I bid on some one time at ebay that were vintage unfortunately I didn't win them :).
But they seem like they would be easy to make.
They were cork lid glass tubes with copper wire wrapped around them.You actually write the name/genus on a slip of paper and keep it inside the tube.I believe you could bury these but if you wanted to keep them above ground you could maybe write calligraphy style on the paper, Make some sort of holder to keep them upright or make some interesting toppers like they do for oil bottles etc for the kitchen.Maybe out of fimo clay.Just an idea :).
Heidi S~

I saw in a magazine where they took some shards of broken terra cotta pot and wrapped some wire , they used copper, wrap the wire around the shard and make a long piece poking down to stick in the ground write the plant name on the shard with a perm. marker.

I use Slate tiles. I break them into smaller pieces, use paint pen & glue them to heavy wire or strips of cedar fence (cut fence into strips). Mine have lasted for years.

Honeybee

Connie, that is a great idea, thanks , that is what I am going to do this year.

Here is a picture of one. I used the paint pens from wal-mart in black and then outlined the writing in gold. I clear coated the rock when I was finished. We have two pups that have been running like crazy through the yard and my flower beds. The white plastic markers that I had they just love....love to run by them pulling them up as they go! They haven't disturbed any of the rocks.

Connie

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:2110564}}

TRY GLUING PICTURES OR PHOTOS OF THE FLOWER
TO STONES OR RIVER ROCK AND THEN SEALING WITH
A WEATHER SEALER AND PLACING AT FOOT OF PLANT.
THE NAME COULD ALSO BE WRITTEN UNDER WITH PEN

twin oaks your photo is not there..would love to see them ;-)

Saw some cute ones that someone made out of fan blades from a ceiling fan: Mounted them on a post and decoupaged pics and writing on them. I used pieces of mini blind. The writing stayed on them, but heaving of the ground from freeze to thaw pitched them right out of the dirt...

I'm not sure what happened to my earlier picture (I am the member formerly known as Twinoaksfarm lol!). I'll re-post it.

Connie

Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}

My Dad and I used to haunt all the second hand stores for unique spoons and forks to make spoon rings out of! When I cleaned out his house, I found the 'collection', and I'm using them for plant markers. Just write the name of plant inside the bowl of the spoon with paint marker and insert into the ground on a slant. I am also using the forks with foil by weaving the foil thru the tines of the fork! It works for me and, besides that, it's meaningful!

Oh, well, mine is simple and not decorative. I just cut up strips from ice cream container, punch a hole and insert a piece of string long enough for the label to hang around the specific stem I want it placed. The name of the plant is indicated with a felt waterproof pen.
This is what I do with my orchids when I pollinate them for hybridizing.

I've been pushing chopsticks into the ground where I placed bulbs so that I know where not to dig when I add more stuff. I just keep a little bit of it sticking up. I guess I eat my share of chinese food! karen

I heard this idea somewhere on GW. You take an old mini blind and use a sharpie to write the info on, whack it off at the length you want and stick it in the ground. One old mini blind would go a loooooong way!

Mini blinds are what we use to make ID markers for the pots of plants we sell from our herb club (cut at a angle the end that goes into the ground). They are not pretty in the garden, but very utililtarian, & last forever (well, as far as I can determine! LOL) But Sharpies and other marking pen ink fades in the sun/weather, so I have learned to use china markers (aka grease pencils). Pick up the blinds at flea market/garage sales, Goodwill, etc. Should get them for no more than a buck or even free (I did). Some animals do pull them out, though, and over winter, they will heave out, too. CK

These aren't particularly pretty but they poke up out of the snow, giving me hope of seeing "green" again-I take paint stirrers-the big wooden ones-write the plant names on a few times with sharpies, seal with clear coat spray-like Krylon-about 3 coats-and they last about two seasons before they need to be removed. I pound them into the ground with either a hammer or mallet.

Years ago somebody gave me several dozen 4" terra cotta pots. Personally, I think they stink for growing plants in. But they make great garden markers!

My uncle cuts soda cans into small strips than uses something with a blunt tip to etch names of plants the punches a hole in the end and ties around stems of plants.
This makes a permanent tag for the plant. Weather doesn't effect them.

I'm also having problem keeping mini blind type with right plant.My problems is kittens they love to play with them.I'm planning on trying clothes hangers cut and bent for stakes.And pieces of pop cans wrapped around and attached at top below bend as ID labels.Will try to get a pic to share.
lil_bird

I purchased the label maker that prints out, then put that label on mini blind . They look nice and uniform and should last along time.I also put the date for bulbs and such.I also have laminated seed packs so they last for awhile to.

Thank you, everyone for the great ideas. I think I'll do the rock markers. I live in Rockbridge County Virginia. And rightly named, there is an abundant amount of rocks to write on.
Thanks again and Happy Gardening to you all!

When I buy flowers in the small plastic containers alot of the time the containers are broken and I throw them away. Now however I take a sharp pair of heavy duty scissors and draw with a permanent marker the shape of the flower I am marking with a section to stick in the ground. Paint with an outdoor paint or permanent marker the flower and name. Or just the color of the flower and the name.

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.

Kay_H wrote:
"Years ago somebody gave me several dozen 4" terra cotta pots. Personally, I think they stink for growing plants in. But they make great garden markers!"
What a great idea. Very inexpensive, too, for the very small, cute ones. Do you leave them tucked into the ground, or raise them up somehow??

I make flowers from coke cans, watercolor paper, fabric, and whatever works. I have some patterns and instructions i can share with you. Go to my member page and get in touch with me and i'll try to email them to you....Judy B

Judy B, I have tried emailing you. Can't get it to work.
If your still around, I would love to see the instructions you mentioned in your post. Please email me.

Brenda

Garden markers help in creating a beautiful garden and also help the gardener in identifying the plants.Our easy to read sun-resistant and weatherproof labels is printed 360 dots per inch on abrasion resistant polyester tape. We offer compatible ideal markers and labels in different sizes and colors at affordable prices.

I've been using strips of aluminum soda cans as functional plant markers for years; just write on them with something pointy, like a scribe, knitting needle, ballpoint pen (empty or full of ink). That leaves a permanent mark on the metal that doesn't wash off or fade, and the aluminum outlasts plastic.

Lately, I've been making pretty markers in ceramics class; roll and cut a strip of clay, then use rubber stamp letters to impress the plant name. Let dry to leather hard, and fill in the letters with underglaze. Let that dry a bit, then wipe off the high points to neaten up. Bisque fire; you can add a clear glaze if you like, but I usually just go with bare. I think polymer clay (like Fimo or Sculpey) would work the same way, and you wouldn't need a kiln.