Saxifraga Event at Waterperry March 2012

[Maren]

I would have thought a simple red cross, number, coloured pebble to link the reference rock to the picture would be sufficient. This is a simple solution and could be done in less than half an hour at no cost.

Here is an example of the plants and the related diagram. If there were one identifying mark on both, it would be very easy to work out what's what.

It's easier when there is a trough, where the items are more confined.

[Tim Ingram]

I would have loved to see all the saxifrages at Waterperry, but after some debate decided I needed to get on with a very large pile of material that needed shredding - must put it down for next year. As regards labelling - we have the same problem recording plantings in the garden and in the past I drew diagrams (cf: those illustrated in this thread). These were OK for me, because I already had a good knowledge of what was where, but others I think would have had trouble deciphering them. Now that it is so easy to take digital photographs I use this as a method to record new plantings, and it is a lot easier to relate to what you see. This is pretty much what David suggests. Different sections of the plantings can then be related to specific photographs of each area. This is obviously especially important with plants like saxifrages where so many hybrids have been raised.

I've been toying with the same idea for our sand bed when the garden is open for the NGS and AGS; otherwise any labels that are there get pulled out and stuck back in willy nilly (or sometimes if someone is really interested, taken away!).

[Lesley Cox]

I may have misunderstood Tim R but it seemed he was saying if the plants were labelled beside them, they would be more likely to be stolen. If this is so, I have to ask do people steal the name or the look? I mean would they steal a sax because it had a fancy name or because they like the look of it, in flower?