Garden Labels

The garden needed some labels but all that was available on ebay were the platic popsicle stick variety,

the copper foil on steel variety, and some expensive terra cotta ones that were way too "traditional" looking for my garden. 

Yeah.. I know.. I plant my stuff in 18-gallon totes and it sounds odd that I'd whine about the labels of all things!

However, I wanted something whimsical and original.. 

After searching online and finding nothing cool under $1.50  ea .. I got the idea to make my own from scrap aluminum metal.  Here's what you need:

• Scrap aluminum metal (preferably cutable with scissors) - $0
• Old Nail polish - $0  
• Nail polish remover (if you screw up) - $0
• 12 gauge steel wire ( to make the stems) - $8.99 (for 100 feet)
• mixed bag of small glass marbles - $1
• mixed bag of large glass marbles - $1
• 26 gauge copper craft wire - less than $2.49 (for 30 yds)
• 24 gauge silver craft wire - less than $.99  (for 25 yds)

Total: about $15  in materials for over 30 garden labels
(50 cents each! and the results speak for themselves...)

The herb garden is really kickin' this year! I picked up a new digicam this week for a work project and decided to take some snapshots of my garden to test out the fancy features.  Here's the link to my garden gallery:

• Julia's Herb Garden 2007

We even managed to attract more wild pollinators this year which in turn has yielded more veggies than previous years.  The wildflowers, basil, lavender, bee balm, and hyssop seem to draw them in.  Hopefully some will take refuge in our Mason bee shelter and bumblebee box so they don't have far to go. 

Click read more for pics..