Debra Lee Baldwin - Tour Debra's Garden


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Testimonials Award-winning Articles Photojournalism Debra's Garden Succulents, Tips & Links Firewise Landscaping View Slideshow Home Crassula perforata Agave americana 'Marginata'	The garden my husband Jeff and I created on a steep hillside in north San Diego County is in USDA Zone 9 (Sunset Zone 21). Temperatures dip below freezing in winter and soar above 100 in summer. The soil is decomposed granite and clay. Rainfall averages a mere 12 inches a year, so water conservation is a constant concern. Succulent sitting area: We created this semi-circular space by digging into a bank between oak trees. Along the top of the retaining wall, aeoniums, echeverias, and cascading kalanchoes and sedums create a half wreath you can sit inside. Higher on the slope grow larger succulents, such as Agave attenuata and Aloe arborescens. Succulent tapestry: This rectangular (11-by-22 foot) bed formerly held 15 rose bushes. We removed them because they required a lot of water, then converted the bed into a geometric succulent garden. In the center is a "fountain" -- an Agave americana with undulating leaves. At the base of the agave, tightly packed aeoniums suggest concentric circles of water. Publications: Our garden has been in Sunset magazine (Sept., '03) and reprinted in "Backyard Makeovers" (Sunset Books); and in Better Homes & Gardens, March, 2005. My book: Designing with Succulents Whether your yard is a boulder-strewn slope or a tiny balcony, Designing with Succulents offers simple, practical ways to create a low-maintenance garden with minimal water. Succulent plants, which store water in fleshy leaves and stems, thrive in temperate climates worldwide. Plants range from tiny-leaved sedums that make great ground covers to immense striped agaves that serve as stunning focal points. Designing with Succulents introduces readily available varieties, tells how to care for them, and suggests ways to grow them in new and established gardens. Six favorites: Red-and-teal Kalanchoe luciae Crassula perforata, because it resembles dime-sized stacked boxes Multicolored Graptoveria 'Fred Ives' Yellow-and-green-striped Agave americana 'Marginata' Yellow-pink-and-green Aeonium 'Sunburst' Neon-bright blooms of Calandrinia grandiflora You can do it, too! Ten tips for enhancing your garden with succulents. Portrait of Debra (top left) is by Mary Beiler. All other photos are by Debra Lee Baldwin.	Succulent sitting area Succulent tapestry Kalanchoe luciae Graptoveria 'Fred Ives' Aeonium 'Sunburst' Calandrinia grandiflora '
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