Growing up I was often given the chore of snipping herbs for the evening's dinner. Usually the task was simple (rosemary, mint, thyme), but then there was lemon thyme and purple basil and shiso leaves and sorrel. My limited knowledge of culinary herbs left me cold and confused in the garden for longer than necessary. Here are 10 different markers—in metal, ceramic, and wood—for those of us trying to remember what's what.
Above: A set of 6 Herb Garden Labels made from white clay and colored glaze have individually hand printed names (rosemary, heirloom tomato, cilantro, oregano, basil, and parsley). Contact Paulova on Etsy for a custom order.
Above: A set of 10 Aluminum Plant Labels that can be stuck into the ground or wrapped around a branch. Meant to be marked with a permanent felt pen and made of anodized aluminum, they are €8 from Manufactum in Germany.
Above: Herb Garden Stakes are made from raw, high-fired porcelain stamped with herb and vegetable names: lavender, cilantro, parsley, rosemary, sage, basil, dill, oregano, mint, and thyme. Contact Pigeon Toe Ceramics for a custom order.
Above: Zinc Hang Tags are made from galvanized metal that remains rust-free (but not patina-free) and can be labeled with a chalk or grease pencil; a set of six is $11.95 from Agrarian.
Above: The Seed Dibber and Label Set from Labour and Wait includes a wooden plant dibber with 1-inch increments, two sets of aluminum plant labels, and a carbon garden pencil (our favorite part of the set) that reacts with the aluminum of the tags. The writing is weatherproof and can only be removed with an eraser; £11.50.
Above: These Terracotta Herb Markers are made in England and come as a set of eight labeled sage, basil, dill, chives, thyme, tarragon, rosemary, and parsley; $17.95 at Kaufmann Mercantile. (Currently out of stock but Sign Up to be notified when they're available.)
Above: We're giving away a set of these Copper Plant Markers—plus a $1,000 gift card—as part of our spring Pinterest Contest with Terrain. The copper plate of each label is slightly tilted for easier reading in the garden; $18 for a set of 10 at Terrain.
Above: This set of 20 smooth-surfaced slate markers of different sizes and shapes comes with a slate pencil. Made from castoff pieces of slate from quarries in Wales, a Wood Box Set of Slate Labels is £49.50 ( or approximately $82.40 US) from Great English Outdoors.
Above: Oak Plant Labels are made from FSC-certified English oak and come in a pack of four with a pencil; £5.50 for the small and £9.50 for the large from Objects of Use in London; currently sold out.
Above: Agrarian's Set of 5 Oak Garden Markers are designed in the UK and made in Poland from FSC-certified oak with a natural oil finish; on sale for $5.99 (down from $12.95) at Williams-Sonoma.
N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on March 26, 2013 in Gardenista issue Belgium & Beyond.
Looking for more garden accessories? Check out our favorite Japanese Garden Boots, these 5 Potting Shed Essentials, and, of course, The Ultimate Twine Holder.