Driving down a coastal road the other day, I saw a little garden peeping out from behind a front fence. It looked like it was in its own little world. When I stopped the car and wandered back; what was there was a little succulent wonderland. There was actually two little gardens on each side of a driveway, almost hidden from the world.
What I like about this planting was the plant grouping. They had planted ‘clusters’ of the same varieties. Often this is done in odd numbers like 3, as it tends to look better than even numbers.
The other thing was that they had not overdone the total number of plants or the total number of different varieties, Sometimes less can be more.
Finally, I think the rocks used and the type of topping used on the ground both contrasts well with each other and together show off the plants exceptionally well. Again the rocks are not overdone and have been positioned thoughtfully – a well balanced garden. Finish it off with the walls painted in straight cream and chocolate and the plants have the perfect background to highlight their own form and colour.
Of course succulents have been used which during the drought, really came of age. The fact this is a coastal setting, also lends well to these hardy plants that require minimal watering. Succulents are not everyone’s cup of tea, but even those people would have to admit they have been used well here.
Collector’s Corner here at Gardenworld, has one of Australia’s biggest selections of succulents and cacti. If you would like to know more, why not pop in and say hello. They have some wonderful books on the subject as well. But for now, its goodbye from the hidden little succulent garden.