I stick 2 plastic silverware (knives are best) in the ground pointed inwardly towards the plant on each side. That way I know there is something in between the two knives.
Duane

If this year goes like alst year, I REALLY will be having a mouse graveyard. There were TOO manyof them inside.

:)

I use plastic knives and cut a strip of plumber's tape and use a ballpoint pen -

The writings are "indented" - so even if the ink fades, you can still read the label.

Carrie

Plastic knives and Plumbers tape! Great idea! Got plenty of those.

I've got many young plants out there that will die back over the winter, and inevitably I'll forget where they are and end up digging up one or two - so I want to mark them before winter.

Making a map is a very good thing, at least it has been for me. I planted my WS daylily babies in my garden and made a label for each from u-shaped wire with a strip of aluminum tape. They were so neat and helpful for the first few years. Then I got sick, couldn't garden, and so 2 years in a row DH and the weed-wacker did the clean-up work. Needless to say, the little wire and aluminum labels flew only goodness knows where!

NO problem...I had numbered and identified each seedling in my journal and charted their positions in the garden. Now I can easily see what I still have out there, (not as many as I started with of course), and next year I may hopefully be able to dig and divide them and remove those not-so-favorites. I'm so glad I kept records.

Mary

I take pictures. Lots of things are way off from their markers already.

I plan to go out and turn my mouse graveyard into a mini construction site by replacing my mini blinds (the few that weren't pulled up this year) with metal markers this fall before the beagles have a chance to get in there next year and pull them out. It won't be as cute as the mouse graveyard!

Becky

I have plans to map out my newly planted 110ft fence line, but need to find the time that seems to be in short supply each fall. Right now the site has a good 200+ little headstones sticking out of the mulch. A map will sure help next spring when some of the headstones are laying around or just gone. I always think I will find a pile of them somewhere.

Token - I like your pic idea. Thanks, I'm going to try it. Do you print the pic and label the plants?

I'm just going to shoot short videos of each garden section and narrate them with what's in them.

I should recognize most of what's where, but if I'm not sure I can just check a 30 - 90 second video.

I've got one garden inventory set of videos I shot earlier this year, but should really get going on on a Fall set since I've moved a few things around.

Lynda

Here is a link that might be useful: The previous set of garden inventory videos

For years I have made maps of my gardens. As they have gotten fuller I make a quick sketch that focuses on the changes made in the spring and again in the fall. These are my drafts. Later I make a complete map though that doesn't always get done until winter.

What I find the most help is a detailed map of any holding beds in the fall as with removing the mulch in the spring the tags sometimes get removed as well.

I tried taking photos but didn't get them all labeled and sometimes the photo isn't as detailed as I would like.

I gave up on labeling long time ago, whatever grows I usually able to ID once it is in bloom or mature and few things that I do not just make more fun to try...
I guess I am just too lazy to bother....
BTW, stagerat, the lysimachia I was ID as atropurpurea is actually ephemerum, which is considered not quite hardy here by some sources but since mine grows nicely I would say it is hardy enough, anyway I would love some seeds of lysymachia atropurpurea if you have any from your plants