Containers
Succulent Centerpieces
Learn About My Online Class! Succulent centerpieces last months and look good long after the occasion you made them for. Shown here are ideas for tabletops, floral-style arrangements, groupings and more. Follow the links for additional info and how-to help. Above: Jeanne Meadow of Fallbrook, CA, keeps this succulent centerpiece on her patio table. Jeanne’s…
Read MorePlant an Undersea Succulent Clamshell
Undersea Succulent Clamshell Planter Succulents that resemble coral-reef flora lend themselves to containers that immerse the viewer in an undersea experience. This succulent clamshell planter sits atop lava rocks near my home’s entry. It’s semi-shaded by Texas privet, the trunks of which frame the arrangement and repeat the upright lines of Senecio anteuphorbium. Certain succulents…
Read MoreSucculent White-Pot Pairings
White pots are a simple, effective way to display your prized succulents and cacti. Here I’ve paired colorful, geometric cacti and sculptural succulent euphorbias with an assortment of white-glazed containers. Solo or in groupings, succulent white-pot pairings would look good on your patio, deck, entryway or sunroom. See the 4-min. video: Succulent White-Pot Pairings. #1…
Read MoreSucculent Desk Buddies, DIY
“Desk buddies” are succulents that look good on your desk and require almost no care. They’re cute and classy, and visitors invariably ask about them. All you have to do is dribble water on them twice a month (which also keeps them dusted). I chose haworthias for my desk buddies because they do great in…
Read MoreMake a Low-Light, “Scooped from the Garden” Succulent Arrangement
Echeveria Info, Photos & Varieties Echeveria Info, Photos & Varieties How to grow echeverias perfectly, plus an extensive gallery, all ID’d See All Succulent Types Aeonium Agaves Aloes Cactus Crassula Echeveria Euphorbias Ice Plants Kalanchoe Portulacaria Senecio About Echeverias Here you’ll find expert advice to help you grow echeverias perfectly, with a gallery of 150+…
Read MoreUse Vintage Containers for Succulents
Megan Boone of Nature Containers Vintage Garden Art uses cast-off objects to showcase succulents. As shown by the planted pick above, Megan brings elegance and whimsy to her artistry. I love how the aloe perfectly repeats the shape and color of the rusty metal, and also emphasizes its arc.
Read MoreDesigning with Cold-Climate Succulents
How to select, grow and design with cold climate succulents—sedums, sempervivums and more. Tips from Becky Sell of Sedum Chicks at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show
Read MoreTips from a Top Succulent Container Garden Designer
Melissa Teisl of Fresh Chic is the designer whose artistry I show most in my book, Succulent Container Gardens. She and mom Susan had a floral shop in Solana Beach, CA when I met them in ’07. After Susan retired Melissa and partner Jon Hawley launched CW Design & Landscaping, specializing in gorgeous in-ground gardens. But container gardens…
Read MoreEnsure Perfect Pairings With These Design Basics
Simple design principles can take your potted succulents from ho-hum to WOW. My 3-min video is a must-see if you’ve ever wondered which succulents to choose for a container—especially if it’s a collectible piece of art pottery. Apply these guidelines and you’ll be amazed at how polished your important plant-pot pairings look! Surprisingly effective Knowing…
Read MoreDebra’s DIY Quick, Easy, Colorful Succulent Container Garden
To make my my quick, easy and colorful succulent container garden, you’ll need a 12-inch container, “cactus mix” potting soil, a piece of window screen to cover the hole (optional), one large echeveria (like ‘Afterglow’) to go in the center, several nursery pots of Graptosedum ‘California Sunset’ (or similar), and a fine-leaved sedum for tucking…
Read MoreGot a Pot? Elevate it!
Potted plants look better atop stands. See how this time-honored Asian aesthetic applies especially well to succulents in art pots in my new video, above. It features San Diego designer Diana Clark, who created the plant-pot pairings shown here. As you look at them, ask yourself: Does the stand matter? Would the composition look just…
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