BREAKFAST WITH A BOOK

A week ago I found myself breakfasting alone, a little later than usual, and too late to eat with the birds in the English Garden because the sun was already over the top of the wall. I moved into the Front Courtyard where it was still shady. One of the benefits of having multiple places to sit around the garden. My chosen book was Succulent Container Gardening, by Debra Lee Baldwin.

Debra Lee Baldwin is certainly the queen of succulents in my eyes and this book is one of my favorites; full of wonderful ideas on how to bring out the best in your cactus and succulents; pairing plants with pots and unique ways to style your collection.

Almost all my plants are in terra cotta pots and that is probably where they will stay, but it doesn't stop my enjoyment of turning over each page to an reveal a new and wonderful pairing. And one of those photos gave me an idea.
In the side entry to the house is a table holding my shell collection. A large conch shell which we picked up many years ago has always sat on the table. There was space enough to plant a succulent or two in the open mouth. I looked around for something to plant in there and came up with these. Maybe not the perfect choice, but until I find that perfect plant here they will stay.

Then I saw another idea. I won't be making a fairy garden but I do have some little Chinese figures and I might try to find a succulent with a tree-like appearance to create a Chinese garden in a dish.