Why I always swear by designer labels

a new “treasure”, is replace the brittle pictorial nursery label with a more durable one.

You could settle for strong plastic labels with the name written in HB pencil or indelible marker pen, or else splash out on the copper sort that you etch with an old ballpoint pen. Personally, I like to use black labels that I write on with a silver marker pen – in the ground they are virtually invisible but the name never wears off.

Some enthusiasts invest in a professional-style label-printing machine for the full botanic garden effect but that sort of kit comes at a price.

Some serious name savers create a fail-safe system for back up, entering the names of new plants in a “garden ledger” or on their computer as soon as they buy them, along with details of planting position (which may be cross-linked to a plan of their patch), supplier and price.

They may even follow up with records showing what became of those same plants years later, if they succumb to old age, disease or even a mishap with the mower.

This may all sound strange but keeping such details makes a great way of learning by your mistakes and building up a unique store of knowledge in your specialist field.

Eventually you will have enough facts at your fingertips to write the definitive book on your favourite family of plants. Believe me, it happens all the time in the world of specialist garden publishing.

Even when you aren’t quite so obsessive there’s something to be said for keeping some vital garden information in a safe place for future reference – instruction manuals, manufacturers’ guarantees and lists of spare parts for garden machinery and receipts.

It’s also worth keeping the brochures that come with good garden furniture, barbecues, paving and outbuildings so you can look up the maker’s advice on how to clean and care for them correctly, to make them last.

You simply can’t keep it all in your head but one box file does the job. It’s worth keeping recent catalogues from all your favourite nurseries and seed firms, and details of local garden services.

Knowing where to lay your hands on the right information just when you need it can save you time and money, not to mention a lost temper.

SAVOUR THE FRUITS OF YOUR LABOUR