i agree that it gives the garden a more professional look, but what I discovered is that they can be a "tripping" hazard. Also, if you dig around your bushes, they can be in the way. Reluctantly, I removed mine.

Birds prefer the plastic, they are easier to pull out. But don't take my advice, ask the quail and pheasants that entertained themselves plucking as many as they could out.

I got stainless that I used a permanent marker on. So far, so good. I got mine off of Amazon. I got tall ones so I wouldn't trip over them.

I think there was a thread on this in the Hosta forum a while ago too.

I use the ones from Kincaid Markers. They are stainless steel and stand up well. I do remove them when working around the roses. I like the fact that I can reuse them (if I get rid of the rose or it dies), I make labels with my label maker for all my roses and put them on the markers.

Thanks all. Here's an idea from Ester B of the Hosta forum, using an aluminum tent peg and pet id tag.

I agree with Kentucky - they do get in the way - but I still use them. Makes it easier when you are taking photos. I always take a pic of the rose followed by one of the label. I have black ones and I use black P-touch tape with white print and if I have to change the label it isn't a problem, I can just peal it off. And they are weather resistant. If you have stainless, there is clear tape with black print.

This isn't a great pic but shows what they look like

You did a great job with Little Artist and I like that you included the name of the breeder below.

I made mine. I get 1/16" sheet aluminum from a printing place. They use it to print with. Then they throw it away. I cut it in the size I need. Then go to the Farm store and buy vinyl coated clothesline. It is green in color. I just take my blanks and bend around the wire. I curve the end at a 90. I use my Brother P-Touch labeler. And I have a nice looking label, If I step on it I flatten it. I just bend it back in place!!

With all my roses, I can't afford metal ones you write on, let alone professionally engraved ones! I use the plastic ones, and the garden marking pens that don't fade in the sunlight. If you want something that looks nice and is inexpensive, I know some people paint the name on a rock. I don't have time for that for all my roses, but it would look nice maybe in the front beds. Hmmmm... have think about that..

Beth, hear where you are coming from! With the amount of roses you have, I would probably just use the nursery tags. I do my labels in winter - not much else to do right now anyway. Maybe if you had a longer winter......

Sharlene

Thanks Beth. I was wondering how those pens held up to the elements. I'm considering these Victorian ceramic ones from Orion Garden Markers. They are $3.95 each, but I don't know the shipping cost. They sell the special pen too.

I have never found a marker that would last more than a year. The Brother T touch works the best. More than 3 years!

My free range chickens love to pull out those plastic markers. Its like their favorite thing to do besides eat lol. I have to either use deep metal stakes or the metal tags that hang on the roses. I usually just go for the metal tags that you can emboss with the names of the roses that hang.

~SJN

This is what I do - you can use much smaller tags and sticks.

I found the plastic ones didn't last long at all. They get brittle from the UV rays in a couple of years and crack. The ones that stick in the ground got in the way and also tended to disappear and get lost. I use these copper ones that tie on to the plant itself with the names printed on my P Touch labeler. These labels last for years and years. I have some going on 10 years old and still completely legible. With them tied right to the plant they don't get lost even if I move the plant.

Untermeyer Garden in Yonkers, NY has an attractive way to identify their plants. They write the name in a fairly large font on a substantial bamboo stake about 1 inch diameter and a foot high. It is unobtrusive yet easy to read even standing up once you find it.

Bonnie, those are lovely! My handwriting is not the best, so I would probably still use the P-touch to print the labels. But ... $3.95 each - a bit much for me. Suppose it depends on how many you need. Don't forget about the roses you haven't bought yet ;)) - you may want to label them as well.

Carol - question - can you please explain the info on your label for Jubilee Celebration. Seems you have some info there that isn't on HMF, or am I mistaken?

Actually just finished a whole lot of labels for the roses I planted in November - this is a different sort of bouquet :)))

Sharlene

Sharlene, your labels look great. It might be worth it to buy a p touch labeler. I only have 15 roses to label, but I like the professional look. I have a very small property, so there isn't room for anymore roses.

Sharlene - do you mean "The Leander Group?" David Austin has grouped his roses into categories:

1. English Old Rose Hybrids

2. The Leander Group

3. English Musk Roses

4. Alba Rose Hybrids

5. Climbing English Roses

He has more about this on his website. But I've read about these groups in his books.

