Hot, Dry, Challenging Conditions? No Problem…

Succulent gardens are the buzz; even in cold climates, you can add a dry garden to your yard to show off all the great succulents that thrive in challenging conditions.

Succulent gardens

Tender ones can be grown in terracotta clay pots, some spectacular containers for succulents or root planters, intermingled with hardy Sedum, Sempervivum and Jovibarba growing in colonies surrounded by pebble or lava rock mulch.

They will flourish with little care, providing your garden with a lush look with little to no watering.

If you live in a climate that gets a few good rain showers through the summer, you won’t need to irrigate your succulent gardens.

Here are a few xeriscape ideas to get you started on succulent gardening right now:

Plan on replacing your thirsty lawn with gravel or succulent groundcovers; do this in sections so as not to shock the neighbors too much. Once they see how little time you waste on watering and maintaining your xeriscaping, they’ll be copying you in no time.

Succulent Garden in very challenging conditions
Succulent Garden in very challenging conditions – Zone 2 on the Canadian Plant Hardiness Zone Map and classed as semi-arid – the Chilcotin

Even your porch and patio areas will benefit – you can use succulents in hanging baskets which even though they need watering daily as they’ll dry out in hot areas, they’ll continue to flower and grow all summer. 

Grouping clusters of containers for a movable succulent garden gives you the chance to try different plants in combination before planting them in ground. 

For a great option for a temporary succulent garden, make a mosaic in a shallow dish or frame and display it on a stand, or flat on a table.

gardening style

Don’t forget to use junk in your succulent gardens too – here’s a good example of the junk gardening style, with a bright orange front end loader (watch that the grandkids don’t take on the job of excavating your whole garden though!)

Succulent gardens are not necessarily deserts – that has been proven by the huge increase in gardeners all over the world switching to the new style of gardening.

Succulent gardening is on the increase everywhere, and especially in areas that are experiencing drought like never before. Lack of rainfall and extreme heat can make you wilt, but there’s no reason your plants should do the same.

This garden is in Lake Como
This garden is in Lake Como, Italy and shows an incredible array of textures and forms of cacti and succulents planted in volcanic based soil

Xeriscape ideas can be as simple as grouping plants with similar needs together, using some kind of drip irrigation to water those that desperately need constant moisture and the rest of the xerophytes can get along fine without more than a periodic soaking.

Start your succulent garden this season – and reap the rewards of an ever more beautiful landscape.

Here are some things to think about when you design your succulent garden.

Low maintenance doesn’t mean lack of lush plantings, it just means choosing the exact plant for the particular conditions.

Beautiful, lush succulent garden with pond
Beautiful, lush succulent garden with pond

How’s your Succulent Garden?

Succulent gardens are all over the place now – do you have one to brag about, or just share? Whether it’s in your front yard, or a neighbor’s garden, or even in a botanical garden, share some pictures, and tell us what you like about this succulent garden.

My Favorite Succulent Gardens…

Each link will transport you to yet another lovely garden, with great ideas for you to be inspired by…

Perennial Companion Plants

The Best Perennial Companion Plants for Your Outdoor Succulent Garden 
If you are in a region that is often hit by droughts or you live somewhere that practices water-wise landscaping, then a wonderful plant to utilize in …

Storm Shelter  

Storm Shelter  
We installed a storm shelter this spring and placed a large raised bed over it. I am searching for the lowest of maintenance filler for this 16 x 16′ …

Jeans Sedum Garden

Jeans Sedum Garden 
It all started when my husband asked me to quit arranging the house. With so much energy i asked what I should do and he being the man that he is …

Sarah's Garden

Sarah’s Garden in Lillooet B.C. 
Sarah contacted me in the summer of 2009, and I supplied three varieties of thyme for this project in Lilloet B.C., and in the spring of 2010 I’ll supply …

Sedum for borders

Sarah’s Garden in Lillooet B.C. update 2010 
This picture shows the Sedum for borders order that will be sent for Sarah to plant – it is a collection of several types of taller Sedum in 50 cell plugs. …

My Little Xeric Garden Corner

My Little Xeric Garden Corner 
The garden project is what we worked on yesterday. It’s still a bit “naked”, I have some Sedum, thyme and a whole wack of Semps to add. I’m also looking

Succulents Squared

Succulents Squared 
I built a little square garden which was actually where the gravel was dumped for a concrete building project. As I lacked a good place to put my small …

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