Study Shows the Positive Mental Health Benefits of Gardening

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Claiming the Benefits of Gardening as Your Own

benefits of gardeningRegardless of your age, race or socioeconomic status, the pressure of modern living is a reality. So how do you deal with the stress of daily living? Many find that regular exercise is helpful. However you don’t have to be a triathlete in order to gain the de-stressing that comes through physical activity. A formal study now shows that improved mental health is one of the many benefits of gardening.

The Study

The study was performed through the University of Florida. In it, researchers compared outcomes for 23 healthy women and a control group to see how regular gardening sessions impacted brain activity and emotional outlook. Women in the study participated in group gardening two times per week for six weeks. Researchers used brain scans and other mental health measures in order to determine baseline data before the gardening sessions started and then again at the conclusion of the six-week study period.

The Results

At the end of the study, researchers found that the ladies who took part in the group gardening activities showed evidence of greater energy, less stress, more friendliness and lowered anxiety in comparison to those in the control group. The benefits of gardening were due to several factors. Exercise was certainly one of those factors. But having to make plans about where to plant and how to care for plants also figured into the improved wellness equation. Simply interacting with growing things also yielded positive results.

Implications

Researchers admit that the small size of the study group establishes it as an introductory investigation. They hope to conduct a larger scale study in the future. However, the results appear clear enough to draw conclusions. After all, many people recognize the benefits of gardening almost intuitively. Being outside, watching things grow, interacting with others – these are all things that people readily accept as contributing to an overall sense of well-being.

Other Benefits of Gardening

While gardening certainly seems to qualify as a healthy coping mechanism for dealing with stress, it also offers other benefits. More nutritious eating, for one. Having bounty to share with others is another. Opportunities to learn and problem-solve also make the list of benefits.

So if life is leaving you feeling stressed perhaps it’s time to consider taking up gardening. But even if you don’t feel tense, the many benefits of gardening are enough to invite investing in a trowel, some gloves and a few plant markers. At Kincaid Plant Markers we recommend gardening for all the reasons stated above and more. Gardening is enjoyable.and it makes the world a better place. We hope you’ll check out our website and order your first set of quality plant markers and begin reaping those benefits in your own life.

Wildflower Identification in Your Natural Garden

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Use Markers for Wildflower Identification to Enjoy a Summer of Meadow Beauty

wildflower identificationIf you’ve spent this summer tending carefully organized beds and hedges you may be thinking that a little bit of wildness could have a definite attraction. In fact, wildflower gardens often attract the appreciative glances of nearly every visitor. While finely tuned and immaculate flower gardens can be quite lovely, there is a winsome charm to the free-spiritedness of meadow-inspired beauty. Whether you plant along a fence row or in a more expansive area, use markers for wildflower identification as a testament to nature’s own flair for the spectacular.

Tips on Starting Your Wildflower Garden

A wildflower garden is planted in early spring so there isn’t much to be done right now, unless it is to start clearing a space for next year. If you desire to create a lush landscape you’ll want at least 12 feet by 10 feet of space – preferably within reach of your hose. Wildflowers look great along property or fence lines too, however.

Choose spaces that are sun-soaked. Your flowers will crave at least six hours of full sunshine. Clear the area of all weeds and debris. Next spring, turn the soil and mix in compost.

Gather the wildflower seeds you’ve chosen and mix them in a pail to get a truly random spread of seed. Sow them liberally and then rake them under. You’ll want to water the garden two times daily until your flowers are established. A thin layer of straw can help the garden hold moisture.

Challenges

There will be challenges to your back-to-nature garden. The first challenge will come from the air in the form of hungry birds who assume you’ve laid out seeds especially for their dining pleasure. Your second challenge will come from the soil itself in the form of pesky weeds. Some gardeners suggest planting a few of your seeds in pots so that you can know precisely what young flowers look like. Wildflower identification will help you tremendously when it comes to differentiating between weeds and beauties in the making.

