I have hundreds of plants in containers — 295 at last count. You’d be amazed how many pots you can squeeze on a wrap-around deck, including the railings! Some of my favorites are those that house my succulent collection. I’ve come to think of them as pets as they grow over the years. They are tough, resilient and beautiful.
All my plants must be able to survive our winters without intervention on my part. I remember one cold snap about 10 years ago when the surface of my deck was frozen by early evening. I decided to move some cymbidium orchids onto the covered porch, slipped and almost broke my leg. Never again, I vowed. I might move a few succulents out of the pouring rain for the winter season, but that’s the extent of my coddling.
The simplest and most sophisticated of all hardy container designs is to plant a skim of sedum across the surface of a shallow container. There are so many to choose from. Then leave it alone to grow and drip down the sides.
Another plant combination that works well is to anchor a large pot with a slow-growing shrub or dwarf tree that lends height and carries your display through the season. Plant a few hens-and-chicks (echeveria or sempervivum) at the base and maybe a couple of blue fescue grasses for contrast.
Fast-growing succulents, like trailing Sedum acre “Lemon Ball” or “Golden Girl,” are fun and easy to grow and propagate. I’ve had my original for years, although I thought I’d lost it last winter. Sixty inches of rain washed out all the soil in the pot and floated away most of the plant. From one small piece, though, it has recovered beautifully. The chartreuse foliage would blend nicely with a plant with chocolate foliage, like Carex Red Rooster, or even chocolate cosmos.
Libertia, an iris relative with golden orange, sword-shaped leaves, looks great under plants with any of the succulents. This beautiful, grass-like plant grows 2 feet high and a foot wide, forming a colony by rhizomes. It’s especially attractive when backlit. Clusters of inch-wide white flowers bloom from late spring to midsummer. Grow libertias in sun or light shade along with your succulents, phormiums and grasses.
Be sure to use a quality potting mix in your containers. There are special succulent and cactus mixes available, but succulents are forgiving, as long as the soil drains freely. Don’t add gravel or clay shards at the bottom of the pot, as this impedes drainage. It works best to fill the entire pot with soil, top to bottom.
There are lots of succulents to plant up in interesting containers or simple clay pots. Some take full sun, while others like a bit of shade. Some handle frost easily while others need some protection. Let your imagination go wild.
Jan Nelson, a California certified nursery professional at Plant Works in Ben Lomond, will answer questions about gardening in the Santa Cruz Mountains. E-mail her at
ja******@ao*.com
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