lone ranger

So jolly, no? I am totally digging single succulents in pots.I've found some cool, colorful moss at Pigment in North Park, but I am sure you can make your own with a little food coloring and white moss (must do!). It's the perfect sister to a lone succulent.

nothing but air

Check this little dude out. He dwells in our bright little bathroom and just loves it. His tips began turning this gorgeous magenta recently. It's kind of magical, really. Here's a trick: to help keep your Tillandsias feeling good, attach a bit of moss to the end. Voila. Happy plant.

sweet and salty

Maybe it's because this Succulent Sister hangs seaside morning to night.  Cozying up in Bird Rock, working it in Del Mar - oh yes, there are salty breezes in the air and sand between our toes.  Oh yes, we are always thinking about the sea.

We hope this inspires you to take a dip, too. We kept it simple with pearly boys on a string set off with a striking blue flourescent beauty.  Oh, and don't miss the soft green pal up north (these ones are quite hearty too - perfect for someone with a not-so-green thumb).

oh, hello...

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You can never have too much of a good thing in a succulent pot. We paired loads of beautiful aubergine sempervivum - meaning 'always lives' - emerald empress with sea foam pebbles and a bit of white coral moss for a little by-the-sea touch. Now, for the pot...incredible, no? The wavy edges of this slick white ceramic pot are so cool and organic. If you look closely, you'll see some superb opportunities for smaller succulents.

urnt you pretty

 

So it's official. We're into urns. And white moss. And stripes too, but that's neither here nor there...

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Despite his size, this wee dude packs a punch. Yeah, he tops out at a whopping six inches, but do you see that spiky green firecracker? Now that's some serious sass. And, how do you not love his spotted leaves? I absolutely recommend trying this succulent in your next arrangement. They are quite hearty and are happy as clams no matter where they end up. Just be sure they don't dry out or you'll get the dreaded brown tips. And of course, you can't make a sweet succulent pot without peas on a rope. The white moss reminds me of those little clumps of salty coral you find along the beach. Gorgeous.

a little bubbly?

Fun finds from your local vintage shops will make your potted gardens even sweeter. We found this neat Paul Masson champagne bucket - he's the Champagne King of California thankyouverymuch - at a new shop on Girard in La Jolla called The Faded Awning. Do stop and stay a while to explore, this place is heaven for nautical fanatics and it is just packed to the brim with odds, ends and must-haves for the home. Take a moment and peek inside the shop with this post on Caitlin Creer Interiors' Blog. Even better, hop to it and go to the store!

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It was love at first sight with this beautiful bucket. Love the slender shape and the girly cursive of the name.  At first, we used it to hold a giant bromeliad who now hangs from the ceiling and is loving life there. Bromeliads actually grow in trees in their natural environment, so it seems natural for him to hang around rather than sit. Back to bubbly...the purpley blues and greens are just lovely with the silver color of the bucket, and I adore the peas on a rope dangling off the edge. They almost look like champagne bubbles - tres appropriate. It's just perfect for the corner of a desk or to dress up a dining table.

old school sister

There's nothing better than ending a fabulous 4th of July weekend in the garden. We spent a few delightful hours with our succulents today, getting some use out of a few new pots we've been collecting in the last few weeks.

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This proper little iron urn was found at one of our favorite haunts, Girard Avenue Collection - the perfect place to begin a post-Harry's shop-a-thon. The aubergine succulent and it's big mama of a neighbor create the prettiest contrast, especially against the light jade pebbles and deep grey of the pot. The finale - a collection of plum flecked leaves - gives this buttoned-up gal a funky twist. We do like her quite a bit.

Snag this sister in her antique English urn for $58. Just drop us a note via email or Twitter (do check us out in Twitterland...you just might get a sweet little something on your next purchase...hint, hint!).

crafty gals and mystery men

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Succulent Sister has a thing for tape. And when  we saw this package of neon, striped and patterned tapes, we just had to have it. From taping photos and drawings to the wall to decorating pots and then some, there are all sorts of fun things to be done with this stuff. We just happened to have some cigar boxes in need of some color. We got to taping and, well, we're loving the results. We needed a stand for our newest succulent, so we stacked the boxes and voile! So, go get some of your own (try Martha Stewart or Anthro) and go crazy. And, send us the photos!

