Thanks IB! I'm trying to keep the perspective you mention in mind. Your words of encouragement were very much appreciated! :) I do think the books were used as a reference. That's what I'm wondering about--is there a better reference book out there? There is a PA Flora database Website run by U Penn., which references all the natives, and also MBOT has a Web database for a lot of commercially used plants. When I'm "out in the field" identifying plants, I tend to use wild plant field guides and I can usually identify a "domesticated" plant because I know its wild cousin. Some of them I just know because I am a plant weenie. Anyway, it's hard to know what book is best since these days I mostly find what I'm looking for online. So many universities have plant databases, and also USDA and the cooperative extension services have put out a lot of material. But nothing beats a good, comprehensive field guide for helping orient a newbie to the ins and outs of plant ID, such as it is. The way things are going with proprietary ways of plant breeding though, who knows what the future will bring! Anyway, I learned plant ID scientifically--by learning descriptive terms and the key characteristics of the families. The instructors taught natural history too. Is this the same approach used in landscaping education? The previous instructor organized the class by what she knew, which was somewhat similar to my knowledge base. I always approach a garden like a mini-ecosystem, at least for starters. I think I may pay a visit to some friends of mine who run a native plant nursery. They have a good little library and I have often gone to them with questions about plants. I have taught botany before, but it was "Field Botany for Educators" and I taught a mix of "wildflowers," trees, shrubs, and grasses. I have my favorite field guides for those kinds of plants, but I'm not going to suggest that my students buy all those! Anyway, I'm not familiar with what are the great "domesticated" plant encyclopedias. You know, like for trees, a lot of people swear by Michael Dirr's guides, for Birds folks love Roger Tory Peterson, etc.

Scott, If you only had 1 or 200 conifers it doesn't matter. The point is to find the best plant marker out there that happens to be trouble free and will still be there long after the plant dies. That has happened to me numerous times. I then pull it up stick a new name on it and away we go. We all have different opinions. You need to decide what works best for you. I think you have enough to go on. I am sure Ken only has your best interests in mind. Opinionated for sure, but aside from that a good resource for valuable information. By the way I am opinionated also. "So since bunky only has 45-50 conifers" If you have that many then putting the correct name on a marker is a must. A conifer collector you have become. Most people that would take time to look at 50 different conifers have more then a occasional interest. Having a name on them will relieve you of the embarrassment of not knowing what you are growing. I still on occasion have to look at the tag to give correct information to the person that is interested. No big deal...who could remember all those Latin pronunciations any way. "I kind of get the feeling I'm not good enough to talk with the elites, but nobody here normally talks down to me in this way." There are a few elites on this forum and rightly so. Its easily to separate the ones that are in the know from those that think they are. I have been helped numerous times by those in the know. Straighten those feathers back up and keep on posting. We enjoy your comments and the photos of your conifers. Dave

At first I went to a lot of trouble to make cement coaster size markers and used paint pens to write on them, then I went to rocks with a paint pen. The cement ones cracked and broke up after a few years, and the paint faded on both. This is my latest: Take an aluminum can and cut it into approx. 1" x 3" address size labels. "Emboss" the name of the hosta by writing on it backwards or upside down. Use a stylus or an ink pen. Works best if you surface it padded with something. I usually fold over the edges too. Then punch holes in both sides using a paper punch. Using some heavy duty wire (wire hangers work great) attach to tag by bending wire around the edge of the label and through the holes and stick in the ground next to the hosta. Actually, I just had a great idea. You could use those metal landscape staples too. Anyway, I stick it all the way down so nothing is sticking up to get knocked over or lost. The aluminum lasts forever and the "embossing" will never fade. Working great so far!

I have used the big metal markers that reach out & cut your legs & look like a little pet cemetary in the winter. So I got rid of all them. I grows lots of daylilys, so I now get the 20'lengths of pvc pipe I think there 1.19 each. I use my jig saw to cut the pieces, I was cutting them about 12" but now cutting them about 7" just enough to stick out of the ground. I can write on the part that is above the ground with a magic marker. Or you may want to use a paint pen which will last longer in the sun. But I have an electric engraver they are about 20.00 & I use the plastic ware knives. I can engrave all the information on them like: Lavender Blue Baby Carpenter 96, 28" T, then I put my knife in the white pvc pipe sticking out of the ground, & if my name fades off from the sun, that is OK because you can get the knife & you still have all the info. The dirt on the knife makes them easier to read. Get the thinner pvc pipe so your knifes will go in them easier. When I go to the fast food places I save the knives. Most are the right size & with the engraver info. on them you can use any color. Some knives are to big to fit in the pvc pipe. Just take a piece with you when shopping for knives. Hope this will help you. May not be the prettiest markers, but you sure won't ever loose the names & won't cut your legs up.