Success With Succulents

Discover succulents with Debra Lee Baldwin, bestselling author of
Designing with Succulents, Succulent Container Gardens and Succulents Simplified

Welcome! I'm continually updating my site, now with 100+ pages on every aspect of succulents. Want a plant ID? Go to TYPES OF SUCCULENTS. Worried? Go to PESTS AND PROBLEMS. Want to grow the plants perfectly? Go to SUCCULENT CARE BASICS. Need garden maintenace? See REFERRALS. Looking for something specific? Check the MENU or use the SEARCH bar above. Feeling overwhelmed? Browse until you're better, or CONTACT me. Now relax and have fun. You've come to the right place. ~ Debra Lee Baldwin

HOW-TO'S, TIPS & IDEAS

SUCCULENT DESIGN

Discover how to plan and design lovely, carefree succulent gardens in containers and in the ground. Also under Design you'll find firewise landscaping info, DIY gifts and projects, and holiday decorating ideas - all beautifully showcasing succulents.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

SUCCULENT CARE

Get expert advice on growing, caring for and propagating succulents. Find out how to water, fertilize, control pests and diseases, overwinter succulents, grow them indoors, and by season and region. Under Varieties, view hundreds of labeled photos of easy-care kinds.

LOCAL & NATIONAL

SUCCULENT RESOURCES

Wondering where to find and purchase top-quality succulents? Which tools, books and supplies you need? It's all here under Resources, along with nurseries, public gardens and destinations in America's finest succulent city (San Diego) and beyond.

Subscribe to My Newsletter and Receive

Debra's 7 best succulents

In this free PDF exclusively for subscribers to my "Celebrating the Joy of Succulents" newsletter, you'll learn the 7 best easy-care succulents that thrive in pots and landscapes. Whether you're new to growing succulents or an experienced succulent "parent", you'll love these 7 beautiful plants.

Succulent Updates and Articles

How to prune Euphorbia tirucalli (c) Debra Lee Baldwin

Jul 26 2021

How to Prune and Handle Euphorbia tirucalli ‘Sticks on Fire’

In both English and Spanish, landscaper José Arias explains and shows how to prune and handle Euphorbia tirucalli ‘Sticks on Fire’, a beautiful succulent with toxic, milky sap.

Aloe barberae in bloom (c) Debra Lee Baldwin

Jul 20 2021

How to Grow Tree Aloes (Aloe barberae)

If you have room in your garden and a mild climate, consider adding a tree aloe or two. Aloe barberae (Aloe bainesii, Aloidendron barberae), Africa's largest aloe, is sculptural,

Jul 14 2021

Join Me on Succulent Adventures with Annie

Join me and Annie Schreck, on-air host and researcher at Mountain Crest Gardens, on fun succulent adventures. I'm part of her Experts series! Annie's delightful and succulent-savvy. Wait 'til you see our design projects, destinations and super cool finds!

Agave 'Blue Flame' and dasylirion (c) Debra Lee Baldwin

Jul 13 2021

Late Summer Succulent Care

Excessive heat and sun can do as much damage as winter frosts. Use the summer care tips here and in my video to keep your succulents healthy when late-summer heat hits.

Jul 6 2021

Tom Cole’s Remarkable Rare Aloe Nursery

Tom Cole's aloe-collecting hobby has turned into a unique nursery. Hundreds of seed-grown African aloes thrive in pots or in the ground at his Cold Spring Aloes near Lotusland in Montecito, south of Santa Barbara, CA.

Debra Lee Baldwin at Seaside Gardens (c) Debra Lee Baldwin

Jul 1 2021

Seaside’s Superb Botanical Garden Near Santa Barbara

Seaside's display gardens have always been lovely, but I was amazed at how world-class they've become. The nursery itself also is grander and more impressive

Canada Day Succulent bouquet (c) Debra Lee Baldwin

Jun 25 2021

Give a Festive Bouquet of Rosette Succulents

Give your host a festive bouquet of rosette succulents. It's unusual, decorative, shows you care (you made it yourself), and is a gift that keeps giving. Succulent rosettes wired onto faux stems live off

Jun 22 2021

15 Thrifty Tips for Low-Water Landscapes

My 15 simple, economical fixes for a 2-1/2 acre Santa Barbara wedding venue emphasize succulents and apply to any low-water, mild-climate landscape.

Hidden Agave nursery garden (c) Debra Lee Baldwin

Jun 10 2021

See Hidden Agave Nursery’s Rare Agaves

Hidden Agave Nursery is more than a source of rare and unusual agaves, it's fast-tracking this popular succulent genus to its full potential. Owner Jeremy Spath specializes in species and cultivars that don't get overly large, perform well in gardens, and are exceptionally beautiful. I share his fascination with