As a grower of unusual native plants, we have had to become skilled in creating labels for these plants.  Luckily we have a thermal printer to handle the printing, but what do we include to the label, and what does it mean?

The basic parts of the label are:

• Name

• Common Name (if it has one)

• Expected size of the plant - a rough shape, habit and the height x width

• Notable feature, usually information about the flowers & foliage

• Growing conditions - information on the amount of sun it can take, the quality of the drainage and other notable characteristics…

Let’s look at the final point - this is the real important part of the label.  It lays out those conditions the plant has to have, if it is going to survive your garden.

•Heavier soils with good drainage in part to full sun. 

Heavier soils implies clay, in fact water logging clay - that does drain in a day or so, not underwater for days to weeks.  Also implicit in this is the fact that these soils are likely alkaline - which is a big discriminator.  Most but not all Grevilleas do not thrive in alkaline clay soils.

•Full to part sun - Full sun means sitting in full sun for most of the day, particularly mid-day.  Part sun means the plant appreciates full sun for part of the day.

•Shade on the other hand means the plant is not exposed to the harsh sun.

•Part or semi shade - can get the sun during parts of the day, but is in a microclimate that avoids the harshest conditions