Book of plant labels

 I've always been somewhat Type A when it comes to things around the house. A few years ago, I had an epiphany.

About what?

Plant labels. The little plastic labels that come with the plant when you buy them. In addition to being Type A, I am also really into gardening. I like to say it was was my first "home love." And because I am a gardening nerd, I actually save all of those little labels because I want to know how big the plant will get or what the Latin or varietal name is. It's also helpful if you have three of one kind of plant....and then one dies and you have to replace it. Unless Iwant a different sized plant or a different bloom color, I have to make sure I get the same variety.

(Confession: I really do know the Latin names of most of the plants in my landscape. Lamb's ear? Stachys. Virginia sweetspire? Itea. Yarrow? Alchillea. Bee balm? Monarda.)

See? If you haven't been reading my blog long and had not yet been convinced of my nerdiness, I am sure you are now. Or perhaps the following will be the killing blow....

So...as I kept all of these plant labels, I had no idea how to organize them. I decided on a three-ring binder and I chose business card-size page protectors. Check it out....

I like it because you can see the picture on one side and the other side is also clear, so you can read the back without taking it out. I do have tabbed dividers that section them out into these categories: Annuals, Perennials, Trees/Shrubs, Herbs.

I also have one called "Eagle Creek Notables." This is where I put the tags of plants I liked that we had at our old house, but have not planted at our new house.

Also, I sometimes write other info on the plant tag with a Sharpie, such as where I planted it and what year.

I also bought a zippered case that fits in the binder. I keep my gardening receipts in there....so if I have a plant that does not make it, I can take my receipt back to get a new one. Most of the garden nurseries around here will guarantee a shrub or tree for a year.

 

I also like being able to keep tags of annuals, so I can remember what kind I bought if I ever want to get them again. The plant breeders are coming out with so many new varieties. The below pic shows my front step plant choices from last year.....

And this year....

 I'll post more later on how I choose the plant combinations.

See? Totally nerdy. But at least I have a really cool plant tag book.