Remembering what is planted where: tips?

So, as each little season passes, I plant a little of this and a little of that. Some are successful, some are not but nothing is "planned".

Today, I've planted up a couple of containers and I really *should* make a note of what I've potted.

What is the best way to keep track of what is planted and where?

 

Plant labels?

 

Labels are good but can get lost or lifted by frost or rampaging deer in my case. I try (don't always succeed) and make a paper plan of beds where I have lots of different varieties of plants and mark with a circles (size dependent on how big the clump is) where each plant is and give it a number. Then write at the side of the plan what the number relates to. Works for me and stops me mistakenly digging something up or smothering it when mulching. I keep the plan in my favourite gardening book in the hope I don't loose it!

 

Grow stuff you can easily recognise?

 

Good point.

Thing is, I've just planted 3 clematis and a passionflower. I know what varieties they are because I only bought them the other week. They are in containers (but, I've bought a few containers which are identical) and I just know that at some point they'll be moved here and there.

I notice people on here are exceptionally good at naming their plants when they post pix of them. Well, to be fair, I won't remember what variety I have and I will forget where I've planted things; especially if I move the pots.

Hence the question asking for tips

 

Attach lables to the plants themselves. I found a lable on a Pear tree 30 foot up on the back of Mells Manor. I assume that it was nearer ground level when it was attached. It was dated 1850.

The pear covers the whole side of the building now.

 

Make a album on here and do a spring summer Autumn collection of photos

Spruce

 

Great idea, Spruce - but, having viewed the fabulous gardens everyone on GC has accomplished I think I'll hold fire on that idea (I'll get booted out!)

 

Dont be daft get the camera out , you could always do close ups , I am glad I did as the magpies/ravens have pulled so many of the daylily labels out just as well I have the photos on here with the name under them

Spruce

 

While we're on the subject, I might be being a bit dim here, but presumably you write the labels with a permanent marker to withstand flood, fire and pestilence. So, how do you get it off if you want to re-use the labels? Up to know I've stuck sticky labels onto the plastic ones, but some of them drop off. What do other people do?

 

I know that Shiney uses paddle stones but I'm not sure what he marks them with.

 

Aha!! Just found the answer to that

 

My labels all get pulled out by the birds, if its shrubby I punch a hole in the end of a label and attach it, but it`s harder with the herbaceous plants, I seem to lose a few each year due to over zealous weeding. I have found that a chinagraph pencil is quite good.