5 Simple Reasons why you should create a Vertical Garden

5 Simple Reasons why you should create a Vertical Garden:

1. Maximise Space
Vertical Gardens are great for urban areas with little to no back yard space. By planting upwards, you can increase the number of species in your collection and reduce the odds of your partner complaining about tripping over yet another pot next to the pathway.

2. Privacy
Hide away that ugly fence, air conditioner, *cough* neighbour *cough*with a vertical garden privacy screen.

3. Accessibility
Vertical Gardens are great for those with health and mobility challenges, as plants are raised off from the ground and are easier to reach (Save your back!)

4. Micro Climate
Whenever you plant succulents close together, you are creating a micro climate where each plant protects the others from severe heat, cold or any other undesirable elements. You are also creating a micro climate for the surrounding area - cool down a hot paved courtyard, or reduce the surrounding traffic noise of the area.

5. Eye Candy
Makeover the dreariest of spaces into a colourful wonderland!

Succulents are a fantastic choice for vertical gardens as they have the ability to live in shallow soils and can adapt to all types of environmental conditions. Select different succulent colours, forms and textures to make your vertical garden really unique and individual.

Amazing Lithops

At this time of the year I am always amazed at lithops and how they seem to love the hot weather and flourish with new plump growth. Our lithops started a few years ago with one plant only and every year they divide into 2 and double our stock.It is wonderful to watch this. At the end of their growing season their final finale is a gorgeous flower in the centre. Love it!  We have some growing from seed this season but these wont be large enough to go out into the big bad world until next year.

One amazing characteristic is their ability to change colour to the same colour as the gravel surrounding it. The photo here shows just how close they get to the correct colour. Apparently(according to David Attenborough) this wonderful ability is an adaptation to help camouflage themselves from animals seeing them and eating them.
 

Who would have thought that was possible? Very clever indeed.  

Rain and your Plants

Winter’s continuous rain can, from time to time, rot some of your precious succulents and cacti.

Having your favourite species in pots means that you can move them to areas where the watering can be controlled by you.

Move them to under the eaves of your house or under your pergola for Winter.

They will thank you for it!!!

Succulent Garden Raffle Prizes

Howdy, fellow Cactorians!

I just wanted to share with you some succulent gardens I have just potted up! These beauties will be raffled off each show night of Phoenix Theatre's production of Alice in Wonderland :)


So, if your in Perth and looking for a great night out, head on down to Phoenix Theatre, Cnr of Carrington Rd and Rockingham Rd, Hamilton Hill and come see this magnificent Musical Production.

Full of laughs, this pantomime adaptation of Lewis Caroll's story come to life on stage with stunning costumes, great performances and yes... audience participation!

Opens this Thursday, 24th November. Runs until 4th December, tickets are $20 Adult and $15 Concession. And hey, you never know, you may win the raffle and be the proud owner of one of these succulent gardens!

See Phoenix Theatre's profile on Theatre Australia for more information.

Mulch it! Mulch it good!

Before our hot summer rears its warm, ugly head, It's time to start thinking about mulching your gardens. You may not realise it, but succulents benefit greatly from a good mulching too!

In this photo: Echeveria 'Topsy Turvy' and Echeveria 'Dondo'.

Adding mulch around your succulents in your garden helps to:

• lower the soil temperature
• retain moisture within soil
• reduce water evaporation rate
• reduce soil erosion
• suppress weeds

Here, we have used Red Gum wood chips because of the nice red colour, but you can use whatever is available - wood chips, pebbles, gravel - It's up to your imagination.

TIP - Make sure you lay it on thick! For wood chips, 100mm thick will do the job nicely. ALSO, make sure you keep the mulch away from the base of your plants (unlike our photo here!) - this helps to prevent rotting at the base of your plants.

So...How much mulch will I need, and where do I get it from?
You can get mulch from any good garden centre or landscape supplier, and quantities are usually measured in cubic metres. To find out how many cubic metres you will need, simply times the length by the width of your space, then times that by the thickness/height of your mulch:


For a garden 2m long by 3m wide:
2m x 3m x 0.1m (100mm thick) = 0.6m³ (0.6 cubic metres)

So go out there and have some fun mulching your succulents!
And be proud of your garden!!! Go take a photo or two, post them on our Facebook Page and boast about your hard work! Go on... all the other kids are doin' it :)

Spring Projects

Spring Projects

Spring has sprung, and now is the perfect time to go out in the sunshine and get started on those spring projects. Here are a few ideas for you to ponder about:

• Brighten up the patio with some potted colour, succulent style! There are some vibrant reds available at the moment, like Crassula erosula Campfire, or Crassula fusca.
  
  
• Give your garden some colour too, with some Aloe Walmsleys Blue, or Aloe Black Gem.

So, what's the tip to making them look outstanding?
Mass Plant!!!
Whether it is in a pot or in the ground they need to be tightly packed. This creates not only an aesthetically appealing appearance, but it also makes a mini micro climate where each plant protects the others from severe heat, cold or any other undesirable elements.

October Kalamunda Markets Stock

Despite the fact that it is bucketing down outside, I managed to run out between showers and take some photos of our stock for the October markets coming up this weekend:

In this photo: Crassula Anomala and Sempervivum tectorum

I love sempervivums at the moment! They colours and the shapes of the leaves are just stunning! I don't think these will last long at the markets...

And these two matching Euphorbias shall hence be known as Tweedlee and Tweedledum!

According to weatherzone.com.au, showers will clear by Saturday :)