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We are a family owned Nursery,
specializing in hardy Outdoor Sedums, Sempervivums (hens & chicks),
and Rock Garden Plants.
New ideas or photos will be added when we hear about them or think them up.
Why would one want these little plants to move in?
To start with the little plants are quite charming and accommodating.
They especially love children and the young at heart. They are very calming
to work with and most multiply rapidly. If a piece breaks off simply plant
in the soil and keep watered (no need for the normal rooting process).
Once established little water or attention is needed. Perfect for Summer
containers on decks or porches...go away for a weekend or a bit longer..they
do not mind...(not like water loving annuals who truly suffer when left in
the height of the summer season). But like most living species they love
extra attention now and then. An extra watering, or a little
fertilizer or perhaps dividing, little things pay off as in any relationship.
What type of living arrangements do sedums and
succulents enjoy?
We are a family owned Nursery,
specializing in hardy Outdoor Sedums, Sempervivums (hens & chicks),
and Rock Garden Plants.
New ideas or photos will be added when we hear about them or think them up.
Why would one want these little plants to move in?
To start with the little plants are quite charming and accommodating.
They especially love children and the young at heart. They are very calming
to work with and most multiply rapidly. If a piece breaks off simply plant
in the soil and keep watered (no need for the normal rooting process).
Once established little water or attention is needed. Perfect for Summer
containers on decks or porches...go away for a weekend or a bit longer..they
do not mind...(not like water loving annuals who truly suffer when left in
the height of the summer season). But like most living species they love
extra attention now and then. An extra watering, or a little
fertilizer or perhaps dividing, little things pay off as in any relationship.
Frankly they love creative living but they also have a
very practical useful side. Sun, Sun, Sun... is where they love to live, but
like with any group there are a few who want to be different
(or need to be different) in this case semi-shade is their home of choice. Clay pots, strawberry pots,
rusted barbecues (I saw an award winner at a state fair using one of
the old fashion tall round charcoal types), rusted paint cans,
(any type of rusty container provides and interesting contrast
with the plants),hanging baskets: (sedums mixed, singular or mixed with
annuals or bulbs), shoes: favorite old ones,a pair of old tennis shoes
tied together and hooked over a nail on a wall or fence,dancing feet made
with high heels and a pair of guy's dress shoes like wing tips, a family of
shoes walking through the yard (one old pair from each person in the
family), children's shoes tend to dry out fast but are very cute and small
children really seem to get a kick out of seeing them filled with plants, boots: logging, hiking,
cowboy, work boots ( whatever is your regional type boot). Make extra
planting pockets by carefully cutting holes in the
leather. Old baskets (you can line with plastic or just let them die a natural death as a
home for some plants), old kid toys, lunch boxes, tool boxes.
Just look around your home I am sure there is some type of abandoned container
that would happy to find a new use as a home for plants. People from all over the World
collect and enjoy sedums and sempervivums.
Remi Laurant, from France shared the two lovely ideas and pictures
below. *Wood Piece
*Suspension Ball
*Hollow Piece of Wood
*Rubber boot
* Moose's Abalone Shell
*High Country Mountain Escapes,(with a bit of a Japanese bonsai flair) This is based on rocks and rock placement
which is interplanted with a group of plants that very in shapes, sizes, colors,
and textures. Usually use between 3 to 12 plants. * Lee's Cedar Planter
* Alice's Hypertufa Pots
Alice loves to make these charming pots, and has
said they are quite easy to do. She uses a mix of 1 1/2 parts peat moss (sift or break-up,
lumps could weaken structure of pot),
1 part Portland cement, 1 part sand and enough water so that the constancy is like oatmeal,
should be thick enough to be able to form a drainage hole by hand, without having to use a dowel to keep
the mixture from running into
the hole. She lines a bowl or box with plastic or saran wrap then forms the pot by
pressing into the form. By free hand she creates the lovely scallop edging.
