Debra’s Own Garden

Debra Lee Baldwin in her succulent garden

There’s a newer version of this page. (Under construction.)   My goal with my own garden is to create a three-dimensional art form that serves as a backdrop for videos, photo shoots and casual get-togethers. Whether in books, photos, videos or presentations—or with plants, rocks, and sweat—I’m invariably about entertaining and sharing in equal measure. It’s one way I…

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Holiday Decorating with Succulents

Holiday decorating with succulents This time of year, the succulent elves bundle up, go into the garden, and transform it into a holiday wonderland. Should I reward them with cocoa, or considering their size, chocolate chips? When you’re not much bigger than a caterpillar, you take your life in your hands when you decorate a serrated succulent. But…

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Got a Pot? Elevate it!

Fenestraria aurantiaca (Diana Clark)

Potted plants look better atop stands, says San Diego designer Diana Clark, who sometimes has them custom-made to enhance her succulent compositions. Diana created all the plant-pot pairings shown here. As you look at them, ask yourself: Does the stand matter? Would the composition look just as good without it? Chances are you’ll agree with Diana that…

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Lophocereus schotii (Totem Pole Cactus)

Succulent expert Don Newcomer showed me a rare columnar, spineless cactus from Mexico: Lophocereus schotii (totem pole cactus). It can be chubby and lumpy, tall and skinny, or columnar and spiral-forming. Lophocereus (Pachycereus) schotii has spines. The monstrose form has club-shaped trunks with spineless protuberances. There are three monstrose varieties: fat (obesa), spiral (spiralis) and skinny or totem…

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