Last year when I planted the succulent wall with Barb there were a few cuttings left over. I knew immediately that I would plant them in the three completely charming pots that my friend Dale gifted me with several years earlier. Here they are today.
I’ve searched my blog for the posting about the succulent wall and there isn’t one. I was inspired to do it before I was blogging. So, let me digress to fill in the background.
In March of 2011 I attended the San Francisco Flower and Garden Show. It’s always fun to see what the new trends are and it’s always inspiring. Upon entering, the first exhibit I saw made my jaw drop. This dovecote by Succulent Gardens of Castroville, CA, is a five-sided structure with four sides planted in succulents designed to tell you about its contents — doves. The fifth side is a screen door which allows you a view of the birds.
After leaving the garden show I was determined to create a small succulent wall of my own and I started planning. I purchased the three frames (20″ square panels with slanted planting niches) and about 2/3 of the cuttings needed from Succulent Gardens; the remaining cuttings came from my small patch of succulents. Here are the cuttings, ready to plant, and the plan in early April 2011.
Here’s Barb, gardener extraordinaire, the cuttings and Taylor, acting as afternoon shift supervisor.
One of the three panels we planted.
The panels remained horizontal with light watering until the roots were secure. In August they were secured to one end of a raised vegetable bed.
And here’s the wall August 31, 2012.
Now you’re up to date.
So lovely! I have a large pot in the garden with ‘succulents’ as you call them. In Dutch ‘rotsplantjes’ of ‘vetplantjes’.
Love it!!
I saw something similar in Country Living, but could not figure out how the plants stayed in. “Plant horizontal until rooted, then tip.” ahh! Makes so much sense!! Now I want one! 🙂
You can have one! The planting flats are brilliant. The units are formed at a slant to more easily hold the soil. Plus, there is a slot running along the top edge so you can place a drip line along the whole wall. Makes watering something you don’t have to think about once you’ve set the timer.
Meta, great Dutch word… Love the succulents vertically. I need to thin some of mine out… Maybe in Nov. no time now.. and too hot for roots to do well.. 100F again. Franki beautifully done, great way to show them off.
They are such a nice little surprise there too.
THIS IS A FRIGHTENING STATISTIC, PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST WORRYSOME IN RECENT YEARS. 25% of women in this country are on medication for mental illness. That’s scary… It means 75%are running around untreated.
Okay, so who took you off your meds?
Awesome!
Franki – If you haven’t been to the Succulent Garden Nursery, it is worth the trip to Castroville. We often camp near there at Moss Landing in our RV. They have arenas full of succulents and some cactus. It is absolutely marvelous to have that resource so close. – Denise
That’s where I bought the planting forms and 2/3 of the cuttings, Denise. I even added the link to their fabulous nursery in the posting. They were so fun to work with.
Spectacular, Franki!
That is the coolest thing! Good thing Taylor was there to make sure it all went according to plan!
He’s the man! He earns every penny I pay him.
I saw this in my email but couldn’t look at it with the photos on my smart phone (not so smart is it?). It is great to see the progress in photos. And Taylor is my favorite supervisor. 🙂 Thanks for a great story Franki… I love being your gardener extraordinaire!
You are welcome. I just got a dwarf ginkgo. Too fun!
Loved your succulent wall and now I know how to do it. ??? Lately I’ve had a real interest in succulents and have purchased many of them. Go girl. 🙂 Sharon
This little jaunt with succulents has turned into quite an adventure.