Gardening - Succulents

I want to dedicate a part of my property to a succulent garden. For the most part I plan on leaving out traditional cacti and would like to focus on prickly types that have flowers.

Is this something I can do on Long Island w/o having our harsh winters kill off the succulents?

Re: Gardening - Succulents

The one thing that I know for a fact will survive is Prickly Pear Cactus. I inherited some when I lived in Long Beach and it's blooms were yellow and pretty. It also grows fruit that's edible.

Actually, I know another one - Sedum "Autumn Joy":



In the bed next to the driveway, it's at the bottom of the pic, in the middle, and at the top. Those were originally from one big plant that I divided. Light green leaves, pink/orange flowers in September.

Did you mean you do or don't want spines? Sedum is a good, non-spine succulent, and you can check out "ice plant" too. Those are the only other ones I've grown and know will survive our winters.

Re: Gardening - Succulents

greenfreak,
thanks for the reply.

The flower bed in the foreground is very nice. What material are you using for the edging? And are the pink flowers portulacas? I've had good luck w/ them myself.

Yes, I'm trying to stay away from prickly things because I have 2 dogs who have been given fairly free reign over the yard.

I plan on having one flower bed in particular with a focus on succulents and sedum and ice plant are on my list.

My vision includes some flowering succulents, some low lying, and will want to work in some kind of artwork that includes holes to plant other succulents.

I'm not sure what the artwork will be and in the end it could just wind up being some kind of rock that has holes in it.

Message edited 3/29/2011 9:36:38 AM.

Re: Gardening - Succulents

The pink flowers in the bed are Sedum 'Autumn Joy'. Although that's the north side of my house and the sun is stronger on the south side, they seem to do just fine.

The edging on that bed was an experiment and it went very well - it's bender board, and I wrote a Note about it on my Facebook gardening page: Green Gardens Tips and Tricks.

I left it over the winter and it doesn't look bad! The lawn is so lush, it just disappears into it anyway. I'll have to see if the grass will grow underneath it or over the top. I might have to define the edge again from time to time.

Here's the closeup of the Sedum, taken mid-September: