Pretty Markers, All in a Row

Bring this chore to the forefront with these easy-to-make garden markers. Garden markers are a great way to help keep flowers, vegetables, and other flora neat and organized, and help you remember what lives where, season after season. Plus, it’s a fun way to add your own brand of personality and spirit to your plot.

Here are three ways (from ultra easy to easy) to create simple garden markers that will withstand all kinds of weather:

Plastic Ware

This ultra-easy garden marker requires white or black plastic forks and knives and a little acrylic paint in your colors of choice. Simply paint the handles of a fork of knife — either in color or with the name of your plant. If you painted the handle with color, use a permanent, waterproof marker to write the name of the plant on the handle once the paint has dried. Then stick the fork or knife, prong side down, into the ground next to the plants it identifies. Some gardeners swear these markers last through rain or shine, year after year!

These super-easy but functional and reliable labels require only a few large, smooth stones, acrylic paint, and a waterproof marker. First, buy or collect your stones and determine where you will ultimately place each stone. Next, paint the stones. What colors should you use? Create a unique and cool color scheme for your rocks with ideas from this month’s Easy Décor article.

After the paint has dried, think of a creative and personal naming system for your garden. Will you label certain sections with their common plant names? Latin names? Use words from different languages or even names you’ve made up? Think of character names or lines from your favorite poetry. It’s your garden, so bring it to life with your creativity. Finally, using a nice handwritten script, write the names on the stones and place them in the appropriate sections, burying the stone into the ground, just a little for security. Garden marked!

Garden Markers That Sparkle

This eye-catching garden marker isn’t as simple as the silverware or stone projects described above, but it’s still relatively easy. You’ll also need a place from which to hang these markers in your garden. All of the materials below can be found at a local craft supply store.

MATERIALS

Metallic sheets in silver, gold, or bronze
Tin snips
Gauge wire
Needle nose pliers
An awl
Tacky Glue
Outdoor spray paint in white or black
Acrylic paints in colors of choice
Small brushes
A small piece of sandpaper
Tiny additions like sequins, glitter, scrapbooking or card-making materials

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Draw the pattern of your garden marker on the sheet of metal. The design can be anything: a swirl, a triangle, a bug.
2. Using the tin snips, cut out the design.
3. Sand the edges so they aren’t jagged.
4. If you would like to paint your marker, spray it first with the outdoor spray paint. Then paint it with the acrylic paints in your design of choice.
5. Use the tacky glue to embellish your new marker with little sequins, glitter, or more. Be creative!
6. Make a hole at the top of the piece with the awl.
7. Thread one end of the wire through the hole and secure the hooked end to the piece with needlenose pliers.
8. Hook the top-end of the wire. This is where the marker will hang.
   

OPTIONAL: If you would just like your marker to catch lots of light, skip instructions #4 and #5. A simple shiny surface like this will make your garden shine!

Other simple materials used for garden markers include old CDs or CD-ROMs, stepping stones or bricks. Beautify away!