Why Grow Paddle Cacti? 16 Reasons

Opuntia fruit (c) Debra Lee Baldwin

Of the dozen or so types of cacti in my garden, I have more opuntias than any other. Also known as paddle cactus or prickly pear, Opuntia species have stems shaped like ping-pong paddles. New pads grow from older ones after rains drench the roots and help fuel new growth. Typically these new pads, and flowers that turn…

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Spring in My Succulent Garden

See numerous low-water flowering plants that thrive with minimal care in my Zone 9b Southern CA garden. My spring garden’s most vivid blooms are those of succulent ice plants. Aloes, bulbine and numerous arid-climate companions are bright and beautiful from March through mid-May. Increasing temps tend to put the kibosh on delicate spring flowers. If…

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Debra’s Own Garden

Debra Lee Baldwin in her succulent garden

  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 define joy. Yours truly in the lower garden with…

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