There are many out there who garden with, as the expression goes, green thumbs. Their garden boxes overflow with lush green leaves and flowers of so many varieties you could weep to see them. For many others, however, this is not the case: greenery wilts and droops despite all loving care, or worse, seeds simply fail to come up. Do not despair, black-thumbed would-be gardeners! There is a simple solution: succulents.
Lacey Hunniford of Hunniford Gardens says that unlike some more prima donna plants, succulents "thrive on neglect." They require very little attention or watering and are happy to be ignored. In fact, Hunniford says, the biggest mistake people tend to make is to "kill them with kindness," by overwatering their low-maintenance friends. Right-o! You might say. Sign us all up! But wait - what exactly is a succulent?
It's not all cactuses, explains Hunniford. And they don't all need desert heat - in fact; there are some varieties that will even survive the Prince George winters. Plainly put, there are "lots of varieties for indoor and outdoor," explains Hunniford. "There're hundreds of varieties of sempervivums, and you can get low creeping ones or upright varieties."
Again, the key to gardening with succulents is to mostly forget about them. Succulents are kind and easy going plants, and would much rather you chill out on your porch with a margarita then slave over their care. "They actually prefer soil without fertilizer," explains Hunniford, saying that they get "floppy" in soil that is too rich, but that they are happiest in the full glare of the sun, and require good drainage.
Hunniford says that despite the reputation of succulents as being available only in green shades, there are many varieties "that have colours like purple and blue. Some even have rosette formations!" Hunniford says that she is particularly drawn to succulents because "they look like sea creatures! They're just out of this world. They beg you to look closer and are really interesting."
If you would like to talk succulents with Lacey Hunniford, or even pick up some for your own, you can call Hunniford Gardens at 250-967-4325. You can also visit their website or check their Facebook page.
