Creativity in the Heat

When your garden is located in a climate of 30 days of temperatures at or over 110 degrees, it’s tough to want to do any creative gardening. I wander about with my watering can most mornings when it’s only 89 degrees. Yes, it’s a dry heat, and I mostly appreciate that, but it isn’t pleasant. No monsoon rains in sight, plants covered with shade cloth, we must wait it out.

What I saw

Except for this idea I had, it isn’t original, though really, what ideas are today? In traveling, I saw this succulent arrangement for sale at a nursery. It was so cute, bits of broken pots positioned in a wok pot with succulents growing out the top. So, remembering this and having a small broken clay pot and some succulents that needed trimming, stones, and soil, I decided to try it.

Where I started

I placed the pots too high right from the start but didn’t realize it until I finished.  I wanted a way to separate the stones from the soil so I could lift the stones out easily.  I have a collection of the mesh sacks that bulbs and onions come it so I cut one open and then used floral pins to secure the mesh into place.

Tucked into the soil and held with the pins

Then I trimmed some lanky succulents with a small stem still attached and positioned them into the pots.

Positioning the plants

I needed to place more of the mesh for the top of the pot, so I removed the plants and pinned in more of the mesh.

Rocks in place on the bottom, mesh going in on top

Then the plants were back into place added the rocks to create sky & clouds.

Here’s when I realized the placement was too high in the pot.

But I like it, and when it finally cools down some, I may redo it.  Still, here’s an idea for you if you really want to do something in the garden now.

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