Succulents have become stars of the garden world over the past few years, and it is easy to see why. Water-wise, fuss-free, sculptural, colorful, and just plain cool, they are one of this decade's must-have plants. While they look amazing planted in a pot, incorporating these plants into your garden's design is easier than you may think. And not just in the warmer zones. Many succulents are winter-hardy if you live in colder zones.
To get you inspired, we have listed four ways to use succulents.
1. Thrillers
Many succulents are so architectural that just one perfect specimen planted with lots of space around it makes a bold statement. From ovals and spikes to pearls and pegs, the quirky shapes of the foliage of many succulents make them an ideal choice to create a focal point.
2. Tough and Tumble Groundcovers
Low-growing varieties make excellent, colorful, durable groundcovers. They spread rapidly, are water-wise once established, offer interest in color and texture, are easy to shear back to control spill onto the pavement, and their root systems can help knit and stabilize soil such as hillsides.
3. Cloaks and Daggers
Whether slipped into cracks in an old concrete wall, wedged between stones in a rock wall, or planted above and allowed to spill over, trailing varieties are a water-wise solution to disguising or dressing up blank vertical surfaces. Once they snuggle in, you do not have to do much more than trim and tidy up as they grow.
4. Moveable Art
Create a painterly vignette in a container by mixing various textures and colors, planted into a living wall kit for a vertical accent, or layered into a strawberry pot. Or, keep it simple and modern by tucking one killer specimen in a pot for a jaw-dropping statement that, with minimal care, will live for years to come. Your neighbors will be wondering what designer you hired.
Source: monrovia.com
Links
- Succupedia: Browse succulents by Scientific Name, Common Name, Genus, Family, USDA Hardiness Zone, Origin, or cacti by Genus