TOOL BOX : Little green labels

Plastic is wonderful stuff, but more traditional materials tend to look better in the garden. Few please the eye more than copper, which has been highly regarded since ancient times.

That is why the award-winning Verdigris range of plant labels caught my eye, which combine the attractive with the practical. The copper is thin and soft enough for the plant's name to be engraved with a ballpoint. Copper does not rust, instead, it weathers to a very pleasing green-blue colour.

The labels come in three sorts. The 3in T-shaped labels, for pots, herb gardens and so on, cost £3.49 for 15. The tags, with copper wires, are £4.75 for 15. For taller plants, 10 markers, five of them spares, come with stainless-steel frames to which they can be attached in seconds. This pack costs £4.49.

Verdigris Ltd, Walkern Hall Farms, Walkern, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG2 7HZ (0438 869346). Labels can be ordered by post, but include money for postage and packing.