The pots should set-up for a few days plus, depending on the weather conditions,
before removing from the form. After removing from the form let the pot sit for 2 or 3 weeks
before planting. She has not used color yet but I have heard from others
that exterior paints can be used in the mix or special cement coloring powders can be purchased
from places like Home Depot. If one wants to change the texture try using a wire brush or
something like a light hammer tapping on the sides when first removed from the form,
WEAR SAFETY GLASSES. Another suggestion from my brother-in-law, David, is to dig a
hole in the ground and fill with the mixture, (no lining),then press a ball into the mixture.
When asked if the ball
sticks David stated, "It doesn't stick. The consistency is thick and the cement sets up quick. I
just jam the ball down in and the excess oozes up and out and I pull the ball
out and the pot is formed. You can push a branch or twig in the bottom that
becomes the drain hole when its dry." The plants make wonderful ground cover, once
established the plants are quite the little troopers at keeping out
weeds and are very beneficial in preventing ground erosion.
"A Martha Stewart" type item, (quite the prize
to have one). To purchase an already made one
(if you can locate one) costs in the neighborhood of
anywhere from $50.00 to $200.00 or $300.00. * The Black Cat
Madge,The Black Cat, is watching the Vera grow. * Dish Rack
Try going to a Thrift Store, Garage Sale or just around your own place
with the intention of finding a new container, that's
how we got the dish rack. The odder the item the more fun it becomes.
Feather Light is a volcanic rock from California. It is very light weight and can be carved out
with
tools or one can use a neat trick that I can upon. While washing off the mess from craving
I found
to my delight that water pressure from a garden hose erodes and carves. It is a much easier
way to do it plus it also looks much more natural. One should always wear safety glasses when doing the
craving. Besides forming great cliff type pockets for plants, one can sculpture for non-plant indoor or outdoor
scuptures.
We were given a rather large topiary garden frog by
my sister-in-law. It was planted with some type of ivy. The ivy did
not do too well and always needed watering in the heat of the summer.
I decided to change to a very small rapid growing sedum...
works well. In pictures I have seen bikes covered and once even an
entire car (the Chelsea Garden Show in England...think it
was a Bentley) with sedums. Many of the sedums and succulents
have small flowers, and others change
colors during different seasons, as with the frog, sometimes it is green
sometimes it is red. My current plan is to do a man with a
guitar in sedums. The foundation for this idea is to use imagination,
chicken wire, dirt, moss and sedums to create a garden
piece.
This idea came from Disneyland. It is from a StoryBook Land Ride,
one rides around in little boats looking at miniature landscapes.
In one section a geometric design has been created using different sedums
and succulents. Using this concept in a formal garden plan could
be most effective and tidy. One suggestion would be a design
created from a basic rectangle, say 8' X 6' then dividing into patterns. Another
idea would be to use a circle with a star in it or the
first letter of a child's name in the
center. One could also use a Herb garden design book to find a pattern, then
instead of herbs use sedums and succulents. Keep in mind that the use of
contrasting colors and textures makes for the most interesting
displays.
Take plain terra cotta pots or pulp pots and paint or spray paint with exterior flat black paint
for a different
setting for your plants. Adding sand also can give the pot an interesting texture. If the pot should
flake, try distressing the complete body of the pot for yet another look. Other colors or multiply
colors are
useful for taking
the plants to different styles and moods. It is recorded that at one time in history
the Romans used the common hens & chicks, Houseleeks,yet another common name,
on the roof to help protect the roof from fire. It is claimed that Hens & Chicks have similar but reduced
healing properties to Aloe Vera. Also said, is that in some countries
the leaves are used in salads and that facials are make to nourish the
skin with the leaves, not sure if any of this is true
but none the less it is interesting and does have possibilities. Many country cemeteries allow plants on the graves of
loved ones or many of us bury our beloved pets when they have passed away.
