I have tried many of the above labeling options and have never really been 100% satisfied. I have been looking at new options myself (as spring will be here soon...best to label my irises while I know what they are). See the link below for stamped spoon labels. You don't have to use silver spoons...just go to Goodwill and get the really cheep ones, but if you know what you are looking at you can fine silver spoons at Goodwill for the same price as all the rest. I have a lot of different varieties and I'm also an artist, so I would be more likely to justify the investment in some of the tools involved with this one. For someone who only has a few varieties, it might not be worth the money to invest in the letter stamps. I'm not sure if I would use the spoons in my garden, but I really like the stamping idea...one could use the stamps on all sorts of metal labels. I too have lost varieties do to having a mixed iris border at the beginning. Over the years, I have been trying to drastically separate out each variety, giving lots of space between each, so I don't accidentally loose more. Matthew Indiana.Matt Here is a link that might be useful: Stamped Spoon Garden Labels

I got some kind of blush one.It actually had its 1st bloom today,then I tried killing it by stretching out from porch to grab it(hanging basket 6 inch)I did see are 3 more buds and its not very big.I've had it sitting in a small starter cup and noticed it wasn't growing anymore so potted it last week.I seen the bud yesterday when watered...missed seeing the bloom,but did peek.Its now re potted and I dunked it in pond.I'd have to check my book,but believe seed was started May 18th.I up potted other stuff but that was the pot it started in a square 4 inch cup.It has lots of roots.maybe pot bound makes them happy.I don't think I fertilized it.If I did right.I fertilized the up sized pots..I doubt its 5 inches tall.I didn't even sow my other seeds,but will be the 1st ones done next yr.

The purpose of the lamp on the table in the window would be a combination of ambient and task (reading). I volunteer at a nice consignment shop and am always on the lookout for nice lamps there. I think you are on to something, may_flowers, regarding the lamp shade. This afternoon, just for the heck of it, I put a lamp from the family room on the table and it looks so much better with a wide, drum shade instead of the flared lamp shade. This lamp(borrowed from the FR) is a little more than 27" tall. So, I guess I've been way off with my height restriction, too! So, all along I thought I was looking for a shorter, darker color lamp and now I'm thinking taller and lighter color. Yikes!

I am the same way. It drives me crazy to have a rose that I don't know what it is. I was at a friend's house and she only has about a dozen roses, most of which are Knockouts. She has four along a wall and when I asked what they were, one with small pink blooms, one with large fragrant light pink blooms, one with small lavender blooms, and one with red blooms. She doesn't know what they are and it doesn't bother her a bit. But it is driving me crazy! LOL.