This Incredible Small Garden Attracts Birds And Bees – See How You Can Do The Same
This small space succulent garden from Cindy Davison of The Succulent Perch is incredible! Her garden is small, practical, and well-designed, something anyone could achieve regardless of how big their garden space is. So often the succulent gardens you see are massive and require a dedicated gardener (or two, or three…) to maintain. But, you don't have to have a lot of space to have an amazing succulent garden. And as a bonus, birds and bees will be attracted to your garden, keeping it busy all year round.
Stunning Entrance
The front of her house has beautiful beds overflowing with succulents. It's very inviting. Right off the bat, you start to see signs of Cindy's fascination with birds. Notice the birdbath full of succulents to add more height to the succulent display.
A Little Bit of Water
When you first enter the side yard you're greeted by this trickling fountain and terra cotta pot of succulents. You'll notice that contrasting colors are used throughout the garden. Here, reds and oranges are complimented with blues and greens.
I love how much thought goes into every part of Cindy's designs.
She is very aware of how colors work together, how to make the size of everything feel balanced and proportioned, and finishes off with perfect accents.
Succulents on the Wall
She also created a beautiful hanging planter using corkboard and greening pins to attach the succulents and then filled in the rest of the space with sphagnum moss. The driftwood and large Echeveria ‘Saharas make for a stunning focal point.
Colorful Corner Protection
These big Echeveria 'Sahara' are near the corner of the raised boxes. This helps prevent garden goers from bumping into a sharp corner but also adds a lot of color to the garden.
Contained Growth
These cacti are planted in pots and then placed in the ground to keep them small and contained. It's like having a small arrangement but with the pot hidden it blends in nicely with the surrounding landscape.
Raised Gardens
The wood planter boxes are all surrounded by succulents. There's so much variation in height with the plants on the ground and in boxes, but everything still flows and feels cohesive.
Hidden Motifs
Really, everything about this garden is adorable.
She has included little hints of birds and butterflies everywhere, some large and obvious but some more subtle, like a treasure hunt.
Everything is Intentional
And if all the birdhouses, bird baths, and miniatures aren't enough, she even has a cute “trash can” that doubles as decor. I've been on the lookout for something as fun as this wood pail, but haven't found anything yet.
Small, But Just Right
It's hard to really show you the scale of this garden, but it's not big. Two people can walk down the path at the same time, but there's not a lot of extra space.
I think that's one (of many) things that makes her garden resonate so well with me.
It's very simple and doable for anyone!
Those of us window sill and porch gardeners wouldn't need much more space to create something like this.
A Place for Cooking
I love the addition of the chimenea so you can enjoy a freshly cooked meal while sitting among your plants.
The plant choice for the garden definitely features succulents, but Cindy has also included plants that will attract birds, bees, and butterflies, like this milkweed. Though we didn't see any at the time, there were some Monarch cocoons hanging on nearby succulents.
Gorgeous Gravel
While the plants are stunning, and definitely the most exciting feature of the garden, I am also a bit obsessed with the way Cindy used gravel to add more visual interest throughout the garden.
She used three different sizes of gravel in the same color family. Larger right around the succulents, medium-sized just out from that, and then the majority was the size of coarse sand. It's like having a matted picture but in your garden.
Picture Perfect
Speaking of pictures… Cindy has a large photo hanging on the side of her house, just above the air conditioning unit. Rather than try to hide the unit she embraced it and decorated around it.
The large picture is so fun and makes the garden feel like an extension of the house.
She has also decorated the air conditioner with a succulent arrangement, just like you would a table inside!
Has Your Succulent Lost Its Color?
The succulents in this list can all tolerate low light. But most colorful succulents won't fare so well. There are a number of factors that help keep your succulents colorful, including how much light they get. Even some of these "low light" succulents will look a little better with more light. Find out how to give your succulents healthy stress and bring out their brightest colors.
Yes, Your Succulent Is Probably Dying, But Here's What To Do About It
There are a number of reasons your succulent might not be looking great. Find out how to tell what's wrong with your succulent and how you can fix it or prevent it from happening again.
7 Worst Mistakes Beginners Make When Growing Succulents
Many people assume that they can take care of succulent plants however they want -- just treat them like normal house plants. The problem is succulents aren't like most other house plants. They have completely different watering needs and often need more sunlight and airflow than other plants. Find out what the most common succulent mistakes are and how to avoid them.
Save Your Succulents With This Critical Watering Technique And Look Like A Pro
A big part of keeping succulents healthy is providing them with the right environment. You'll want to pay attention to the soil they're in, how much sunlight they're getting, and most importantly, how often you're watering them. The method and frequency of watering succulents are critical to preventing rot while encouraging lots of new growth.
Expert Tips for Creating Stunning Succulent Arrangements
Figuring out which succulents to combine together to make a beautiful arrangement can be daunting. But with these tips from succulent design experts you'll be able to put together crowd-pleasing arrangements easily, whether it's in pots or in the ground.
This article originally appeared on Succulents and Sunshine.