In our case we piled rocks on top of the grave to prevent other animals
from disturbing the site. By tucking in small amounts of dirt then
plants among the rocks the coldness of the barren rocks was
replaced with comforting little
flower bearing plants that together provide flowers for the better
part of the spring through the fall season. Large shallow baskets
work well for mixed sedum and sempervivum arrangements, as will as any type of basket.
Line baskets with some type of plastic with holes help to make the basket last for a season
or two. Sedum hearts are easy to grow and make a point of
interest in your garden also could be a great gift for a
special gardening friend.
Make a template from newspaper and lay over mat of sedums and cut and
inch to two inches deep and around the shape of the
heart or any other shape that interests you
(I poke long nails into template to hold steady).
Once cut lift out with a shovel and transplant
to a special spot in your garden. Trim-up shape a couple of times a season.
Another way is to grow 1/2-flat of sedums and empty out
and cut your shape..then transplant or put back into the 1/2 flat and surround
shape with soil. The plants multiply so rapidly that one should have plenty of
plants to give as gifts to friends in the future. We hope you have enjoyed reading about our great love for Sedums and
Succulents and that you have found an idea or two that you can use in
your own gardening future. Last updated 6-19-2003
*Del's Chicken Barrel, one of our customers was kind enough
to share this clever idea and a photo.
Start with a cement tub, old wok, bottom of a roaster pans, or just about
any type of tub or planter box. Fill with fertile soil or commercial
potting soil. Arrange 3 or so rocks, large in proportion to the planter,
in a random manner in the planter, being free with the use of your inner eye.
Usually one will find that odd numbers, like 3 and 5 look the best.
Push those rocks around... digging some in and leaving some on the
surface. Once done you will have a mini landscape ready for small plant
starts. Do not be surprise if you find yourself rearranging the landscape
more than once, as you are doing the actual planting. Bank it
up more in some spots and lower it in other spots. When the rocks and plants
are in place dust with small pea gravel or some type of little rocks, it gives the landscape
the instant aged look. To create an even more natural look add little twigs, to represent
forest drift wood, maybe a few surface odd rocks of medium size,
and a patch of moss are some suggestions that help to add interest.
Once your world is created it needs extra water until the plants have settled
in place, if the weather is running hot a few days in the shade before
moving into the sun or semi-shade would be a prudent idea.
Remember to stop and ponder the Little World now and then.
Groom back the over bearing plants (using the clippings to start new babies)
as some grow much faster than others. In some cases it is a good idea
to replace a few of the plants at the beginning of each growing season.
The people that I meet that have made the hypertufa
pots really seem to enjoy working with the material and say they make wonderful appreciated
gifts.
* Rockery:
Sedums and Succulents are traditional rockery plants.
They look great nestled over and in between rocks.
*Gound Cover:
* Living Wreaths
To make one yourself we recommend using a Deep Pocket Frame. Depending on size of frame and how
full you want
your wreath to begin with will determine how many plants are needed.
Deep pocket frames are an advance over wiring two double wire wreath frames
together. The deep pocket frame is easier to work with an allows more room for plants and soil.
Start by taking the detachable top off of the deep pocket frame. Lay a bed of moss inside bottom of
the frame, fill with soil (you might want to add a time release fertilizer and water
retaining crystals at this
time).
Now reattach top over frame. Trim moss very short with scissors. Insert plants or clippings.
Wire with wreath wire or fishing line where and if addition support is needed. Water
thoroughly, lay flat until plants have become established, then hang.
For an easy to follow example we recommend
an article on how to make a living wreath with sedums in The Better Homes and Garden Magazine, April 2002.
For more detailed information and example pictures we recommend a book called
"The Living Wreath " by Teddy Colbert.
*Feather Light Rock
* Topiary Items:
* Geometric Plantings:
*Coloring pots
* Roofing:
* Medical:
* Grave Sites:
*Baskets:
*Hearts:
* Gifts:
BlackCatNursery@localaccess.com
