6 tips for planting a succulent garden

April 3, 2017

Anyone who knows me can attest that I'm always down for a good house plant! I love the energy it adds to a space, and nothing can compare to the feeling you get when you notice that a plant you brought into your home is growing up all big and strong like a good boy or girl! Today, I wanted to talk a bit about how I tackled a plant-related project that has been on my list for quite some time... a new succulent garden. Now if you've been following along with me for quite some time, you know that this is not my first time at the succulent garden rodeo!

The first time I tried my hand at a succulent garden, I completely ruined the soil by making it way too damp when I initially planted it (coupled with the fact that I didn't have anything at the bottom of my container for drainage). Within a week or so my poor little babies swelled and burst. Yea, it wasn't pretty. But today I'm back for round two a little older and wiser. So real quick, before we begin, here are 6 tips, aka my two cents, if you feel inspired to tackle a succulent garden on your own.


  1. Find a cute container deep enough for planting. Since my previous garden didn't last long, I decided to reuse the one I already owned. A container that is a little deeper than the pot that your succulents come in should work fine.
  2. Gather a variety of succulents in different shapes, colors, and heights. This will add dimension, and besides, variety is the spice of life! Odd numbers usually make for a more interesting composition, but somehow in the heat of the moment I ended up with 6 - go figure! 
  3. Use gardening gloves to handle your succulents. Gloves can make this whole experience much more pleasant, especially if you're working with cacti. A small shovel and straw (for blowing off stray soil) also can also come in handy while you're working.
  4. *If your container does not have drainage holes, add rocks to the bottom so that the roots don't rot and your succulents don't drown.* Been there, done that. Trust me.
  5. Use a good succulent soil that provides extra nutrients and built-in drainage for your little garden. I used a soil mix from Southeast Succulents, a local provider in Atlanta's Inman Park neighborhood.
  6. A nice soil cover makes everything feel fresh and finished. It makes it insta-worthy too! :) I got my soil cover from the Home Depot.

So as you can see, I started with a pretty large variety. Admittedly there were more cacti than succulents, but hey, that's okay! I didn't end up using them all, so I'll definitely be planting another garden in a few days! Mine are a mix from IKEA (between $3 and $4 a piece) and the Home Depot (3 for $10).


And here it is in all its glory!


I also gave the garden some friends!


As you can see, soil cover does a lot for the overall look of the garden, it even unifies different plantings together.



Here's a closeup of the other ladies that came to the party.


I love how they all have wild and crazy "hair"!


My favorite is when you can find succulents that are sprouting...


or have a chain of flowers. I got really lucky with this batch.


And how fabulous is this teacup situation? I have been wanting to use one of my vintage teacups as a planter for so long! I figured this spiky girl had just the right amount of flair! Very lady-like! So what do you think? Would you ever try a succulent garden? I can't wait to find the perfect space for our garden in our place. So vibrant and happy, I'm sure it'll fit right in! :)

Post a Comment

Do you want to make my day? Comments make me feel super special!