I have asked Santa for a "Plant Book/Diary" that I can keep a record of plants/seeds purchased, a calendar of things to do, what to expect etc but he is having difficulty finding one.
Does anyone here have such a thing and would know where to find one? At the moment I am just writing everything in a notebook and it's getting a bit muddled.
i have a beautiful 5 year one i bought over a year ago after a lot of research, i will look tomorrow for the name of it, i bought it from amazon (it's still empty bar one page ) it is really nice though
sorry i completely forgot it is called 'a gardener's five year record book' it's by the royal horticutural society, it has five pages per month (one for each year and is sectioned to write everything in, i'll just find you a link to make up for my forgetfullness x
amazon above £24, i know i didn't pay that for it, i think i may have bought it as second hand, with a mark on the cover (it was only a sticker mark) from amazon for around £8, if you buy a used one make sure it is or has only marks on outside not written in, i only had a quick look but didn't see many used cheap ones
If you are at ease with computers, you can make your garden plan AND enter your plants list with an ad hoc piece of software. The biggest job is starting from scratch, but once you've created a plan and a database of your plants, keeping it up to date is pretty easy.
I am far too disorganised to do that. My "Good intentions" rarely last long.
I am just about making a note of what new plants I have aquired.in The last year.,
I need to list my Heucheras next. I had all my dayliles listed once. It will be useful when I eventually find which computer folder those pictures are in.
Logan "I didn't do a plan,just put where I thought would be best."
That's exactly where a plan can help: putting plants in the right place for the best effect! But each to their own. For me an ornamental garden is 3 things: a plan, a selection of plants and a scenery.
The plant book sounds an excellent idea, good christmas gift
i have been putting plant labels in my new borders and when i buy a new plant i also remove the attached label if it has one and then on that i write where i have planted the said plant. This autumn i have planted many bulbs. I have put some plant labels in the ground but i have also written on the bulb packets where the bulbs have been planted and also made notes. This is my first proper summer in my garden in respect of plants and new borders dug this year, so when things die back, i have no idea what my garden will look like? Lots of bare patches i guess, still i will wait and see
I'm afraid I'm a bit of a nerd when it comes to record keeping.
I have an excel spreadsheet that I enter my purchases onto, when and where I ordered plants from, was the supplier good, quality of plants, did they arrive on time etc.
I have another excel spreadsheet (if you search on the internet this one is ready done as a template) It has a page for plant inventory (columns for species, variety, size, colour, location etc etc.). I also record plants that fail or I didn't like so that I don't buy them again by mistake.
Another for seed starting log. When sown, when germinated etc.
A third for Tasks and a fourth for garden planning (I don't use these two).
I keep a gardening diary which gives me an idea of what the weather was like and what did well each year and what didn't.
Finally I have a sketchbook that has drawings of each bed (or section of a bed) and what is planted where so that I don't dig them up by mistake or overplant.
I know it sounds like overkill but it doesn't take much time and helps me avoid expensive mistakes.
Posts
i have a beautiful 5 year one i bought over a year ago after a lot of research, i will look tomorrow for the name of it, i bought it from amazon (it's still empty bar one page
) it is really nice though
Thank you Sanjy.
sorry i completely forgot
it is called 'a gardener's five year record book' it's by the royal horticutural society, it has five pages per month (one for each year and is sectioned to write everything in, i'll just find you a link to make up for my forgetfullness x
https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/rhs-a-gardeners-five-year-record-book/9780711234178
wh smith above £15
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gardeners-Five-Year-Record-Book/dp/0711234175/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1476733405&sr=8-4&keywords=a+gardener%27s+five+year+record+book
amazon above £24, i know i didn't pay that for it, i think i may have bought it as second hand, with a mark on the cover (it was only a sticker mark) from amazon for around £8, if you buy a used one make sure it is or has only marks on outside not written in, i only had a quick look but didn't see many used cheap ones
it is nice but because it is rhs it is overpriced
Hi Peanuts3,
If you are at ease with computers, you can make your garden plan AND enter your plants list with an ad hoc piece of software. The biggest job is starting from scratch, but once you've created a plan and a database of your plants, keeping it up to date is pretty easy.
See http://www.rezeau.org/wp-garden/en/garden-plan-2/ and http://www.rezeau.org/wp-garden/en/a-garden-plan-created-with-garden-planner/ and http://www.rezeau.org/wp-garden/en/category/plantae-en/
I am far too disorganised to do that. My "Good intentions" rarely last long.
I am just about making a note of what new plants I have aquired.in The last year.,
I need to list my Heucheras next. I had all my dayliles listed once. It will be useful when I eventually find which computer folder those pictures are in.
'You must have some bread with it me duck!'
Hi Sanjy
Ah well everything is overpriced for Xmas, £15 sounds like a neat present from son Claus, heavy hints now deposited.
Thanks for info and the links, much appreciated.
I don't bother with labels,i remember them. Don't have shrubs or conifers, don't like them. I didn't do a plan,just put where I thought would be best.
Logan "I didn't do a plan,just put where I thought would be best."
That's exactly where a plan can help: putting plants in the right place for the best effect! But each to their own. For me an ornamental garden is 3 things: a plan, a selection of plants and a scenery.
The plant book sounds an excellent idea, good christmas gift
i have been putting plant labels in my new borders and when i buy a new plant i also remove the attached label if it has one and then on that i write where i have planted the said plant. This autumn i have planted many bulbs. I have put some plant labels in the ground but i have also written on the bulb packets where the bulbs have been planted and also made notes. This is my first proper summer in my garden in respect of plants and new borders dug this year, so when things die back, i have no idea what my garden will look like? Lots of bare patches i guess, still i will wait and see
I'm afraid I'm a bit of a nerd when it comes to record keeping.
I have an excel spreadsheet that I enter my purchases onto, when and where I ordered plants from, was the supplier good, quality of plants, did they arrive on time etc.
I have another excel spreadsheet (if you search on the internet this one is ready done as a template) It has a page for plant inventory (columns for species, variety, size, colour, location etc etc.). I also record plants that fail or I didn't like so that I don't buy them again by mistake.
Another for seed starting log. When sown, when germinated etc.
A third for Tasks and a fourth for garden planning (I don't use these two).
I keep a gardening diary which gives me an idea of what the weather was like and what did well each year and what didn't.
Finally I have a sketchbook that has drawings of each bed (or section of a bed) and what is planted where so that I don't dig them up by mistake or overplant.
I know it sounds like overkill but it doesn't take much time and helps me avoid expensive mistakes.