What’s in a Name? Labels at the Garden

Many plants in the Botanical Garden are identified with metal labels.

A good place to find conifer identifications is near the gate into the volunteer area from Mason Road. Some large native trees are labelled along the edge of the ravine and around the native habitat gardens.

Shrubs and perennial labels are found in the gardens around the pavilion and in the different native habitats.

Labels are usually at the left-hand end of a row, or beside an identical plant nearby. A tree may have a hanging label at about eye level. We try to keep it all up to date, but plants grow to hide their labels, some get broken. Many plants die away for a season, but the label stays in place. There are more than 800 metal labels in the garden, and many laminated paper ones on new plants.

Here is what to look for on our plant labels:

Some plants have several common names, and some name refer to several different plants.

Unique to the species found in the wild or the cultivar developed in horticulture by selection or hybridizing, not by genetic engineering. ‘x’ indicates a hybrid.

Plants are grouped into families with similar characteristics.

Where in the world this species originated. Cultivars are of garden origin.

As recorded on the spreadsheet. The first two digits indicate the year in which it was planted.

A small dogwood logo indicates a species native to the Pacific North West.