By Marjories
Lincolnshire, United Kingdom
Hello I'm in the process of changing a herbaceous border into a pebbled area and would like to make a succulent display in an old stone pedestal birdbath.
Can anybody give me some ideas which plants would be suitable. I have not grown succulents before so this a challenge . I have seen a photo of this plant and I love the colour . Would this be o'kay ?
- 23 Feb, 2018
Answers
This is Aeonium Schwarzkopf - its not hardy here, so although you can grow it outdoors in the summer, you'd need to move it inside for the winter.
Check out Sempervivums - most of those are hardy here, and come in a range of leaf colours, some with webbing, some not.
23 Feb, 2018
oops, sorry Steragram, we posted at the same time...
23 Feb, 2018
Hi, this looks like a Aeonium, maybe A Zwartkop, which unfortunately is frost tender, and gets a bit too tall for what you want, [up to 6ft], try looking at some of the Saxifraga species, which apart from S stolonifera, are fully hardy, Derek.
23 Feb, 2018
Sorry Stera and Bamboo, nothing there when I started typing, but at least we're on the same hymn sheet, Derek.
23 Feb, 2018
Delosperma species and hybrids are mostly hardy Iceplants. Lewisia cotyledon varieties and hybrids should work well, too, though other species of Lewisia are a little too much the hard core Alpines to be easy. There are many hardy species of Sedum, as well. Coryphantha vivipara is quite hardy...and also quite thorny! All have showy flowers in season.
24 Feb, 2018
You can't go wrong with Houseleeks, and there are some gorgeous colours. I love the red ones, but you could make a lovely tapesty of different colours, and they are bulletproof and evergreen. alternatively, you could have a collection of small sedums such as cauticola which would be lovely for about 6 months of the year, but disappear to ground level in autumn.
25 Feb, 2018
Thank you all for the suggestions all very helpful. I am looking forward to the better weather when I can get to the nursery to see what I can buy. I particularly like the idea of the house leeks. Karen do you
purchase from a specialist nursery on the net ?
28 Feb, 2018
No Marjorie, I just pick them up in my local nurseries and Garden Centre.
28 Feb, 2018
It looks like an Aeonium except that they usually grow on a stem. If that's what it is it won't be suitable as it would need deeper compost, and also needs winter shelter as its not hardy.
Have a look at Sempervivums. Hywel did a great blog on hardy succulents not long ago - have a look at what appeals to you.
23 Feb, 2018