Your Home, Garden and Travel

I love container gardens stuffed with annuals for summer blooms, but I don't like leaving them unattended when I go on vacation. Creating a container garden takes imagination, time and expense—I don't want to come home to wilted or dead plants!

Until recently, I knew nothing about growing succulents—that can tolerate a couple of weeks without water. I live in North Carolina, not Southern California.

The idea of succulents as container plants never crossed my mind until I opened the book, Succulent Container Gardens by Debra Lee Baldwin.

I think my jaw dropped as I looked at the photos of gorgeous and creative succulent container designs! My husband and son looked over my shoulder as I stood at the kitchen island pointing out incredible colors, forms and arrangements. The guys "got it" as I read a few passages to them about the low-maintenance of succulents.

Sitting down to read the book, I learned about the varieties of succulents that will work in my climate. Debra's how-to instructions on choosing plants to work with pots convinced me to try my hand at creating my first succulent container garden.

Debra's planting instructions are easy to follow and include choices in soil mixture as well as tricks and tips for getting the plants into the container. I found out that a soft paint brush is needed to gently brush the soil mixture from the plants without any damage.

Debra provides many inspirational designs that are making me think outside the standard container—succulent wreaths and topiaries as well as interesting objects that can be used as containers—including birdbaths, bathtubs and shelves.

It is so easy for me to recommend a garden book that inspired me enough to do what is described within the book!

Review written by Freda Cameron.

Succulent Container Gardens by Debra Lee Baldwin was provided courtesy of Timber Press:

Debra has wowed the gardening world with her new book Succulent Container Gardens, now see Debra Lee Baldwin's exclusive DIY video showing the easy steps to making one of her swoon-worthy succulent designs.