Suggested Wildflowers

The breathtaking pageant of the wild garden is dependent upon a vibrant mix of color and texture. Here are some suggested flowers with which to begin:

  • Rich red annual poppies
  • Buttery yellow corn marigolds
  • Vivid purple cornflowers
  • Fuchsia corncockles
  • Bright yellow coreopsis
  • Zinnias and cosmos in a variety of colors
  • Graceful ox-eye daisies

Enjoy

It’s hard to describe the pleasure that your wildflower garden will inspire. Perhaps it’s the idea that random beauty is a gift. That gift will be giving pleasure from spring until late summer – so be prepared for a long season of enjoyment.

Order your Kincaid Plant Markers now so that next spring you’ll be ready for wildflower identification. The war with the birds will end once your flowers take root. The war against weeds won’t. But the glory of your wildflower garden will come, in part, from its imperfection. Bees and butterflies might not need plant markers but you will find them quite helpful. Wildflower identification in your meadow garden will deepen everyone’s appreciation for the casually spectacular beauty of nature.

Prepare Your Garden Now to Yield Root Vegetables This Fall

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How to Prepare Your Garden for a Second Harvest Season

prepare your gardenThe hot summer temperatures are ripening tomatoes and helping deliver bumper crops of cucumber, squash, corn and beans. But all your work prepping your garden doesn’t have to stop giving a return on your investment with summer’s end. Without much work at all, you can prepare your garden right now to yield more nutritious goodness in September, October and even November. When you realize how easy it will be to continue harvesting, you’ll be wanting to get busy prepping for a second growing season.

It’s So Easy

Since you likely did the hard labor of tilling, composting and weeding prior to summer, you won’t have to do any of that to get your fall vegetables in the ground. If you have some large-leaf veggies growing right now, they can provide the ideal shade spot for new fall seedlings to get their start. Just loosen a bit of earth (down to about five inches) in the shade of existing plants and you’ll be good to go. Your existing plants are well-established so you won’t do them harm by disturbing the soil.

Of course, you could grow your fall plants in flats until they are ready for transplant. This course of action is good insofar as you will be able to keep the soil appropriately moist and climate controlled. Once fall plants boast a couple of mature-sized leaves, they are ready to be transplanted. Again, no need to do a bunch of work to prepare your garden. Just intersperse your seedlings among your existing plants. It certainly won’t hurt to make sure the soil is loose all around or to mix in a helping of nutrient-loaded compost, but all the heavy lifting was done this spring before you planted the summer garden.

It’s So Delicious

Fall vegetables are truly delicious and so good for you. To figure out which autumn veggies you want to plant, look at days to maturity. Most fall vegetables will need from 30-90 days to produce. Find out when your area is vulnerable to its first hard freeze and then count backward to the appropriate planting date. You’ll want a mature plant prior to the area’s plant-killing first frost.

The good news is that fall produce actually tastes better when it matures in cooler temperatures. You have plenty of time, if you start now, to ensure hearty goodness this fall. Radishes, for instance, take just 30 days from start to finish. They could go in the ground fairly late in the game. Beets, cabbage and brussel sprouts take longer (90-95 days) so those are plants you’ll want to start putting in the soil earlier. Here are some other fall veggies and their grow

Arugula and spinach – 45 days
Turnips, lettuce and chard – 50-55 days
Kale and kohlrabi – 60 days
Rutabaga and cauliflower – 75 days
Carrots – 80 days

It’s So Manageable

The first time you plant a fall garden may feel intimidating, but once you do it you’ll find that it’s a great and easy way to extend the life of your garden. When mixing seedlings in with mature existing plants you can keep the garden manageable by using Kincaid Plant Markers. Plant markers readily identify each vegetable. You could even stake out spots for the quick-growing crops now and plant later. Markers keep your garden manageable and harvesting enjoyable. With a little effort to prepare your garden now, you can be enjoying root vegetables all fall.

Use Plant Markers to Distinguish Late Summer Plantings in the Garden

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Plant Markers Will Keep You From Weeding Out Your Fall Harvest

Many vegetables in your summer garden are bursting forth with nutritious, delicious goodness ready to pick. But, as we get close to Augplant markersust, it doesn’t have to see you gathering in the remnants of summer glory. It’s possible to make room in your summer garden for some new plantings that will yield even more produce before the first hard frost of fall. If you use plant markers, you’ll be able to keep the summer garden weeded without disturbing your new wave of garden delights.

