Plant puzzles-Creating a design in succulents

Garden design with succulents

After several unique bricks and blocks were collected , they were all fit together and planted with succulents to make a puzzle of plants! Now this is a feature of my rock garden. This is an easy project!

Because of their unique and interesting colors and structures, succulents are very popular and it’s very fun to think up projects to feature them in the garden.

Succulent ‘plant puzzle’

One day, while walking with my sister at the lake, I found an odd looking brick, terracotta with an unique greenish paint. Abandoned, it may have been used for a boat anchor or something.

Canyon Liveforever, Dudleya cymosa

I’d put it to better use I think! I hauled it home and plant these Liveforevers. I was happy to have another new and different ‘container.’

Then…

Three holed brick- roadside treasure

Screeeech, go the brakes! Next, I spied this brick or whatever with the three sections, ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD!!! Just waiting for me, me, me! How could anyone pass this up?

In praise of ‘Roadside Treasure!’ Would you have stopped?

I had a use for it as you can see. The other three sectioned brick will go with it nicely,…I was so pleased! This was the first arrangement. and it sat here until yesterday.

An idea formed in my head out of nowhere, like usual. I’d fit these and a few other square or rectangular blocks together and continue to put succulent in to fill in the spaces. This idea percolated until I finally was ready for action!

Square shapes and two round… cement and terracotta pieces were all gathered at the site

I dragged and lifted all the parts I’d collected so far and gathered them by my rock garden where a whole lot of other succulents live. I found a place by the path and on a slope. It would make a nice focal point as you walked down.

New addition to the rock garden

Combining more succulent colors

You would be surprised at all the shapes and colors in the succulent family! Here are a few varieties and combinations to look for at the nursery. Trade with friends, too!

Sedum rupestre ‘Lemon Coral’

Sedum reflexum ‘Blue Spruce’

Sedum ‘Dragon’s Blood’

White stonecrop, Sedum album clusianum and blue-green Donkeytail euphorbia

Color,…three different colors! Reddish Dragon’s Blood sedum, chartreuse Sedum rupestre ‘Lemon Coral’ and Finger aloe, Cotyledon orbiculata

How to divide succulents

Something from nothing! Succulents are easy to divide and propagate! All you do is break off a piece, let it dry for a day and then stick into the soil, either in the ground or in a container. If you can scoop up some roots, all the better. A single leaf, detached from a succulent is often enough to start a new plant. Each little ‘chick’ or strand of sedum will grow into a new plant. Sometimes you need a sharp knife to cut the new plants apart.

Rock garden feature

So, here is my little ‘plant puzzle’ and I love it! Combining container shapes and succulent colors is very enjoyable…maybe I can add to this, too! Hmmm….