What a great idea! Thanks for sharing! I may actually do this - not just say I'm going to! lol

I have some rose markers that seem to come apart and get lost. So now I have some roses that I can't remember what they were. I think these markers could be more durable than the ones I currently have.

I do have a funny story. My daughter came to visit this summer (she lives 2 hours away, but only comes 2 times a year). Anyway, I had planted a new rose garden marked with the above mentioned rose markers. After showing her around, with her making no comment, I fished for a compliment and asked her "well, how do you like my roses?" She looked out at them and started laughing. Laughing! What's so funny?, I asked. She said "Mom, it's a good thing you're already married because with your obsession with roses and those ROSE MARKERS no one would ever marry you from now on!" I was taken aback, but the funny thing is - I thought of Juliet on this forum and wondered if she has rose markers. Obviously it's the kiss of death for romance. :/

I didn't hear about Juliet?
I don't have but a couple minis blooming out of my 60 or 70 roses, so when I give my Dad a tour it's pretty funny. I make him walk through all of them when he comes over every couple weeks, LOL! He always says, next year (most are new) they will look great! ahahaha! He is impressed with the amount of roses I have acquired in such a short time. lol The tour of the canes and leaves....
I'm married and he is stuck with me, markers, alfalfa tea and all!
Now I have to learn to sit my butt down so I can make the markers! I really want to. Sometimes I wish we had a real winter to give me an excuse to stay in and quilt and such.
I hope you do make the markers!
Allison

Oops - Juliet is on the Antique Rose forum. I visit them both and sometimes get them mixed up. But she is a lovely girl, young and single. Unlike me - old and married! lol

My parents feel the same way about my roses as your Dad probably does - just mystified by what I see in them. Your Dad sounds sweet. I keep thinking 'next year' too. Isn't it great that even though our gardens may not look like we want them to now, we always have 'next year'. Gives me hope.

I love your marker idea because even if the rose is not blooming, maybe others can get an idea of what the garden will look like when it's mature. It also is a great thing to have to mix colors with. Some of my roses I'm not sure will 'go together', but I just planted them in the hopes things would blend. The markers would help me to know what it will all look like eventually.

GREAT idea!

My family all understand my weirdness. Mostly since my Brother and Sister in law have it themselves and my Dad got me into this in the first place! My kids have been around roses since they were tiny. Once the boys were old enough to hold a shovel they were helping! Both have spent several summers working at the nursery too.

My youngest is now using the garden as a "chick magnet". He knows which roses he likes and has big plans for next spring. I foresee lots of teen girls being led around my garden!

I love crafty stuff and I am going to try this. I have most of the materials already. Thanks for sharing this.

Trish

Any of you who do actually make these, please post photos! I would love to see how they turn out. I haven't decoupaged anything in almost 40 years, but I might have to consider getting back into it for something like this if they would last a few years. My only concern is after all that effort, will they fade out quickly in the sunny rose beds and need re-doing every year? I know the poly will protect from moisture, but I wonder about UV rays? (Really, I'm not trying to be a kill-joy, I'm just wondering!)
;-)
Anne

Holleygarden, that is exactly what I was thinking about seeing them when they aren't blooming. Especially for new gardens, not established. I frequent the Antique forum (thanks to Ashdown, I was bit! :-)). I must have missed Juliets tale.
My Dad is very sweet, so sweet I have given him a bunch of rose plants! Kinda like when I was doing Persian cat rescue, my parents ended up with a few. :-) He's glad I am into roses now...

Trish, you better get a production line going! lol Are you up to 400 roses now? Whew! How awesome is it that your roses are a chick magnet! My boy is the same age (I believe) I am going to have to subliminally program him..... I am so happy for you! Right now my son is looking at my canes and leaves and finding leaves that don't look "well" and pointing them out like I am doing something wrong!! Niiice.

As an aside, "Old Gray Cemetery Noisette" and La Marne(poly tea), both from Ashdown, have a couple blooms. The blooms and fragrance are AWESOME!!! The blooms on both last forever, on plant. I have NEVER smelled roses like this, just heaven. (I don't have the different rose smells down what so ever so I can't tell you what they are like, darn it.)

Allison

About Decoupage like things: we've tried a lot of markers but mostly have laminated them. What we learned might help.
Never, ever lay the labels flat on anything. The sun in a cruel mistress and will bleach out the strong colors first and everything else soon after.
Putting something on a vertical stick is a start, especially if there's a slight overhang protecting it. If the printed part either faces north or is shaded by the rose bush, it will last.

Thanks Ann! That is very good advice. I will attempt to have the bush shade each sign. I am really looking forward to seeing how these turn out.

I am so glad you are enjoying your roses Allison! I am not quite to 400 yet. I should hit about 250 in the next couple of weeks. Then of course I still have my list of "must haves" that I will be looking to add next year. It just never stops!

My youngest is 17. So far he has been the most interested in the garden. While relocating stuff he would point out blooms that he liked. I will make every attempt to get those roses into our yard. He is a huge fan of stripes. It appears we may have lost his very first rose, Earthquake. He is a bit bummed as I can't seem to find anyone who sells it. But I will look again come spring.

Trish

I found this info: **you can also use the non-yellowing UVA/UVB Varathane polyurethane. You can also decoupage the items with 10-15 coats of decoupage medium and then seal it with the Varathane using another 3-5 coats. That should not only protect the print from fading, but also the paper from deteriorating as well.**

Sounds like a lot of fussing but probably worth it. And shading it a bit is a good idea for sure. I was also thinking of using either scrap copper pipe or stainless pipe I have. (leftover from my husbands job, I knew there was a reason we kept it!) I can imagine the popsicle stick rotting away quickly, even tongue depressers. Plastic knives would be better than wood. Push them down in and the mulch should cover the rest.

Trish my boy is 15 1/2. (I'm just never going to let him date.) I ordered Earthquake mini and got a replacement, Climbing Rainbow's End mini. Tons of colors on one plant he might think that's cool? I think it might be easier to get to. Very highly rated too. I am assuming you are talking about the mini?

Allison