Artful gardens: Mix and match with succulents

They’re all different colours, hues, shapes, sizes and textures – Linda gets creative with succulents.

We decided to add a puppy and a kitten to the household this spring and I was forced to get more creative with plantings in animal-free zones.

Many bedding plants and low pots have been tackled to death by our new pets (or temporarily put to their seasonal sleep). Walls and mini-roofs, shelves and the like are suddenly my planting area of choice.

I already collect snips of succulents and like to root them here, there, and everywhere so I’ve taken to adding them to pots with annuals or perennials in colourful arrangements.

Begonias with sedum

Succulents are the easiest plants to divide and root. With most you can take a leaf and put the cut spot shallowly into soil (or a special rooting medium if you like). Don’t soak it or spray it, but keep the soil moist. It will take a few weeks but you will have a whole new plant from that one piece (really!).

I hope I haven’t misidentified the succulents I have in these photos, but it’s not important to know all the names. The internet can show you hundreds. They are so easy to grow that you should let your tastes guide you as to colour and hue, shape and size, tall or short, fuzzy or smooth. Just mix and match and have fun!