If you've been planting bulbs and perennials, please be sure to label them, especially bulbs, which are too often sliced in bits by questing spades. Rather than the plastic ones, use aluminium or copper plant labels (expensive, but indestructible and endlessly recyclable) attached to long wire stick-pins. Make these from wire coat-hangers: straighten out and cut into approximately 12 inch (30 centimetre) lengths with a pliers or wire-cutters (not your secateurs!). Thread one end through the hole in the plant label and loop over. Plunge firmly into the soil next to the plant. Helen Dillon demonstrated this simple invention on television some years ago, and I have used it since.
jpowers@irish-times.ie