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When we pay a visit to our local nurseries, we're always on the lookout for radical new succulents we've never crossed paths with before. This little dude is no exception. Snagged from Solana Succulents (where they have tons of air plants hanging from everything, it's absolutely magical), even the succulent expert wasn't quite sure what he'd be. We're keeping an eye on him, and don't fret - we'll keep you updated with photos of this mystery man on Twitter @succulentsister!

succulents for the modern man

One of our favorite clients was on the search for succulents with a masculine twist. They also had to be easy to take care of and ready to travel to New Mexico. No problem for this geophyte gal.

We set out to find the spikiest, manliest succulents in San Diego and amongst all of our go-to nurseries, we found some sweet  solutions - one of the favorites being the tall, seafoam green, oval-diamond leafed fellows. Such an intriguing plant. The neon, glowing floral guy next door has been an inhabitant of the SS garden for quite a while, biding his time until the perfect pot came along. I always have a bit of separation anxiety when I use one of my favorites, but I wouldn't have had it any other way. He looks killer! The client adores peas on a rope (coincindentally, so do I), so naturally they had to be included. We also tucked a few random bromeliads in between the succulents. Love. They spike things up a bit and frankly, they are just rad. They drink air! Is there really anything cooler than that? Side note: if you plan to work with air plants, remember that they do need to be soaked separately each week when the pot is watered. I fill a champagne bucket with water and toss them all in every Sunday afternoon for about 20 minutes or so. The pebbles used for the top layer are a mix of three products. Jade, light blue-green and a natural mix of grays and dark browns.

We had a blast with this challenge so...what's next folks? Whatever you've got, we'll take it on.

the hive's been a'buzzin

This Succulent Sister has been one busy bee. The Jenna Druck Foundation put on a fabulous event this week with Suze Orman in support of their Young Women's Leadership program and we were lucky enough to bring in the centerpieces! Manned with the biggest box of glass vases we've seen, a collection of jade and tiffany blue glass pebbles, plus a ton of plants from Green Gardens and the Succulent Sister garden, we pieced together a multitude of different arrangments to fit the bill. And it was a blast. Our fave pick is the gal up top. Have you seen a prettier shade of purple? It practically glows. To be honest, we really miss this one! A member of our patio garden ever since the beginning of it all, this rescued succulent came in looking a little rough. We took good care and soon enough, she was absolutely perfect. Here's hoping she found a good home. New owner, if you're out there...give us a shout out. And um, maybe even a photo or two?

nurseries a plenty

While we love our local Green Gardens (words cannot nearly express it!), this Saturday called for a foray into the unknown. We were in search of new and unusual succulents, and we found plenty at a little place called Barrels & Branches, tucked away in Encinitas. A sizeable, friendly nursery - there are even a couple of cute pooches roaming the grounds, stopping by every now and then to say hello to their guests - Barrels & Branches is full of fun stuff for the gardening enthusiast. They have a ton of split rocks and...they even have air plants. That scores major points from the SS team.

There is a killer collection of cool handmade pots too, like this one with a chocolate colored octopus curling her tentacles along the bottom. B & B also has a massive selection of succulents in all sizes that are nicely priced to boot. And, don't miss the pebbles - from chalk white to cobalt blue, they've got all sorts of options to suit your succs!

So folks, Barrels & Branches is a must-visit on our list if you plan to venture into north county anytime soon. Or if you just need some sweet succulents!

our present

To preface this entry, I would like to officially highly recommend picking up some gloves before handling a spiky fellow like the tall cactus in the middle. I'm pretty sure there are still some little stickers in my right arm.  Yowza.