How to Decide What You’ll Plant in Mid-to-Late Summer

The real trick behind choosing what to plant for stage two in the garden, is to know when you can expect the first stiff frost in the fall. You can check the farmer’s almanac or the local nursery or gardening cooperative to get an accurate idea of the date you need to work around. Say the first time a deadly frost covers the ground in your area happens around the end of October – you’ll just need to count back from that date to calculate the proper time for planting your fall vegetable planting. It’s important that the plant has reached peak maturity before that first hard frost. There are plants which require 30 days, 60 days or 90 days for maturation so you can choose accordingly.

Safeguarding Your Fall Harvest

With proper calculation, you can plant your fall vegetables in the ground amongst your summer in-the-ground crops. However, if you worry that the ground may freeze too soon, you can gain some peace of mind by planting in raised beds. Raised beds are easier to keep warm as the air starts to chill. They also are much easier in terms of controlling the quality of soil. Plus, they are far nicer to work in than getting down on ground level when the weather is feeling a bit nippy. Be sure to use your plant markers, however, even in a raised bed.

Some Suggestions for Your Late Garden

If you are working on a 30-day schedule try: radishes, broccoli or spinach.
If you get things started with a 60-day lead then you might consider: cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, leeks or turnips. And if you get going with a 90-day plant-to-harvest window you could enjoy: parsnips, cauliflower, beets, fava beans or globe onions. Most of these later vegetables are root veggies – but what a great way to round out your nutritional intake from the ground. Still, since you’ll not have above ground clues, make good use of plant markers to distinguish what needs tending and what needs pulling.

Kincaid Plant Markers has been in the business of identifying plants for gardeners for years. We supply professional gardeners and everyday home gardeners with the plant markers that will give your garden a finished look and clear identification for multiple growing seasons. We even offer plant markers in different prices. We hope you’ll check us out and continue enjoying the benefits of gardening until after the leaves turn and fall. After all, garden delights don’t have to end with the summer.

Enjoy Summer Without Insects by Identifying Plants That Repel Bugs

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Identifying Plants in Your Yard That Can Make Outdoor Time More Enjoyable

Did you know that some of the most inviting scents for humans happen to have the very opposite effect on irritaidentifying plantsting insects? Identifying plants that will please your sense of smell and drive bothersome pests far away is possible. Here are a few top picks:

Lemon Thyme

It’s hard to find a more ubiquitously enjoyed smell than citrus. Lemon, in particular, has a crisp, clean odor that most people find pleasing. Insects however, and mosquitoes especially, do not enjoy lemon-flavored air. For this reason, lemon thyme makes an ideal natural insect repellant. Lemon thyme is a creeping, low-growing plant that works well in pots planted with combinations of flowers and greenery.

It is recommended for use in pots because this hardy plant can be invasive. Used correctly, it will give off an enjoyable smell attractive not only to humans but to hummingbirds, butterflies and bees as well. As a complete bonus, this plant can be used as an herb for cooking. It’s a great gardening choice.

Mint

Another easy-grow plant that keeps bugs at bay is mint. Peppermint, spearmint, chocolate mint, apple mint – any kind of mint is anathema to mosquitoes and lots of pests. The mint plant is so easy-going that it, too, can quickly take over so it’s another one that is best suited for container growing. Like the lemon thyme plant, mint is also a welcome addition to the summer kitchen. So, put some mint in pots near where you like to sit outside and enjoy bug-free recreation and a bit of kitchen gardening all at once.

Rosemary

When it’s time for identifying plants that benefit gardeners and drive bugs away, rosemary must be on the list. This attractive, creeping plant loves sun and will come back year after year. Snip rosemary for its needlelike leaves that can be added to marinades, vegetable sautés and soups. Stuff it along with lemon slices in your grilled fish. Toss a few sprigs of rosemary in your campfire and it will keep your campsite gloriously bug-free.

Lavender

Lavender is the one non-kitchen bug-repellant on our list. It is however, quite useful as a scent for inducing calm and restfulness. Birds and butterflies are attracted to the flower but many pests (mosquitoes, ticks, fleas) hate it. Plant this sun-lover poolside, on the patio or near the kid’s playground to make the spot lovely, relaxing and pest-free.

