Rather than use a stake with a tag attached, I ended up using black plastic "gutter guard" screening. I make a circle around the base of the rose using UV cable ties to close the loop. I then attach the label to the cutter guard. The picture below may help make it clear. https://picasaweb.google.com/HAKuska/HenrySRoses#slideshow/5070748980103566482 I feel that this worked better than a stake as I had the same problem that seil had: "My problem with tags that stick in the soil and not tied to the rose is that they seem to disappear on me." I suspect that deer or other "critters" dislodged the stakes. Here is a link that might be useful: picture of use of cutter guard

I find it very important to also use a permanent way of marking the names of my perennials. I like to know that when I go to the plant that the name will be there always. With the sheer number of perennials in my yard I could never verify the cost of buying the premade copper or aluminum markers that I have seen in Lee Valley or other mail order catalogues, and I also do not run a nursery where you need those markers for all the visitors that come through each summer. What I do is buy rolls of copper tooling (copper metal foil 40 guage weight). The rolls are 1' wide and 3' long and I used to get them at Lewiscraft here in Canada before they closed, but now I get the rolls from Stockade... Here is the US web site... https://stockade.ca/category.asp?cat=CDL&funds=US Here is the Canadian site in Ontario... https://stockade.ca/category.asp?cat=CDL&no=US&funds=CDN I cut, with regular scissors, the copper into 1/2" by 3" pieces, use a hole punch to punch a hole on the center of one side and hang them on a coat hanger that has been cut and bent into a little hook for the copper to hang on. I then tuck this label behind the plant and sink the label into the ground and rest the copper at ground level. Over time the hanger wire will rust and the copper will patina (change to a brown color) but the name is still 100% readable. Copper tooling is soft enough to write on/engrave with a pen and I have all my perennials labelled with them. They will never fade, break or have to be redone. I have never had any bird fly off with them and no dogs or cats have ever moved or bothered to touch any of them. They cost about 10 cents to make and I make lots each summer for the local farmer's market and sell them 5 for $2.00. Brenda

These are what we use for our cider jugs and plant stakes (obviously different sizes). In both applications they are exposed to water and hold up very well. We have some on stakes that have been outside all winter and still look as crisp as the day they were applied. These are for an ink jet printer - they also have them for laser printers. One trick that we found was to set your printer to the lowest ink setting possible (I think on my Cannon it is Draft). On the regular setting the printer applies too much ink and they smear a little but draft is just perfect. There are free templates available from these guys if you need. On my honey jars I just use regular mailing labels as they are not exposed to wet conditions. Tom Here is a link that might be useful: Weatherproof Matte Inkjet Labels

Thanks Josephine. Maybe somebody here in this city needs to start a hosta business. But I don't have the money or the space for that. And being in Saskatchewan a short growing season, it wouldn't profit much for me......BUT wait...I like your idea of splitting mine and making a few dollars, but again these are hostas!!!! I can't even give them away to my sisters!! LOL. I was actually thinking of doing this with the daylilies to tell you the truth, or try too, but I've got so much work to do around here I never get to that part. I was going to advertise daylilies on texting to everybody I know and then on facebook......who knows