DIY Garden Markers and Hanging Plant Markers

Soeasilydistracted Diy Garden Markers

This project started because all the cute hanging plant markers we made last yearfor the garden using polymer clay are now brittle and crumbling apart even though we painted and sealed them. A lot of effort and expense wasted.

This time, we are going big and bold and will be using leftover slats from our faux wood blinds.Faux wood blind slats are made of vinyl or PVC material and are durable and waterproof; making them perfect for a variety of alternative indoor and outdoor uses. They are relatively easy to cut (see our tips), can be drilled and sanded, and glued together nicely with a hot glue gun.

If you don’t have any leftover faux wood slats, you can also use foam core poster board, leftover composite wood flooring planks (the waterproof kind) or pine lath slats (which may need sanding/painting first). Or any other thin material that is or can be cut into 2 inch widths.

Cutting The Garden Markers

You can achieve the cleanest cuts by using a compound miter saw with a fine tooth blade. But you can also cut them using a good pair of scissors or a utility knife. Finer detail cuts can be made using a craft knife. If you do use scissors, sharpen the blades and make smaller cutsas you go rather than large, forceful cuts.

Our oversized garden markers are 2″ by 10″ with a 1 1/2″ taper at the end. The square hanging plant labels are 2 inches square.

Decorating Plant Labels

A subtle scroll background was chosen, so we made a stamp by cutting a scroll shape out of foam sheet and gluing it onto a small piece of wood. We mixed acrylic paint with glaze to thin it out then stamped the plant labels. The faux wood blind slats can also be spray painted, and we’ll be trying out a copper finish next.

Adding Lettering

We tried several different font types and decided that Kadisoka was the look we wanted. Not having the greatest penmanship, it was easier to use an online font previewer and type in each plant type and use that as reference. Then, using a pencil, lightly traced an outline of the word onto the label. A permanent marker was used to fill in the pencil outlines. Use an industrial permanent marker (one rated for temperature extremes); otherwise the lettering will fade after extended sun exposure.

Here are the green scrolllabels used in the garden with different font types. The garlic label (using Kadisoka font) is the favorite.

soeasilydistracted-diy-garden-markers-green-scroll.jpg
Pale green scroll garden plant markers

These labels use a pale blue scroll background, have rounded top edges, and a cutout for a glass stone that lets light shine through (also using Kadisoka font for the lettering)

soeasilydistracted-diy-garden-markers-blue-scroll.jpg
Pale blue scroll background with glass stones using Kadisoka font lettering

These are the smaller plant markers that we’ll be using for potted plants and herbs. They have a yellow scroll background and some hanging pearl and acrylic crystal bling.

soeasilydistracted-diy-garden-markers-hanging-parsely.jpg
Hanging plant labels using a yellow scroll background and acrylic crystal bling

More hanging plant labels ready to install.

soeasilydistracted-diy-garden-markers-hanging.jpg
Hanging plant labels ready to install

Here’s a more contemporary version of the oversized garden markers that will be used where they catch afternoon sunlight.

soeasilydistracted-diy-garden-markers-with-bling.jpg
A little more of a modern look for plant markers with hanging crystal cutouts

And last (but not least), a hanging plant label with a metallic paint border and an old earring for decorative garden bling. This one would look nice with a copper plant post. No lettering yet on this label marker.

soeasilydistracted-diy-garden-markers-with-earring.jpg
A plant marker with metallic paint border and a gold earring sunburst for extra garden bling

Categories: Backyard