At Kincaid Plant Markers we enjoy helping you plan your garden and then identify plants you’ve chosen. Our sturdy and attractive markers will serve you in all kinds of weather and for many growing seasons. We help gardeners of all varieties in identifying plants and bringing order to their design. Let us help you plan ways to keep mosquitoes at bay and grow attractive well-identified plants this summer. It will make all your outdoor time more enjoyable.

The Benefits of Gardening Remain Throughout Life

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Helping Your Older Loved One Continue to Receive the Benefits of Gardening

benefits of gardeningNow that the growing season is here many people are enjoying time outdoors tending to their summer garden. Eating homegrown food offers a myriad of benefits but did you know there are even more health benefits with growing food (or flowers!)? These benefits of gardening remain at any age so here are a few ways to help your loved one continue reaping them throughout life.

Proven Benefits of Gardening

The older a person grows, the harder it can be to till and cultivate large swathes of land. Fortunately, the good derived from gardening is not only attached to major undertakings. Even if your loved one can no longer plant row upon row of flowers or vegetables, they can still glean plenty of the perks related to gardening by making some simple adjustments.
Gardening has been shown to help people lower tension and increase muscle tone. Handling plants and garden tools helps maintain mobility and fine motor skills. It can even ward off depression. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that just two and a half hours per week spent gardening can yield all of these benefits.

Helping to Keep Gardening Alive

Although your older loved one may be past their years of acre-sized gardens, they can still continue gardening.  Look for ways to make gardening user-friendly and enjoy the happy results. Here are three simple ways to keep gardening alive for your loved one.

1. Raised beds
If you buy or build raised beds for your loved one, you can eliminate many of the obstacles to gardening in later years. Raised beds should be a comfortable height to reduce the need for bending. Keep the beds narrow enough that they can reach entirely across or at least reach to the center of the bed from either side. This makes weeding, pruning, watering and harvesting a pain-free affair.

2. Containers
If raised beds are not a workable option, why not do some container gardening? Purchase large pots and then put them on rollers so that your loved one can easily move them from one location to another (in or out of sun, nearer to water source etc.). Large containers will offer the great benefit of allowing them to work with plants while they are seated. Hay-bale gardening is another option well-suited to older gardeners since it requires practically only a hose and patience.

3.  Trellises
Another way to make sure your loved one can continue gleaning the benefits of gardening is to place trellises near at hand. Vining plants do very well twining up along a scaffold and that means they can be attended with virtually no bending or reaching. Green beans, cucumbers, peas and squash all do well growing upwards rather than creeping along the ground.

Lastly, provide your loved one with lovely garden markers from Kincaid Plant Markers. Our attractive labels will be the final touch that makes raised bed, container or trellis gardening a true pursuit. We offer our markers in various sizes and price points. Check out our site and order yours today so your loved one can reap gardening’s benefits for years to come.

Plant Identification for Natural Remedies You Grow at Home

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Use Plant Identification to Grow a Medicinal Garden

plant identificationIf you are interested in natural remedies, we’d like to suggest a few plants you can grow in your garden to use as home remedies for common ailments. So gather up some pots or corner off a small area of ground, add some markers for plant identification and you’ll be ready for your new hobby in medicinal gardening.

Peppermint
Peppermint is one of the oldest natural remedies known to man. Because peppermint will rapidly take over any area of ground you plant it in, this is one that will be best to grow in containers. Peppermint enjoys full sun and requires little to no attention. The plant is recommended for help with digestion, soothing for troubled stomachs and can help ease stress or promote sleep. Simply make a tea with fresh or dried leaves. Pour one cup boiling water over leaves and allow to steep for at least 10 minutes. Leaves should be dried in a dark, warm space.

Chamomile
This flowering plant is popularly used to create calming teas. The daisy-looking flowers grow easily and quickly. Gardeners can easily plant and harvest flowers twice during the summer season with multiple flowers appearing during each period of bloom. In open ground gardens, the flower will sow and germinate entirely on their own.

Chamomile tea is often used as a sleep aid, but the flower offers many benefits besides. Chamomile has been shown to help reduce inflammation, relax muscles spasms, ease tension, cleanse wounds, trigger urination or soothe upset tummies. Simply dry the flower in a warm, dark environment. Pour one cup boiling water over chopped flowers and allow to steep 10 minutes. Strain before drinking.