I love your labels!!!! Wow!

Carol

Here is how I keep track of all of our plants. Of course the ones with just Rose displayed is a Zeffy.... lol Note my Dr. Huey.... it still gets to live!!

Bonnie, in that case I think the ceramic are much nicer than mine!! You could use a nice script on a White backgroup - would look fantastic!

toolbelt - impressive! Mine are just A3 pages with pencil scribbles.

----

Thanks Carol - not too clued up about Austins - but I was actually referring to the small print. I'm a bit confussed what Meilland has to do with Austin???

Sharlene

Oh, I just used a smaller font. I type them all myself, then I laminate them.

OOOPS!!! I copy the typed part over and over and change things. Guess I forgot to change that!

Carol

I use the stainless steel/ aluminum markers that Sharlene has in her bottom picture. Using a black paint pencil, I just write the name of the rose, using block letters. If the rose dies or finds a new home, I just take a little "goof off" on a rag and wipe the paint off the marker and write the new name on it. Simple enough for me. I also have about 40/50 custom made sturdy plastic one that were made for me by a good friend in Fl.

Good to know, Ken. If I make a mistake, I can correct the writing with Goof Off. I think I'll give the pen and the Victorian ceramic garden markers a try.

If I ever have a larger garden, I will remember the P-touch or Brother labeler.

Kitasei, I looked up the Untermeyer Garden. It's beautiful. It would be wonderful to see it someday.

Thanks to everyone for showing me how you mark your roses.

The American Rose Society magazine has (p. 20) beautiful custom glass labels with sepia toned words fused on to the glass at 1250 degrees so they will not scratch off. $20 for 10.

I looked at their website - they have labels - but not quite as pretty IMHO as the ones in the magazine. The magazine suggests you attach the label to vintage silverware, stakes or use in a mosaic.

Here's what I found at the site.

https://www.etsy.com/ca/search?q=fused+glass+markers+labels+glass

Carol

Sharlene, The markers you show in your picture is what I'm trying to find. Would you mind sharing your source? (I found markers with black plates but they have grey galvanized stakes...I'm hoping to locate black markers that have black stakes as well.). Thanks !

I buy the labels that look like Sharlene's from Paw Paw Everlast Label company in Michigan. The labels are actually zinc, and they last quite well with either a paint marker from an art store or the mechanical pencil marker they sell with the labels. It's kind of like a laundry pencil and it stands up to weather pretty well. I'm too lazy to spend the time making labels for 1000 roses with the label maker, as gorgeous and professional as those labels look. I need something I can whip together quickly when roses arrive. The posts will eventually start to deteriorate a bit after 6-8 years and sometimes they need the writing reinforced, but they recover pretty well from being stepped on a lot (ask me how I know - smile).

The website is https://everlastlabel.com/ and they get a top 5 rating from Dave's Garden Watchdog website. I love their service and shipping is free and fast. I usually order 500 labels at a time in the standing kind that Sharlene showed, which is style E (they call these rose style labels - smile). They have a ton of other styles, including hang tags if you prefer those. The price for 100 labels is $43.50, with free shipping. The new rounded corners are nice on the face plates since you're less likely to scratch your leg on them as you're avoiding the rose canes themselves. You put the plates on the stems yourself, but that's an easy task.

Cynthia

I second the recommendation for Paw Paw Everlast zinc labels and their mechanical lead pencil. I believe the lead reacts with the zinc and makes a very durable label. Paw Paw's prices are a super bargain if you have lots of plants to label.

I use black plastic ones with white lettering that I purchase through a company called Harlane. I believe they are around $2.00 each for 1 line of lettering with a stake and a little more for 2 lines. The plastic is fade resistant. I started using them in 2011 and none have faded. You can choose either black or green background I believe. I'm at work so I don't have any close up pics, but I did find one from a picture I posted last year. It's not the best photo, but you can go to their website and see their different options.

The label looks great. Your rose and clematis too.

The plastic ones shatter after some years if they are exposed to a lot of sunlight. The metal ones with p-tape printed labels are still going strong. I have some over 10 years old.