Friday, June 14, 2013

Unexpected succulent and unexpected places…

I don’t think there’s another group of plants that have been quite as tortured and manipulated as succulents. If you doubt me just take a quick look at Pinterest! Our first exhibit today is one that caught my eye as I drove home. Nah…it couldn’t be (I thought) so I doubled back to take a look, and it is!

A grafted cactus in a minimalistic hell-strip.

There’s the cactus, a couple of lavender and a tree…

And a couple of craggy rocks on end, that’s all.

In this next example someone took the time to shove a bit of soil and some sedum and sempervivium into the cracks of this building.

Sadly the dry weather we’ve had this spring has done them no favors.

Hopefully the rain this week will perk them up a bit.

If not I might take to carrying my watering can when I walk Lila this way. Maybe I’ll even harvest a few succulents from my garden and add to the spare plantings. That could be fun!

These unexpected sightings had me thinking about the sedum someone/thing planted on the bricks of our chimney. I hadn’t looked at it for months.

It appears to be doing just fine.

All material © 2009-2013 by Loree Bohl for danger garden. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.

31 comments:

  1. AnonymousJune 14, 2013

    Next time you walk by my house, check out the fern that is growing out of the east side of my chimney. I Iove the sweet little sedum on your chimney, Loree, so charming!
    -Bridget

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    1. I will...that sounds fun (and sunny for a fern).

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  2. LOL, that moon cactus cracked me up! I've never seen anything quite so forlorn before. These things are hard enough to keep alive INSIDE, I wonder how long it will last?

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    1. Since I travel this route at least 2-3 times a week I will be sure to let you know.

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  3. I love your idea to guerrilla garden the loading dock succulents. It's so easy to tuck the plants in your pocket and you could carry a water bottle to settle them in. No one will know!

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    1. Indeed! I was looking around my garden today for possible bits and pieces.

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  4. Oooh. That grafted cactus makes me sad.

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    1. Since I'm not a fan of those things and can't believe anyone would believe it could actually live I've decided that the person who planted it is having fun with passers-by. It's a very busy street that has been under construction for months. Cars are stopped (against their will) waiting for 5 minutes or more to travel on. Maybe this person was just trying to have some fun with them?

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  5. haha I love your chimney succulents. You are right about succulent torture. I'm just super happy they have become so popular. I can finally get all the ones I've been seeing in pictures from places like SoCal.

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    1. Indeed...there is a positive that I too am thankful for!

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  6. Oh, that moon cactus makes me sad! Doesn't he know he belongs in a mason jar as a wedding favor?

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  7. Somebody really wanted to ensure that the moon cactus (thanks Gerhard!) was the focal point of that bed. ;)

    I doubt much rain is going to get into those cracks, but if you think it will, then I say add to the plantings! I'd almost say that you should do some guerrilla planting in that moon cactus bed too... add a couple of new plants during the night every few days. :)

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    1. The problem with these #$*# moon cactus is they die with too much AND with too little water. My bet is it'll be mush within two weeks.

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    2. The moon cactus bed is too far away (and public) for me to guerrilla garden but I do think the other one has some possibilities. I need to think on this...

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  8. Taking a page from the yarn bombers? Kinda charming but a little bit lame. I like that it is inspiring you to maybe kick it up a notch.

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    1. You know what I'm not liking about the yarn bombers? They don't go back to clean up! It's Portland for godsakes...it rains! Months later you need to go back and clean up your soggy faded yard installation...please!!!

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  9. Sometimes you have to sedum to believe dum! The hellstrip is, um, different. Your plan to water and augment the building crack garden is great! Happy weekend!

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    1. And happy weekend to you to my friend!

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  10. I like that there was a minimalist/Japanese rock garden thing going on. At least it wasn't fill of weeds and garbage.

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    1. Indeed...someone cared, which is ALWAYS better than the alternative.

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  11. fifi la fontaineJune 14, 2013

    Whoa, if those succulents really take off in the building's cracks, that would look so cool!

    Hey, Loree, I was driving near the Grotto in NE and saw this crazy Yucca serpent and thought I'd send it to you:

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/janky_ranch/9013829444/

    I've never seen them grow like that here! Have you?

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    1. Wow...that Yucca is amazing. At least they seem to be appreciating it, so often those big beautiful old ones are growing in a vacant lot or worse.

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  12. Even though the random rocks and few plants is like NM-Ugly to me, the rest is quite cool. Not sure why, but plants in tight spaces seem so right.

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    1. NM-Ugly, that sounds like a doomed brand.

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  13. Such a fun idea for a post! I love the first image of the plant out in the middle of nothing.

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    1. The world is full of things to post about, thankfully.

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  14. That is so completely hysterical... Sorry, poor plant, poor hellstrip

    Love the chimney

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    1. I really wish I knew how that sedum got up there...

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  15. Your first paragraph made me laugh here, and set the tone for what's to come next. It does get you thinking what are the thoughts behind these plantings....

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  16. I think I could guarantee the little grafted cactus wouldn't make it long in my care. It looks totally lost, like it would like to hitchhike a ride somewhere deserty. I do have some very aged Echeverias that got long, broke off, and just kind of hang around other plant's pots on a lower level. Your chimney succulent is very like some in my yard that spread around mysteriously and take over. They must be the over-achievers of the succulent world. Your idea to plant succulents in abandoned cracks is cute. At my house the little violets do that.

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