How to make a succulent display for your garden
With the weather getting warmer and the days longer, it’s only natural to turn our attention towards the outdoor.
Whether you have a large garden or only a tiny balcony, a great way to add some greenery to your home is by creating a beautiful succulent display.
It’s an easy and fun project you can do alone or with the family, and you can watch it evolve with the seasons.
1 - Use a shallow container
Succulents are really easy going and tough plants but there is a few things you need to know before planting them.
First, you need to use the right type of container. Ideally, a shallow container because succulents don’t need a lot of soil to grow. An old tray will work well.
A few months ago, I made this ugly tray. Sometimes, things don’t turn out the way you hoped but that doesn’t mean you have to get rid of them. I’ve been holding on to it until I could find the perfect use for it. It turned out to be the perfect container for this project.
2 - Good drainage is key
One thing succulents hate is sitting in water. Succulent like free draining soil so you have to make sure your container have a lot of holes at the bottom for the water to drain freely when you are watering your plants.
Whatever your container is made of, make sure to use the right drill bit to pierce the holes as not to damage it. My tray is made of jesmonite resin so I had to use masonry drill bits to make holes.
3 - Pick a variety of plants
Succulents come is many shapes and sizes. That’s what is so great about them.
When creating your arrangement, try to get a range of succulent plants with various leaves types and in several sizes. It will help create a multidimensional side to your tray.
4 - Place the plants on the tray
Before starting on the planting, position the various plants inside your container until you are happy with your composition. Try placing your favourite one in the centre.
Keep in mind your plants will spread as they grow and some will crawl along the edges.
5 - Mix the right soil
Succulents need free draining soil. They actually retain water in their leaves, not their roots.
In my mix, I used half peat-free compost, half perlite to ensure a light soil. This will help the water will run freely after watering, preventing the roots from rotting.
6 - Plant your composition
Remove all the plants from their pots and replace them on the tray to recreate your composition. You can loosen up the roots of some of the plants if they are too high for your container. I like placing the highest plants in the middle of the tray to create a dome effect.
Once you are happy with the placement of the plants, just add your light soil mix around the plants and press lightly. Make sure you put soil all around the plants, not leaving any gaps.
After planting any type of plants, remember to water freely, to help your plants acclimate to their new environment.
8 - Add decorative gravel
To finish off my succulent tray, I added gravel on the tops. This is purely for aesthetic reasons but I think it finishes off the composition nicely and make the plants pop.
9 - Find a sunny stop
One thing succulents need is heat. Now that your tray is finished, you’ll need to find a sunny spot in your garden or on your balcony. You could even put it on a sunny window seal inside your home.
I decided to elevate my display to leave room for some of the crawling plants as they grow.