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Anyways, this week, Succulent Sister got a fabulous opportunity to donate a piece of work to a neat event. - The Butterfly Effect, benefiting the Jenna Druck Foundation's Young Women's Leadership Program. Here is our gift, a playful grouping of spiky, floral and leafy dudes in sunwashed aloes and deep greens.  Love the mix of light jade and seafoam green pebbles, which you can find at Barrels and Branches and KRC Rock (a serious spot in Santee with a menagerie of rocks, pebble and glass). Paired with a sky blue, sea-inspired ceramic pot featuring multi-colored kelp, it's a fun, beachy friend for a bright bedroom, an office or a sunny patio. Can't wait for the lucky winner to take this guy home.

hey mom!

Fashioned a fabulous Mother's Day gift out of succulents and a votive (plus some rad jade pebbles - be still my heart).  I adore the green sunburst floral fellow with all of the wee ones coming out from underneath in this silvery votive. Hope Mom likes it.

succulent scavenging

Inspired by the gorgeous beachy weather, the Succulent Sister team manned the bikes and took to the streets in search of succulents. We spotted lovely specimens from the Athenaeum to WindanSea and everywhere in between. Here are our findings...

Found these fab dudes on Girard in front of Warwicks. Really, really striking mix of colors. (By the way, there was some trash in one of the containers and it made me think - how could someone throw trash on a succulent?!) Anyways, the gardens were designed by a local guy, Lance Greer. Very cool, Lance.

Walking by the Athenaeum, I saw succulents I have never seen before (again!) and had to take a few shots. The neon green floral fellows were my favorite.

We swung by one of our favorite places to scope out succulents. I most definitely cannot divulge the location - I've been sworn to secrecy, really - but it's a fun place to happen upon. And I hope you do. If you look closely, through the weeds and the grasses, you'll find them in there.

We took the long way home along the ocean, spotting lots of homes with succulents. I loved this place - a red painted door paired with this sweet little planter spilling over with purple, blushing succulents.

Go succulent scavenging, friends! Take your bikes out and take them for a spin around the neighborhood - you'll be surprised by how many you start to see.

terrarium fun

I spotted this totally sweet terrarium tutorial on M Stetson Design while I was poking around on the web today. The final product reminds me a bit of my small hurricane fellow, Desert Beauty, with the cool leopard spotted tips. Only this one is quite a bit bigger! M Stetson has some great reccommendations I plan to try, like laying down a layter of horticultural charcoal on top of rocks for drainage at the bottom. The charcoal lessens the chance of bacteria and mold - a very good thing. Plus, what a cute way to package the terrarium as a gift. Check out the rest of the tutorial and get yourself to some terrariuming.

more from the garden

Meet some of the latest newcomers to my geophyte garden.

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In another of those lovely tall, terracotta pots lie sea anenomes, leafy kelp, sea grass and bubbles. This garden was inspired by underwater environs and creatures. The muted colors and soft textures make this piece look almost like it is  hiding under salty, murky waters. The lime green fellow in the front is called a Sedum 'Apple Green'. Such a pretty shade, like a Granny Smith.

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Found the most fabulous new succulents at Green Gardens today. Had aspirations of paying a visit to Solana Succulents (it will blow your mind) and Blossoms & Barrels in Encinitas, but it was so very cozy in cloudy La Jolla...we just couldn't leave.

I am happy I chose to go to my old favorite because they had some spectacular new plants! I found more of those little nodes. The multiple pots all together are gorgeous with subtle varieties in the greens. Their official name is quite exotic - Fenestraria rhyopallophyla (from South Africa!). I picked up the ones with the most blush on their tips. I also spotted the plump, purple and green speckled fellow and a Split Rock (the small, mottled purple and pink one near the front). These two are prettily prehistoric - a nice contrast in this collection of succulents. The round guy also is also a mouthful - Euphorbia Obesa. Um, 'Big Sexy' indeed.
  

