Pared-Down Pots

My dear friend and neighbor moved away, which means I have to take the advice in my own book and plant up pots that don't need constant tending. Without my neighbor to water for me when I'm away for a few days every week, I'm working on pared down pots that can go 3-4 days sans watering.

I have drip irrigation in raised beds for flowers, vegetables, herbs, fruit and tomatoes - but never managed to make my smaller pots at all self-sufficient. Despite my best intentions, I always slipped a few geraniums or begonias or some other pretty, thirsty plant in there that needed near-daily doses of water.

So here's what I've come up with for my sunny front porch - mostly little conifers and a mix of hardy and tender succulents, that should revel in the heat and drought....

I remember the names of very few of these sedum and succulents, I'm afraid....the tall one in this pot is a black tree aeonium (Aeonium arboreum var. artopupureum 'Schwarzkopf') that I overwintered in the house, hence its height...

 

Comments

[SueLovesCherries]

Very nice! I've never seen an aeonium "tree" before - rather snazzy!

Of course, you could always buy those self-watering pots, like the ones at Gardeners Supply Co.

[Loree / danger garden]

Oh gosh...I am facing this very same dilemma. The new neighbors have moved in and I am already interviewing them for their garden worthiness!