fraud, or inappropriate submissions
• Protect the website and users from security threats
• Comply with legal requests and obligations
• Enforce our terms of service and policies

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

Service-Related Sharing:

• Public Listings: Plant business information you submit for listing will be made publicly available on our website
• Technical Service Providers: Website hosting, CDN, and infrastructure services
• Analytics Providers: Website usage data shared with analytics services for service improvement
• Legal Requirements: When required by law, court orders, or to protect legal rights

Third-Party Services:

We may work with the following types of service partners:

• Analytics Services: To understand how our services are used
• Plant Identification APIs: To improve identification accuracy
• Map Services: To provide location-based features
• Email Services: To send newsletters and notifications (with your consent)

5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit our website. They help us remember your preferences and improve your user experience.

Managing Your Cookie Preferences:

You have several options to control cookies:

• Browser Settings: Configure your browser to accept, reject, or request permission for cookies
• Opt-Out: Use third-party opt-out mechanisms for analytics cookies

6. Data Security

Technical Safeguards:

• Encryption: Data transmission secured with SSL/TLS encryption
• Access Controls: Role-based access restrictions and authentication systems
• Secure Hosting: Data hosted on secure servers with appropriate protections
• Regular Updates: Security patches and updates applied regularly

Organizational Safeguards:

• Access to personal data limited to authorized personnel only
• Regular security assessments and monitoring
• Established procedures for incident response

7. Data Retention

8. Your Privacy Rights

You have the following rights regarding your personal data:

Right to Access

Request access to your personal data and information about its processing.

Right to Correction

Request correction of inaccurate, incomplete, or out-of-date personal data.

Right to Deletion

Request deletion of your personal data in certain circumstances.

Right to Object

Object to processing for direct marketing or other purposes.

How to Exercise Your Rights:

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information provided in the "Contact Us" section below. We will respond to your request within a reasonable timeframe.

9. Third-Party Links and Services

Our website may contain links to third-party websites and use third-party services. These external sites and services have their own privacy policies and data handling practices. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these third-party sites.

10. Children's Privacy

Our website is not intended for children under 13 years of age, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without verified parental consent.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe that your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately. We will promptly delete such information from our records.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons.

When we make changes:

• Updated policies will be posted on this page with a new "Last updated" date
• For significant changes, we may provide additional notice through email or website announcements
• Your continued use of our website after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, our data practices, or wish to exercise your privacy rights, please contact us: