It’s the time of year when many of use are working in our gardens or, in my case, admiring others’ gardens. Did you know that our fearless wooden hero is a tool not only for science, writing and art, but also for gardening? Marion Owen, Fearless Weeder for PlanTea, Inc. and Co-author of Chicken Soup for the Gardener’s Soul has written a wonderful page on what pencils can do for gardening.

Did you know that a No. 2 pencil can do extraordinary things, especially for gardeners who are looking for the right tool to do the right job? It’s true. Pick up a pencil and roll it in your fingers. Think potential here. Like paper clips, Q-Tips, and toothpicks, pencils have more than one life. And for gardeners, it’s a dream come true.

While pencils can’t pull weeds or help you lose weight, there are many ways they can make your life easier. This practical and fun tribute explains how a pencil is a gardener’s best friend.

Pencils help in handling seeds and transplanting seedlings, and they even work best for tagging plants, since graphite will not fade in the sun like even Sharpie ink does:

The next season, I went back to basics and used–you got it–a No. 2 pencil. I’m happy to report that every name survived the rain, sun and snow (I left some out over the winter). The best thing about labeling with a pencil is that you can change a name by simply erasing it. With permanent ink pens, you have to bring out the thinners and solvents. The pencil scores again.

Read the rest of this fantastic page here, and please don’t hesitate to share your own pencil gardening photos and stories.

[Images and text, M.O.  Used with very very kind permission.]