Keeping Track of Your Garden Beds and Plants Using a Camera

By beckygardener
September 16, 2016

Many gardeners need a way to easily keep track of their garden beds as well as their plants (especially if they are hybridizing). With camera in hand, I came up with two ideas that have worked for me.

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Sep 16, 2016 7:43 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Caroline Scott
Calgary (Zone 4a)
Bulbs Winter Sowing Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Peonies Lilies Charter ATP Member
Region: Canadian Enjoys or suffers cold winters Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Garden Ideas: Master Level
I always forget what is where over the winter,
so I am taking pictures of each garden bed or area.
While I do keep a journal----I imagine the beds and areas to be
different sizes or more crowded.
Pictures keep it all in perspective for me.
And it helps with planning new plants for next season.
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Sep 16, 2016 11:59 AM CST
Name: Vickie
southern Indiana (Zone 6b)
Bee Lover Garden Photography Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Daylilies Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Region: United States of America
Region: Indiana Garden Art Annuals Clematis Cottage Gardener Garden Ideas: Level 2
Becky, you are so on top of this!! Congratulations and kudos for all your hard work with your seedling beds Thumbs up They certainly look good and I love the picture ideas!! I always grab my camera when I go out to the garden.

The design of your raised beds always makes me smile. Love that you can easily get to each daylily in the bed with that "U" shaped design.

The clipboard idea is awesome. I love taking pictures and always take a picture of the garden label first, then a picture of the bloom so I can keep track of which daylily is which. You took it a step further with the stats on the clipboard. What a great idea!
May all your weeds be wildflowers. ~Author Unknown
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Sep 16, 2016 12:05 PM CST
Name: Angie
Concord, NC (zone 7)
I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Charter ATP Member Region: North Carolina Daylilies Roses Clematis
Butterflies Cat Lover Birds Hummingbirder Seed Starter
Great tips, Becky. I started using my camera to record my plants last year after struggling to ID DLs that had
lost their tags for one reason or another. Frustrating, to say the least! But I photo'd all my beds and labeled
all the plants just as you have done. I'm not into hybridizing, but I'm super impressed by your efficiency and
creativity.

BTW, you've got some great DLs there!
I think that if ever a mortal heard the voice of God it would be in a garden at the cool of the day. ~F. Frankfort Moore, A Garden of Peace

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Sep 16, 2016 4:35 PM CST
Name: Linda
Tucson, Arizona
Morning Glories Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Region: United States of America Amaryllis Hummingbirder
Region: Southwest Gardening Echinacea Roses Birds Seed Starter Plumerias
Very impressive! Thumbs up
" And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden" Genesis 2:8
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Sep 16, 2016 5:00 PM CST
Name: Barbalee
Amarillo, TX (Zone 6b)
WTB, Becky! You're definitely teaching me something! Thank You!
Avatar is 'Global Crossing' 04-20-2017
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Sep 16, 2016 8:59 PM CST
Name: Becky
Sebastian, Florida (Zone 10a)
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Daylilies Hummingbirder Butterflies Seed Starter Container Gardener
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Birds Ponds
Thanks to each of you for your kind comments! I am glad you enjoyed the article and my ideas!

Keeping accurate track of plants is always a challenge for me, so trying these 2 ideas has proven successful for me. I hope my ideas help other gardeners as well.

Happy planning and gardening everyone! Smiling
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters, compared to what lies within us.
Garden Rooms and Becky's Budget Garden
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Sep 17, 2016 6:11 AM CST
Name: Sue Petruske
Wisconsin (Zone 5a)
Becky,

What a great idea. I'm going to check out the school supplies now.

WHAT did we do before digital cameras???? Confused Blinking Confused
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Sep 17, 2016 6:26 AM CST
Name: Becky
Sebastian, Florida (Zone 10a)
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Daylilies Hummingbirder Butterflies Seed Starter Container Gardener
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Birds Ponds
Sue - I hope you can find one of these cheapo white clipboards. I went back to the store and bought a second one because I like this idea so much. I was worried I might be without one at some point. So I have a back-up clipboard now! Big Grin
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters, compared to what lies within us.
Garden Rooms and Becky's Budget Garden
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Sep 17, 2016 5:35 PM CST
Name: Ginny G
Central Iowa (Zone 5a)
Plant Addict!!
Bee Lover Miniature Gardening Native Plants and Wildflowers Peonies Plant Lover: Loves 'em all! Enjoys or suffers hot summers
Region: United States of America Vegetable Grower Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Lilies Irises Region: Iowa
Becky great idea!! I don't hybridize either but I'm really trying to record what and where I have things!!
Be a person that makes others feel special.
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Sep 17, 2016 6:07 PM CST
Name: Becky
Sebastian, Florida (Zone 10a)
Celebrating Gardening: 2015 Daylilies Hummingbirder Butterflies Seed Starter Container Gardener
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Garden Ideas: Master Level Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Birds Ponds
Ginny - Thank you.

I hope my ideas successfully help others with this universal dilemma that the majority of gardeners have. Please feel free to share how it works for you over time! I'd love to know how it works for others here on NGA.
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters, compared to what lies within us.
Garden Rooms and Becky's Budget Garden
Last edited by beckygardener Sep 17, 2016 6:08 PM Icon for preview
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