Succulent Garden Project

[discusluv]

I am in process of planting a succulent Garden in a section of my back yard and I thought I would share what am doing.

I had a landscape gardener dig up and add cactus soil and planting soil in the bed and mound soil for me to ensure good drainage.

My husband put in a reservoir and got a pump etc... for a recirculating water feature. It is a tall basalt- very natural looking column already drilled for a fountain.

Anyways, I just started with the border ( I am doing this part myself to save on labor costs), which will be at an s curve, with succulents. In between the pavers you see in photo will be this really great lime colored sedum.

Later, after border done , will be adding some boulders, taller Agaves, Echevarias, Grasses, Safari Sunset, etc and covering with rock.
List of plants:

ECHEVERIA ELEGANS
ECHEVERIA IMBRICATA
ECHEVERIA COLORATA
ECHEVARIA AGAVOIDES
ECHEVARIA" BLUE SKY"
EUPHORBIA STICKS ON FIRE
KALANCHOE LUCIAE (THYRS)
SEDUM RUPESTRE ANGELINA
SEDUM ALBUM
SEDUM "COPPERTONE"
ALOE SPINOSISSIMA
AGAVE ATT RAY OF LIGHT
LEUCADENDRON SAFARI SUNSET
HESPERALOE PARVIFLORA
CAREX TESTACEA
BOUTEL BLONDE AMBITION

These are the first pictures I have taken, I should of started with the before photo... really a mess.

[SueD]

That is going to look awesome - looks nice already. Any room for a small fish pond? Like guppies size, not Koi.

[discusluv]

Eventually, in the side yard, we are going to put in a Koi pond. It has always been my dream to do that, Koi are beautiful.

[mermaidwannabe]

Really cool! You have just the right climate for it down there. My father had a bountiful cactus and succulent garden the whole time we were in southern California. Some of the cacti would bloom with bright colored flowers. He had rocks, and California poppies (state flower) in among the plantings, and an old bleached steer's skull which he had found in the desert and placed in this garden. There were tall succulents, compact ones, medium sized and cacti of all types except Saguaros, which grow way too tall for a home garden. There were Agaves, Chollas, Barrel cactus, Prickly Pear and others that I don't recall the names of.

You'll really enjoy your succulent garden. They are very unique looking plants.

[angelcraze2]

Agreed, I love the look of succulents and cacti, but i'm in the complete wrong area for that outside lol, as I watch some wet snow gently fall, so weird to see your backyard all pretty with foliage this time of year. It's beautiful! I absolutely love it!

I have recently became interested in plant table arrangements, namely succulents because they only have to be misted like this one
268c78816a1f4376a47b2a084e224bf7.jpg
But I'd probably scape it more like a tank lol.

You can even make tropical plant arrangements with a humidity tray underneath.

[RiversGirl]

Your succulent garden is already looking terrific! Your plans sound like a delightful project. I'm excited to follow along on this! Thanks for sharing the adventures.

[discusluv]

Yesterday the high was 82 degrees, this is about 5 degrees above normal. Its pretty much been in the 80's most of October. I am ready for some cooler weather!

When I was a florist I made plant arrangements like this. Succulents are so easy, just stick a cutting in soil and it will eventually root if drainage is good and not too wet. I also made succulent wedding bouquets, centerpieces, corsages, boutonnieres...

This experience is really what inspired me, but I still consulted some "expert" opinions on U-tube and various sites online. Planting in the landscape has some particular considerations, obviously.This is a video I watched that really gave me all the "How-to" info I needed:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...&v=Z5KCYrES51M

[mermaidwannabe]

There's a book out by Robin Stockwell that's titled simply: SUCCULENTS, The Ultimate Guide to Choosing, Designing and Growing 200 Easy-Care Plants. You should be able to find it in any good quality bookstore or online.

[discusluv]

There's a book out by Robin Stockwell that's titled simply: SUCCULENTS, The Ultimate Guide to Choosing, Designing and Growing 200 Easy-Care Plants. You should be able to find it in any good quality bookstore or online.

Thanks! Ill look for it :)

[discusluv]

My basalt column fountain is similar to the tallest one pictured here, but the one I ordered is narrower.

s-basaltcolumns.gif