When I first moved into my house in Warwick there was a section of the yard that to me seemed ideal to turn into a succulent/cactus garden.
My driveway is rather steep and the north eastern side of that is not very wide and quite hard to mow.
I envisaged that with a few large rocks, some weed matting and gravel, a sump and a solar pump, I could reticulate the water and turn this area into a small waterfall and watercourse with a variety of hardy succulents and cactus growing on the remainder of the area.
I still have the dream and vision but as yet it has not come to fruition. Over the last 2 years I don’t seem to have been home long enough to accomplish much before family calls and I am away again!
I have done some research on plants though and think I have found some that will be suitable and stand up to our climate.
Yuccas or Joshua trees as they are also called, are very hardy, but they also grow too big for where I am thinking.
Aloes in some form seem as if they might be ideal. I don’t want anything to sharp or prickly, but some of the smaller varieties might be suitable. I also want colour and they fit the bill nicely there as they come in a variety of shades of green, blue greys and even reds. They are also striped or plain leaved and many also flower.
According to the World Check-list of Selected Plant Families there are about 580 different species of aloe so from that number one would think I should be able to find a few that will be suitable.
One I have recently seen is a spiral aloe, aloe polyphylla, and it looks most attractive and very close to the ground. Apparently it doesn’t flower readily but when it does they are spectacular and attract bees.
Aloe cameronii is another that I would like to find as it appears to have deep burgundy foliage and red flowers in the winter.
Aloe striata has broad, flat, green leaves with no prickles and the leaves turn pink in the sun. That one seems like a “must have” variety.
Aloe aristata has green leaves with white dots on them and has orange flowers in the winter.
Now I realise some of these are not going to be readily available and that I also might find that they will not handle our winters, but I will give those that I do find a good try. As with most things in my garden they have to be able to thrive on neglect or at least survive on it!
Echeveria is another succulent that I know will grow in the place I want to put it as I already have some in a pot close to the proposed gravel garden. They appear to come in a variety of colours from blue grey through green to deep burgundy.
Sedums are another one that I think will do ok and also come in a variety of colours and sizes. They seem to typically grow to about 8 inches high and come in all colours from blues to greys, to bi colours and deep purple/burgundy and even a bright lime green.
Then, of course, there is a huge range of cactus to choose from. Once again I don’t really want anything too prickly but there are so many that are covered in that fine soft hairy coat that I am sure I’ll be able to find some to fill a corner and add interest.
While I am away I spend many evenings dreaming of what I might be able to achieve when I am home again! This particular area is one that I am fairly determined to get set up during this spring and summer.
Of course, if I find succulents and cactus are not going achieve the effect I want, there is always a range of lovely, hardy grasses that would fit the bill! Assorted “Red Hot Pokers”, kniphofia uvaria, would also look good and they come in such a variety of colours and flowering times these days, that I would be able to have continuing spots of colour. I know they will survive our climate as they withstood the cold of my garden on the NSW northern tablelands.
The first thing I will have to get done though, is the placement of a couple of large rocks to act as the start of my watercourse and then put in a few smaller ones to slow the flow down the slope. Ah well, it is good to dream!!
Don’t forget to look after your garden ready for the competition in October and to have entries for the various sections in the spring flower show also.
