Succulents

Like everything at Mooseys Country Garden, my succulents are starting to outgrow their allocated space. I know from my frost experiences that they can't easily be planted in the garden itself, though of course there are many suitable sheltered spots. I prefer to grow them in sheltered pots!

Jerome the Cat with Succulents

I feel I'm a fraud trying to talk knowledgeably about these brilliant plants, since I know so few of their names. I'm really out of my depth - this is strictly writing-with-reference-book-in-hand. I think I have examples of the following in my succulent family - aeonium, sempervivum, echeveria, kalanchoe, sedum, cotyledon - see what I mean?

My succulent family lives mainly in pots around the house. I am forever building new pots by breaking off old stalks and poking them in new potting mix. I've been tempted quite a few times by the mail order catalogues - their descriptions and colour combinations sound so interesting, as do the names of the hybrids. How I wish that I'd kept the labels...

One of my mail order catalogues has the following introduction: 'Succulent plants are noted for their interesting appearance, and the general ease in which they can be grown'... makes them sound a bit boring and normal (which they're not). So in an attempt to do justice to these awesome plants, here are some photos of my favourites. And you'll forgive me if I don't exactly know the correct names...

A trip to my dearest gardening Friend Astrid is in order, as she is a member of the Succulents and Cactus Society. She grows some rare and unusual succulents in her garden.

Chocolate Echeveria...
Sun 9th May 2004

This chocolate coloured echeveria lives in a pot on the house decking. The first thing I did when I bought it (in a sale) was divide it up into several separate plants.

Unknown Pink...
Tue 11th May 2004

I'm in trouble - at the moment I'm not sure exactly what this succulent is called. I adore its subtle flesh-pink colour.

Sempervivum...
Thu 13th May 2004

Please let me have the name of this succulent right! I grow it in pots which I placed in different garden beds. This blue and white pot sits on my patio steps.

Blue Succulent...
Mon 10th May 2004

I'm in trouble again! I think this beautiful blue succulent is a type of sedum. Help!

Sempervivum No 2...
Tue 18th May 2004

Here I go being vague again! I've found this succulent in a garden book which tells me it's a sempervivum. I'll go with that, until I find out otherwise.

Green Succulent...
Wed 19th May 2004

Hmmm... Another beautiful succulent (this time a rich bright green) which I have growing in several pots, and which I don't know the name...

Succulent Rosette...
Mon 10th May 2004

I bought this big succulent from a garden visit some years ago. I am in the process of finding out its correct name, I promise! It's much larger than the sempervivums I've identified.