Lemon Balm
So named for the lemon scent of its leaves, lemon balm is still sweet enough to attract bees. The plant doesn’t like full sun but is otherwise easy to grow. It prefers shady locations in conducive conditions, but is another plant in the mint family and so you may want to grow in pots because it can be invasive. If planted in-ground be sure to use markers for plant identification.

Among the many benefits from lemon balm is calming spasms (even in the digestive tract) and as an aid to sleep. Lemon balm is most effective when used near harvest. Snip off leaves just as blooms appear. Then make tea with fresh cut or dried leaves to enjoy benefits.

Yarrow
Yarrow is part of the aster family and legend says that Achilles used yarrow poultices to stanch the bleeding when soldiers were wounded in the Trojan War. In other words, it’s been used medicinally for a long time. Science has proven yarrow’s effectiveness in halting blood flow. You can crush fresh flower or leaves directly into a cleansed cut to stop bleeding.

The flower grows well with minimal care and is often seen growing wild along roadsides. Cut the stems when flowers are in full bloom and then hang stems to dry. Make yarrow tea by pouring one cup boiling water over one to two teaspoons of dried leaves and steep 10-15 minutes.

These are just a few of the plants you can grow easily right in your own yard to use as home remedies. Be sure to use markers for correct plant identification. When you choose your markers we invite you to look through the quality choices available through Kincaid Plant Markers. We believe in home gardening and enjoy helping make it happen.

Kincaid Plant Markers Brings Quality Handmade Products to Gardeners Across America

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How Kincaid Plant Markers Reflects Renewed Interest in Small Business Operations

Kincaid Plant MarkersToday it’s hard to find unique stores serving a niche market. And the days of handmade, quality items seem to be rapidly diminishing – but not quite. At Kincaid Plant Markers we still celebrate the art of handcrafted, made-in-America entrepreneurship. Thankfully, Americans seem to be re-discovering the benefits of buying from small business.

Passion Translates Into Quality

Things made with care are born of passion. Visit any artist’s studio and you will see a space that reflects that person’s passion. They make what they care about with the tools they know and trust. All small businesses share that kind of passion. People open small businesses because they believe in and are excited about what they have to offer. Unlike assembly-line items, the things offered in small businesses are crafted with care and great attention to detail. There is a personal investment almost like an artist’s signature that goes into every item.

Small Business is Often Born of Responsiveness

Small businesses are also often responsive. Small business owners see an unmet need and work to meet it. They envision a new or better way of using old tools. They are able to innovate. Because they aren’t trying to do everything, they can do a few things very well using the best supplies and keenest oversight. Kincaid Plant Markers is that kind of business. They are able to be responsive to consumer demand…full of pride in products made from quality ingredients.

A Small but Growing Trend

Perhaps America is growing tired of monoliths. It’s certainly the case that Americans are rediscovering the benefits of buying local. Whether it’s the farm-to-table/eat local movement in the food industry or the use of social media to market handmade items nationwide (e.g. Etsy), Americans are ready to give small businesses, local businesses and hand-crafted items a second look.

Kincaid a Local, Family-run Business

At Kincaid Plant Markers we are proud to be a Northwest Missouri company. We celebrate our history as a family-run start-up business. We are passionate about our products and make them with care. Our name is our signature. Quality is a reflection of who we are and what we are about. It matters to us that each and every gardener enjoys year after year of function and attractiveness when using our markers. We invite you to order a set of Kincaid Plant Markers for your garden this summer and join the swing back toward buying small.

Prepare Your Garden for Bounty in Small Spaces

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How to Prepare Your Garden for an Intensive Garden Experience

prepare your gardenGood things come in small packages, is a familiar statement you have probably heard before. Well, intensive gardening is built on the idea that you can get more out of every square foot of garden than you think. Much more. Intensive gardening is a planting/growing system which relies on permanent planting beds and densely planted crops to ensure rich soil, successful harvesting and practically year-round results. Here’s how to prepare your garden for intensive gardening.

Permanent is Best

Whether you build raised gardening beds or cultivate in-ground beds, the important thing is that you make spaces that can be entirely devoted to growing. In-ground beds will be able to draw up water from deep in the earth while raised beds conserve water with mulch and compost. In either case, a permanent bed will not need nearly as much watering as the traditional row-upon-row garden.

