By Kiko Dametra

Known for their ability to survive with minimal maintenance, succulents have thick, fleshy tissues that allow them to store water. Thanks to these hardy plants, you can create a garden that remains eye-catching from spring through fall, with varying colours throughout the seasons.

Creating a succulent sanctuary can boost your mood and concentration, as they provide attractive, soothing green shades, tall spires, and blooms with various surfaces and textures. 

Whether you prefer an outdoor or indoor garden, growing succulents can showcase your creativity and be a rewarding and fulfilling experience. Follow our guide to avoid the frustrations of trial and error and create a peaceful and relaxing space that will bring you joy.

Selecting The Perfect Location And Plants

Most succulents, like Gasteria and Haworthia, thrive in indirect sunlight, while full-sun succulents, like Sempervivum and Echeveria, require a location with ample sunlight to promote healthy growth and vibrant colours. 

It’s vital to select the right plants to achieve success by considering your area’s climate and the needs of the succulent plant species you want in your garden. When picking your plants, choose ones with colourful rosettes and firm stems. Avoid plants with dead or damaged leaves, signifying poor care or disease. 

To save money, you can propagate your succulents from cuttings. Cut a healthy stem from a mature plant and dry it for a few days. After the cuttings dry, insert them into a well-draining soil mixture and apply a rooting hormone like Root Boost to enhance your chances. 

Choosing succulents depends on your preferences, but picking ones with similar maintenance requirements is best. It’s important to group plants together to prevent root rot based on their water and lighting needs. 

Plants like aloe vera and agave can grow large and require plenty of outdoor garden space, so if your area is limited, use them as a centrepiece and surround them with smaller species, like the stonecrop-style sedum, stacked Crassula, and rosette-shaped Echeveria.

Soil, Nutrients And Drainage

The requirements for succulents may vary, but soil with good drainage produces the best results. It must also be able to provide your succulents with the needed nutrients. However, be careful to avoid one packed with excessive nutrients. When levels surpass plant requirements, it can cause nutrient imbalances that may negatively affect plant health and growth. 

Succulents are adapted to dry conditions, so they require soil with proper drainage. Excessive humidity can be detrimental to your plants, and in severe cases, it can even lead to their death. A viable option is coarse sand. 

You can add materials like coconut coir and pine bark to improve drainage if using other soil types. It’s essential to be cautious if you choose to use construction sand because it may contain chemicals that can be harmful. 

When preparing your soil, it’s essential to consider both the nutritional needs of your plants and the drainage requirements to create the perfect mixture. Combine equal parts of potting soil with a nutrient medium like black peat to create a balanced blend. If your succulent is sensitive to high nutrient levels, you can use pine bark to add nutrients to the soil. Pine bark decomposes slowly to provide a moderate nutrient supply. 

Designing Your Succulent Garden

Let’s get to the fun part: designing your succulent garden. Whether working with a small terrarium or a large outdoor space, you should try to create an aesthetically pleasing arrangement. You can achieve this through the following tips:

  • Use the Thriller, Filler, And Spiller Technique

The thriller, filler, and spiller technique can help you achieve a visually appealing, balanced arrangement. Thrillers are tall and can add a vertical structure to your garden. Place the taller plants at the back, follow with the fillers in the middle, and then cascade the spillers over the edges. 

  • Contrast colours and Textures

To boost the visual interest of your garden, incorporate succulents with different colours, textures, and shapes. Pair deep purples with vibrant greens or soft blues for a striking contrast.

  • Vertical Gardens

Don’t let limited space ruin your succulent garden dream; you can create a vertical garden. Plant your succulents in wall-mounted planters or hanging baskets, letting a vertical succulent garden add interest to plain walls and save valuable ground space. 

Succulents are generally low-maintenance plants and easy to care for. You still must keep your garden tidy by removing dead leaves regularly. Also, it is a good idea to add diluted succulent fertiliser to the soil during the growing season.

By following these basic rules, you can relax and enjoy the view of your beautiful succulent garden. Then, to keep it interesting, you can alter the arrangements and add new varieties to keep your garden evolving.

Embrace the beautiful experience of unleashing your creativity and let it flourish as you immerse yourself in the wonders of nature and your newfound green thumb.