Spring starts for me this year at the Fallbrook Garden Club in north San Diego County on Feb. 24. Guests are welcome, and all attendees will receive a gift plant courtesy of nearby Serra Gardens Nursery. I’ll show photos of beautifully designed gardens and do a show-and-tell of outstanding succulents from Serra. Among them are: Echeveria agavoides ‘Lipstick’. Shown close-up [...]
Kelly Griffin is a succulent breeder for Altman Plants, the largest grower of succulents and cacti in the US. Kelly is renowned for his aloe hybrids—unusual and colorful succulents new to the nursery marketplace. In Kelly’s own garden are aloes yet to be introduced, that he’s experimenting with, growing for flowers so he can harvest the [...]
“Everything looks better elevated,” says San Diego succulent designer Diana Clark, who has wood stands custom-made to enhance her potted compositions. Diana, who calls her business “The Perfect Plant” because she pairs vessels found at antique stores or estate sales with a “perfect” succulent, created the plant-pot pairings shown here. As you look at them, ask yourself: [...]
The secret to caring for any plant is to understand its native habitat and to try to replicate that as much as possible in your garden, greenhouse or home environment. Succulents by and large come from warm, dry regions with low humidity and minimal rainfall, and the majority can’t handle freezing temperatures. After all, these are [...]
I recently produced and wrote a how-to article on topping pumpkins with succulents, for Country Gardens magazine. The designer we featured is Laura Eubanks, who originated the idea. The magazine sent photographer Ed Gohlich, who came to my home with his assistant, Matt. Ed does many of the Southern CA (and beyond) articles for Better Homes & Gardens’ [...]