Permanent beds enjoy the best soil because you never compact the soil by walking upon it. Your composted soil will do a better job of holding onto moisture and will deliver a steady release of nutrients for plant consumption. Your soil is easily kept aerated, moist and nutrient-rich.

When you prepare your garden with a permanent planting bed you will have no wasted space which means you can expect more produce within the same square footage. Densely planted crops (as in one per square foot of soil) keep down weeds because the leaves of plants shade the small amount of exposed soil and mulch is able to take care of the rest. Permanent beds are better because they make maximum use of space, provide maximum water and nutrition and grow the fewest weeds.

Dense is Best

Intensive gardening means you cluster crops close together. It is recommended that you place plants in a hexagonal design. As soon as one growing season ends for a certain crop, rip it out and add the remains to your compost pile. Immediately replace that crop with next season’s plant and you can enjoy at least three seasons of gardening bounty.

Raised beds do cost money to construct but are preferable when your best sunshine doesn’t happen in your most convenient part of the lawn. They’re also nice if getting on the ground to clip, mulch and harvest isn’t as easy as it used to be. On the other hand, in-ground beds cost less and will require less watering. It’s up to you to decide which will work best for you and then prepare your garden accordingly.

Because you won’t be planting rows of corn or beans or tomatoes, you’ll want to carefully label each plant with a garden marker. Kincaid Plant Markers will keep your densely planted crops readily identified. Intensive gardening will give you more crop per foot and Kincaid plant markers will keep your dense garden in good order. Prepare your garden for maximum yield and beautiful order by ordering your plant markers today.

You Just Need Plant Markers and Your Favorite Children to Help You Create a Zoo Garden

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How Plant Markers in a Zoo Garden Can Help Children Learn

plant markersA great summer activity to share with kids is a visit to the nearby zoo. Looking at all the different animals in creation offers hours of enjoyment. You can also have some animal-inspired fun with kids you love right in your own backyard. A zoo garden combines a love of being outdoors with a love of animals – at least animal names. A zoo garden is your very own collection of plants with interesting animal titles. There are literally dozens of such plants waiting to be given a home in your backyard “wild kingdom”. So grab some plant markers and let the kid-fun begin.

Zoo Gardens are Great Learning Tools

Educators give a big green “thumbs up” to zoo gardens because they teach in layers through a medium that kids enjoy – digging in the dirt! A zoo garden will promote responsibility, observation and identification skills and the basics of horticulture. What child wouldn’t have a blast describing why a plant is called Lamb’s Ear or Cat’s Whiskers?

Have your child help you as you research garden plants with fun animal names. You’ll both be surprised by the selection. With your child, select a few and then give the child a small portion of your garden in which to grow their zoo. Have them carefully identify each one with plant markers. Don’t be surprised if your child invites other children over to visit the zoo.

A Beginning List of Zoo Garden Plants

Are there really that many animal-named plants? You bet. Here are just a few for starters:

Bear’s Breeches
Bee Balm
Butterfly Bush
Cat’s Whiskers
Cranesbill
Elephant Ear
Escargot Begonia
Foxglove
Foxtail Fern
Horsetail Rush
Kangaroo Paws (shown here)
Lion’s Ear Plant
Pussy Willow
Rabbit’s Foot Fern
Staghorn Fern
Tiger Lily
Zebra Grass

Gardening With Kids Makes Lifetime Memories

If you have a special child in your life, you want to make your time together count. Many gardeners recall how a parent or grandparent shared a love of gardening with them as a child. Those hours spent digging together and watching the wonder of nature created lifelong memories. It isn’t about coming up with something exciting or expensive to share, it’s about sharing a meaningful experience together and gardening offers a great solution to the “what to do together” problem. Plus, zoo gardens are just a lot of fun.

Not only do you want to select the right plants, but you’ll want to select the right plant markers for your zoo adventure. At Kincaid Plant Markers we provide only top-quality markers for the garden. Our markers are preferred by professional gardeners, recreational gardeners and, yes, zoo gardeners. Check out our line of products and get ready for your own version of Noah’s Ark in the yard with a young child this summer.