Never mind how practical they are for waterwise gardens, what we really love about succulents is how they LOOK. The eye simply revels in symmetry, and no category of plants do it better. So, of all the succulents that are symmetrical, which are over the top? These are from my latest YouTube release, “Favorite Scenes from the Succulent [...]
Recently I photographed at the Ruth Bancroft Garden in Walnut Creek, about an hour from my home, and needed to arrive before dawn. The Bancroft Garden is one of the most iconic gardens in America, full of mature cactus and succulents in a summer-dry climate, a testimonial to Ruth’s plant choices 50 years ago and successful gardening [...]
I’m proud and pleased to announce the release of my latest book: “Sensational Succulents, an adult coloring book of amazing shapes and magical patterns” published by Timber Press. The book’s line drawings, by illustrator Laura Serra, are based on my photos. The book doesn’t officially ship until June 1, but I’ll have advance copies available at the fourth [...]
Designer Katie Christensen of Miss Katie’s Garden recently conducted a fun workshop at Weidner’s Gardens nursery in Encinitas, CA. Katie showed a simple technique for making lovely, long-lasting, succulent-adorned headbands and art-to-wear items. Such easy-to-make succulent-embellished adornments are perfect for weddings, May Day celebrations, Mother’s Day, garden events, and parent-child projects. “If you can glue moss to it,” Katie [...]
You’re probably aware of flapjack plant (Kalanchoe luciae), a succulent that’s popular because of the color of its leaves. (Shown above at Waterwise Botanicals nursery, perfectly timed for Valentine’s Day.) Like other succulents with overlapping leaves along a single stem, when Kalanchoe luciae blooms, the entire plant elongates. This is how those in my window box looked in [...]