Succulents are known for their vibrant colors and delicate textures. Use these drought-tolerant plants to create a miniature succulent garden that mimics a full-size desert landscape. This succulent garden DIY is perfect for an outdoor centerpiece. To create this bright container garden, we used a few rocks, dozens of succulents, and surface covers with various textures and colors. Because this display relies on succulent plants, it's easy to care for, too!
What You'll Need
Materials
- 18-inch-diameter, 8-inch-deep pot
- Cactus mix potting soil, small bag
- Five fist-size rocks
- Dwarf Euphorbia milii (half gallon)
- 25 succulent cuttings, assorted
- Crushed black lava rock
- White pumice (to go under blue tumbled glass)
- Light blue tumbled glass
Instructions
How to Make a Mini Succulent Garden
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Prep Pot
Fill the pot nearly to the top with cactus mix potting soil—it provides the amount of drainage succulents need. You can find a cactus mix for your succulent garden sold at any nursery or garden center.
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Place Rocks
Place an odd number (three or five) fist-size rocks on the soil's surface. Put them close to each other and off-center to suggest natural terrain.
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Start Planting
Add a high plant, also off-center, into the container garden. We recommend a dwarf Euphorbia milii cultivar, but there are plenty of other options you can try.
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Fill Container
Tuck in small rooted succulents and cuttings so they appear to have grown among the rocks. Vary the plant colors and textures, and arrange them so no soil shows.
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Finish Succulent Garden
Add contrasting hues of black lava rock and white pumice to cover remaining bare soil, then add crushed, tumbled glass atop the pumice for sparkle in the topmost layer.
Succulent Garden Plant Care
Give the succulent garden half a day of sun in all but desert areas, or keep it in dappled shade. Water it thoroughly twice a month and protect it from excessive rainfall lest the plants rot. Overwinter the potted succulent garden indoors if temperatures in your area drop below freezing. Gradually introduce it to greater sunlight in spring to avoid sunburn.