Sunday Selections # 227



Welcome back to Sunday Selections!

This once-a- week-meme was originally begun by Kim of Frog Ponds Rock, as a way to showcase some of the many photos we all take, but don't get around to showing on our blogs.

The rules are very simple:-
1. post photos of your choice, old or new, under the Sunday Selections title
2. link back to me, River, somewhere in your post
3. leave me a comment so that I know you've joined in and can come over and see what you've posted.
4. hop on over to The Elephant’s Child to see more of her wonderful photos.
  Andrew often joins in too.

I usually go with a theme for my Sunday Selections and this week my theme is:

succulents

I haven't had much luck with growing flowers in my little patch, it faces north and west and has no shade in the summer, so it is too hot in spring, unless I am standing out there every single evening watering with the hose. Until it gets too hot in summer, when early morning is the better watering time. 
So I have decided to try succulents in a variety of types. I already know they will survive better than flowers because the Jades, aka Crassulas, are doing very well.
I went to my favourite hardware and garden store today, (Bunnings) intending to buy just one or two plants to get me started. 
Ha.
Ha Ha.
this is what I came home with:

next week's grocery allowance.  I mean... a variety of succulent plants for my new garden plan.

Here are a few individual shots:

Aeonium black rose. these can grow as tall as 90cm

Aeonium blushing beauty, this one can/will develop a pink blush on the leaf edges; and already has two small branches which I can break off and start new plants with.

I always thought this was one of the Sedum varieties, but the library book tells me it is Crassula Hobbit, also known as C. Gollum or C. Green Coral.

a fancy leafed Echeveria. This one will do better in a pot which can be moved to shelter when the winter gets too wet and windy. I have just the right pot already waiting on my front porch.

another Echeveria with the fancy leafed one in the background

Aeonium black prince. It looks a lot like the black rose in the first image, but doesn't grow as tall or as loose.

three miniature Echeverias; these will eventually grow into mounds of small rosettes, like in the label picture.

Sedum gold mound, a very small leafed variety which becomes a ground covering mound, not too large.
In the background there, Sedum jelly beans.

a better look at the Sedum jelly beans. These come in other colours as well. I bought two of these, I can grow new plants just from a leaf, I plan to have a whole row of them, probably in front of the big jades. A few of the blues, a few greens, a yellow or two, interspersed with a miniature in a red/orange colour, which I got from neighbour K.

another miniature Sedum groundcover, even smaller leafed than the gold mound, with a flatter, wider growth habit. I'll get another couple of each before I start planting and put them in a checkerboard configuration. 

Senecio mandraliscae, also called blue chalk sticks, doesn't grow much taller than it is now, but will spread quite widely. It already has a second branch growing off the side, so straight away I have two for planting.
I have a few other cuttings from neighbour K as well, but I forgot to photograph those. K also told me about another neighbour who has a tiny backyard (lucky girl) filled with assorted succulents, and suggested I might like to go over and introduce myself, perhaps get more cuttings. I'll do that for sure.













Comments

  1. Not only must your thumb be green, but your entire hand, as well!!

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  2. Love them. They come in such interesting textures as well as shapes.

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  3. What a perfect solution, I'm looking forward to seeing how it progresses!
    It's still Saturday here, so I'll post my Sunday Selections later. =)

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  4. I am going to the nursery on Monday (or today with my gr-daughters). Doing research myself and these ones were the ones you have shown.

    Thanks for commenting on my site; for some reason the machine won't let me reply (it must know my propensity for swearing and vulgar language--not). We have been known to dance in the rain, as well, and clothed.

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  5. You certainly did buy up big at the big green shed. You will be right as global warming becomes progressively worse. It might be all anyone can grow. I like the ones you can just break off a segment and plant it and nothing too prickly.

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  6. That's a lovely array of succulents you bought, River. You'll get much joy from them.

    Enjoy your Sunday and I hope the coming week treats you well. Cuddles to Angel. :)

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  7. My Sunday Selections post is now up. =)

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  8. Happy moments! :) But how did you get all of that home?

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  9. fishducky; not nearly green enough for my liking.

    Elephant's Child; you'll notice I bought mostly rosette shapes, I'll get a few strappier types eventually, but nothing with spikes or thorns.

    Jac; I'm hoping it all progresses very well. I'm going to have to watch out for the mulchers in spring so they don't dump a ton of bark on my new babies.

    Susan Kane; have fun at the nursery, try not to get too carried away.
    I actually walked out of work one day and danced around a bit in the rain. It had been stinking hot for weeks, I just couldn't resist walking off the checkout and going out to catch a few drops.

    Andrew; I didn't buy anywhere near as much as i wanted to. I had to keep in mind the budget, and the fact I was going to have to get them home on the bus. All succulents can be propagated by leaf or stem division, so from these few plants and donations from neighbours I'll have a full garden :)

    Lee; I love my choice, but was disappointed not to see any of the bright yellow ones that are in the library book. I'll search a couple of websites later and see if any are available near me.

    Jac; I'll be over in a minute.

    Snoskred; in my granny trolley, on a bus. Two buses actually. They aren't huge plants, most of the pots are 8-10-12cm across.

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  10. What a lovely selection and a good idea, will save a lot of watering. When flowers come out they are really lovely, even tough they are not always out long.
    Thanks for leaving a comment on my blog...
    Regards,
    Margaret

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  11. I used to love growing these little succulents when I was a kid - my grandmother would break off a piece and get it started for me. We had quite a collection! Saw your blog over at Jacqueline's and thought I'd take a peek :)

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  12. Fantastic idea and a terrific selection. Looking forward to seeing them all planted out in the garden/pots. I have always liked succulents but right now have none except the huge jades in the garden. I've been thinking about getting some so just may do that but.....I really shouldn't add to the burden of watering. Sigh!!

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  13. whiteangel; welcome to drifting. The minimal care and watering are what I'm looking forward to. I plan to eventually cover my small patch so no dirt or mulch is visible. I'll put a path of pavers leading to the tap and that will be that.

    AntiquityTravelers; welcome to drifting. I remember my mum doing as similar thing, little pots of cuttings all over the porch. when I visited her later in a mid-north town where nothing much grows, her back yard was covered in a huge variety of succulents and cacti. I don't like cacti myself, they're pretty, but i don't like the spikes.

    Mimsie; go ahead and do it. Not yourself of course, get a helper to do the work part, you can be supervisor. They don't need hardly any watering at all, water them when planting, then leave them alone to get on with growing. Just like your jades, which are also succulents.

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  14. Hi River,

    That was fascinating. I don't see many succulents. Your photos look like something from another planet. Those are amazing photos.

    Gary

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  15. klahanie; I imagine there aren't many in England, the climate would be far too cool; they're hot and dry climate plants, ideal for Australia.

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