Cutlery Plant Markers

If you read my blog, you've heard me say before that I've been known to enjoy instant gratification. But my garden is teaching me to slow it down and be patient. There is nothing better than sowing seeds and discovering a little green sprout pushing up through the soil.

Right now, I'm being patient with my wild flower path garden. Since I gave all of the new plants the space they need for their future growth, a lush flower bed it is not...yet! I have visions of this garden being dense and bursting with blooms. In fact, I left the little colored picture plant markers next to a few of the plants, so when I walk down the path, I'm reminded of the beauty that is yet to come. Many were recommended by GreatPlant Picks, so I have high hopes. So far, I've planted:

• Six purple artichoke plants
• Two English lavender plants
• One Spanish lavender plant
• Three different types of Echinacea (Great Plant Pick)
• Shasta Daisy (Great Plant Pick)
• Rudbeckia
• Two varieties of Coreopsis
• Marigolds
• Several mounds of Blue Oat Grass (Great Plant Pick)

To keep myself busy while I wait for everything to fill in and look beautiful, I've taken to make cutlery plant markers. I was first inspired when I saw this post on Willi's blog. But like most crafty things I see, I think to myself, I can make that! A trip to the Goodwill left me with a bag full of old forks, knives, and spoons for under $5. Of course, they're not all actually vintage, but it's the overall look that really appealed to me anyway, not the fact that they were actually antique.

Since I tend to be a pretty artsy girl, I sat down and hand-painted a bunch of the spoons and knives. A little acrylic paint, a thin paint brush, and some clear sealer will go a long way.

The forks are really my favorite though and are very easy to make. I found a thin sheet of aluminum at my local hardware store for around $10. I cut it into thin strips by scoring the metal with an Exacto knife and snapping the strips off the main piece of metal. Make sure to wear gloves to protect your fingers from the raw edge. Then, I wrote the name of each plant on a strip with a sharpie and wedged it in between the tines of a fork. The perfect afternoon project for an antsy girl, waiting for her flowers to bloom.