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This little beauty is my new favorite. I found this fabulously priced hurricane style container at Michael's for $6. With a spot-tipped leafy guy nestled in a mess of Fenestraria rhyopallophyla, the color of the light sand is refreshing against the warm, rusty brown and sage green palate of this garden. Leafy fellow was a scavenger score from Girard.

afternoon succulents

Ever since I was introduced to succulents (geophytes - but of course you knew that), I was enthralled. "You can just snap a piece off, plant it...and a new plant grows?" Heck yes. "You only have to water them once a week?" Yep. Simply put, they're rad. Big thanks to my honey's mom, Torrie, for sharing her love of these neat plants with me.

Speaking of love, there is a lot to love when it comes to succulents. They are drought friendly - perfect for our Southern California environs, pretty tough to kill (yes, you can go on vacations - they'll live!), and there is such a wide variety that I spot new ones all the time. Not to mention to beautiful colors that they come in. Plus, ignore them for a while and guess what? They just might surprise you and sprout a stalk or two...and maybe even some flowers.

Suffice to say, all of my friends are now as stoked as I am on these neat little guys. My girlfriend Liz from Seigel-Thurston Photography came by this afternoon to get her plant on with me. First, we stopped by Tuesday Morning in Pacific Beach to find a great (bonus: inexpensive) pot for Liz. This was my first time scoping out pots at Tuesday Morning and I was surprised by the selection. So, check it out sometime the next time you feel inspired, but your wallet doesn't. My crackled yellow pot is from Anthropologie (one of my favorite places to grab fun pots).

We sauntered over to Green Gardens in Pacific Beach to pick up our goodies. I love this nursery. Right now, they house all of the smaller succulents in the front with the big guys in the back. Be sure to walk around the whole place - you never know what you'll find. We each spent about $15 and picked up a cool 4 or 5 succulents. Liz also snagged a few on a location scouting session in Old Town (sweet).

To add a bit of character to our plantings, we included pebbles and moss (all from Green Gardens, naturally). You can try sand (on top of the soil - do not use it as your mix), larger rocks or bark as well. On to the fun part: I love the deep eggplant purple of the spiky succulent in the front and the softly jagged edges of the tall leafy fellow nearby.

You can spot one of my new favorite succulents hidden among the larger ones - they're light blue-green and look like tall nodes, coral, or tiny fingers. If you ever use these, be sure to plant them far enough in the soil or the ones along the edge of the planting will dry up. I have found that when I put a new home together for my succulents, colors that compliment one another really work best. I tend to use blues, light yellowy-greens and anything with a hint of purple or fuchsia. A pop of color is absolutely necessary. The lime green of the floral pointed guys in the back looks gorgeous against the deep purple of the one in the front. The light sages and sea foam green accents ground the more saturated succulents nicely.

So, go get some succulents (nursery or scavenger style, I don't judge) and get started! Send me photos of your latest. I'd love to see what you've made.

i tweet too

Check me on twitter for the little tidbits that don't make it to the blog. www.twitter.com/succulentsister

a warm welcome please

Say hello to the succulents. These are just a few of my latest favorites among the garden. Do stay tuned to meet the big cheese (it's my pride and joy).

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A light purple, fuchsia tipped succulent surrounded by dangling beads, light sage fellows and deep purple-green flowery guys planted in a recycled birdbath (psst: great drainage without having to drill a hole). I chose many of the plants in this piece for their floral shape. The colors play nicely together, especially joined by rich, multicolored pebbles.

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It's got a mind of its own. In one of my favorite crackled pots (via Anthropologie), loads of dangling beads, dayglo pink flowers, prehistoric-looking spiky fellows (thanks Torrie!), kelp-like, sky reachers, and leopard spotted leafs just plucked from Green Gardens, this one is absolutely wacky. And I love it.

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This guy lives in an elegant, slender terracotta pot (Green Gardens is clearly after my heart). Loads of leafy greens and strung peas with a seafoam green and purple cabbage-like gal in the front are just a few of my favorite things in this crowd of succulents. It has been growing outside for a few months and is blooming beautifully. I like to think it looks like a vegetable garden.