I'm volunteering at a local rose garden that's co-managed by the garden club and the parks department. We're facing a challenge with identifying and labeling roses that were planted decades ago, and our budget is super tight. I'm looking for affordable materials or methods to label ornamental plants effectively. We've tried UV-resistant plastic tags with aluminum stakes, but they don't last—squirrels tend to scratch off the labels! The vendor tags work okay but aren't ideal for a public memorial garden. I'm thinking of using hard enamel engravings, as I've seen those in botanical gardens. Ideally, I want something that costs between $1 and $5 per label and can withstand various external conditions. Would love to hear your thoughts or suggestions!
2 Answers
For my garden, I used a wood burner and burned labels into small wooden tags. They were pretty cheap and hold up well against UV light. I find plastic tends to degrade too quickly, so wood is definitely the way to go!
I have a laser engraver, and I've made some great tags for my plants, like for my dahlias. You could find something similar on Etsy for around $5-6 each, depending on the size of the tag you want. I attach them with a little screw-on wire cable, which makes them really secure.
This sounds like a fantastic idea! I’ll see if anyone in our club has a laser engraver. Do you attach them to the base of the plant?