Think You Can’t Grow Succulents in the Cold? Think Again with These Hardy Varieties
An outdoor succulent garden isn't just for warm climates! See what you can do in four season climates with succulents in the ground.
While there are plenty of gorgeous succulent gardens in sunny southern California, it's harder to come by outdoor succulent gardens in four season climates, like Utah and Colorado.
But…
You can have a gorgeous AND cold hardy succulent garden!
There are two main varieties of succulents that can tolerate freezing temperatures, Sempervivums (commonly called hens and chicks) and Stonecrop Sedums. Most will tolerate temperatures down to -20 degrees Fahrenheit.
I've been working on a variety of arrangements using strictly cold hardy succulents so I can have a gorgeous outdoor succulent garden year round, even when there's snow on the ground.
Let's take a tour of my outdoor succulent arrangements together, shall we?
The Rock Garden and Bird Bath
This is one of my favorite places in the garden. We used a variety of Sempervivum and a couple Sedums spaced out to allow room for them to grow (as they will definitely do).
I love the way it has filled in since first planting, and it's only been a month! My sweet neighbor, Emma, had the great idea to use a variety of top dressings to create the paths.
My mom added in the toad house and the fairy for a little bit of whimsy.
On the opposide side of the walkway we have a birdbath that we filled with cold hardy succulents. This has been replanted a couple times. This year we added in this self watering globe and that has made a huge difference with how well the plants are surviving.
Below the succulent filled birdbath you can see how well the Sedums have done. They were just a few individual plants last year but came back with vigor and spread significantly this year.
I've pulled off some of the Sedums below the bird bath and planted them in a variety of places. You can't even tell they've been removed!
The Succulent Chair and Fairy Garden
My favorite project of the year so far is the succulent chair. Everyone who has seen it wants to take it home 🙂
I used all “leftover” succulents for it, so some don't look super great, but the overall effect is stunning.
The fairy garden in the back has also been a fun project, and a few years in the making. There are Sempervivums and Sedums surrounding the stump which have been there for 3 years.
This area doesn't get watered often, so I've been thrilled with how much it has grown despite the neglect.
On the right hand side near the rocks I planted a bunch of Sempervivum “scraps”. Again, these are succulents that were in other pots that didn't do well, or some I've just neglected to plant in the last few months. This area on the right gets slightly more water so it should fill in quite nicely.
I love how the fairy house and ceramic mushrooms add a pop of color and help guide your eye through the design.
My Helpers
Getting all of these gardens planted was not a one woman job. I had quite a bit of help, some more helpful than others…
My kids love playing in the dirt and moving rocks around. They are 1 and 3 and very curious about and interested in working right along with me.
I think you'll find that outdoor succulent gardens can be stunning in any area of the world! You just have to find the plants that will work for you.
These cold hardy varieties are quickly becoming my favorites, especially since it means I can have my own outdoor succulent garden, even in the snow!
Take a look at this post of the garden just a few months later to see how well it has grown!
But, what if you've moved into a home that already has succulent arrangements planted?
While you don't get the fun of picking the succulents to plant yourself, the hard work of planting has already been done for you!
First, you'll want to identify the succulents that are planted. After you've identified your succulents, you'll be able to learn their individual watering and light needs. This will ensure that you're giving each plant the correct care.
Is Your State On The List? 18 States Where Succulents Can Grow Outside Year Round
Many people think of succulents as beautiful house plants but don't realize they can be grown outside year round in many parts of the United States. Not every succulent is suited for outdoor growing in every state so here's a list of states and some of the succulents you can expect to grow outside year round there.
This article originally appeared on Succulents and Sunshine.