A living picture!

I saw this at a nursery and it sure mesmerizes all who see it. Made of 12 flats of succulents. And not that hard to put together I wouldn't think. Really a fun, fun stop and stare piece.

I would think if you were artistic, you could actually paint a picture with the different succulent colored plants. That would be so cool!

Beautiful!

I want to go there and look at the detail myself. You better call next time you go!

Kell, this is simply, absolutely gorgeous! I'm getting some ideas here, heeh...how were the plants attached to the flats?

Neat but I would think not long lasting as succulents grow quickly. I guess that would be reason to make another? Thanks for sharing that.

I think the fact they grow fast is a plus! They would spread and intermingle making a nice mosaic...

I've seen this done before---but never one this large. Very beautiful.

That's really lovely. I might have to try it. How would you water it? From the back? Colleen

Good question!

Most of this has room to grow more. The much smaller 1 flat ones I have seen in the past are so full you cannot see the black plastic of the cell packs.

It appears this is made up of some type of cell packs in a flat. The flat may be nailed to the board. Maybe the cell packs are glued to the flat? I will say the cell packs were of a heavy plastic, not the kind I buy in nurseries which are flimsy. Maybe there are flats that come with cell packs attached already.

You just hose it down to water it.

The bigger succulents have filled out much more and look better.

Really awesome. Thanks for sharing that with us. Is there any type of plastic netting to keep the plants from falling out of the pots/flats themselves, and to hold the dirt in?

I saw some succlulent wreaths that were pretty cool. I've always wanted to try one of those succulent balls too.

This message was edited Mar 1, 2009 8:17 AM

How cool. Seems the more they grow, the better it looks! I think I'll try to make something like this (of course more simple and smaller to start with!).

Kell Are you going to tell us which nursery this is or what? We got to go check it out. carri

No netting. I bet you could buy a flat of succulents and figure out how to keep the 6 packs in the flat and hang it. The plants would not fall out of the 6 packs. I think the 1 flat ones I saw last year at he San Francisco Flower and Garden Show were just flats they hung on the wall for show. They were overgrown and holding each other in.

You can buy those wreaths and balls and do them yourself. I bought a ball of moss with a hook in it last year to make one just haven't yet. I also have a few wreaths that I bought whenI found them cheap.

Sure- Flora Grubbs. Here are more pics. http://davesgarden.com/products/go/view/2124/
A very dramatic nursery.

Sue, your post just registered. You have a date. I just wish it were closer!

don't they have vertical gardens that are made to go on the wall? I'm pretty sure I saw a post on DG about it somewhere. You can purchase them or make your own I believe.

Kell, I saw your pics, so cool! I wish I was closer!

Watering - my guess is that is has hinges on the top. Prop it up with a couple sticks to near level and spray it. Let it stand until is stops dripping and then lower it.

They have some here, but check out the price. http://www.gardeners.com/Living-Wall-Indoor/NewIndoorPlanters_Cat,37-085RS,default,cp.html
Gary

those are the ones I was thinking of. They sell the grids alone, still pricey at $60, and there is no water containment system so you have to plan for run-off. http://www.gardeners.com/Living-Wall-Outdoor-Planter/37-001RS,default,pd.html

I know I saw a DIY version, cuz I think these are fantastic, but I can't find it :(

OK, I'm on a mission now :)

I found this article http://www.pointclickhome.com/gardens_landscapes/articles/live_art that talked about how an architect built one of these. there are no pictures of the build, but it seems simple enough. A frame is built, then the back and front are covered in mesh. The area between the mesh (so the width of the frame) is filled with planting medium. The plants are added on top of the mesh and allowed to develop root systems before hanging. I guess you could add a solid back and maybe water reservoirs to the top and bottom to make this indoor friendly.

Kell,
I just love that car! Is it yours?

I saw it at a nursery, Helenchild. I thought it was so clever.

I so have to look thru Gardeners Supply! I always get their emails but rarely look at them. I just love that set up. My only fear is that if there is no drainage hole in the back of each of those cells, water will fill each one because of the slant it has. I guess you can drill holes at he base of each one.

Gosh the one in your article is just gorgeous, Amfm. Now I need to find a big enough area of sun to hang one. I just know my husband is going to say I can't drill holes in the back of the house.

I wonder if you couldn't make one with chicken wire? Cover it with moss inside the wire and insert the plants through the wire? Just a thought, it will be fun to see what you do. I am hoping to start with just making a wreath for my door.

That would probably work cactuspatch. Love the idea of a wreath. Too bad my door is always in shade. I'll have to think about where I can put something like that.

During the last holiday season, I really wanted to make a "living wreath". I already had all the cuttings set up and all. I just could not find a darn frame! I have a book where it explains the succulent wreath step by step. You fill the frame with peat moss and very little cactus soil, then stick your cuttings and they root in place. BUT, no frame in sight! So I gave up (will try again for sure!).

Cactuspatch, your idea of using chicken wire is a great one! This might be the way to go!

Amfm, your wreath wouldn't need to be in the sun all the time. Succulents can handle dappled shade just fine, especially if it's hot (probably the case in AZ!). If you think they need more "color", you can put them in full sun for a couple of days then hang it on the door again....

Were you looking for the hard moss wreaths or a dirt one?

I have seen these in 3 sizes. I bought one myself to do an Impatiens wreath for my gate this year.

I think I will get another now to do succulents. LOL. The trouble is the big one may cost a fortune. Now succulents would be so much heavier so I wonder if they would hold in well.

http://www.kinsmangarden.com/departments.asp?dept=1084

topiaryartworks.com have the best wreaths frames I've found. http://www.topiaryartworks.com/livingwreath.html
I've made a bunch of wreaths and I'm now working on a few kissing balls. here is my progress so far. I planted the bottom first. I'll do the top when the bottom roots.

Nice site and ideas! (too bad they didn't have someone spell check for them, there are errors on almost every page!)

Maxluke, so cool! I love them! I have a ball too I bought last year but haven't done anything with. It seems to be so hard packed moss. So they will grow well with no dirt?

I bought about 6 of these wreaths last year for Christmas presents for friends then decided I really had no friends so I kept them. LOL. Well I think I sent one to a friend in Oklahoma begrudgingly which is probably why I have no friends. LOL. They were all different with different combos of succulents. And much cheaper than the price here but the exact ones http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/topiary_2039_20880012. I think $25.

Wow, all of those are beautiful! Yes, those are the frames....I just with I had found something locally...these online stores seem at bit pricey!
But now that I've seen the "living picture"....no more wreaths, lol!

Maxluke, I have actually been looking at that site for several days now debating over which form to buy because I want to try some. I was wondering if the sphagnum moss filled wire wreaths "ready for planting" are difficult to plant in - would one be better off buying just the frame and inserting the sphagnum moss yourself?

Kell, for your Impatiens wreath are you putting potting mix in the frame too? I read somewhere that to hold the mix in the frame easily you can stuff it into pantyhose legs first. Just poke holes in them to plant in. Of course, you still want to cover them with sphagnum moss!

I've tried to buy the frame and insert my own spagnum moss and the premade frames are much eaiser for me to use. I usually soak them the day before so they aren't dripping wet before I use them. I use a pencil and punch a hole and insert my cuttings.

If you are using plants it may be easier to make the base yourself. Cuttings are really easy to insert. I've never gotten the wreath to hold up as well when I do it myself. Some of the wreaths I've made using the premade bases are 4 or 5 years old and just starting to show the base. They really hold up and there is enough soil inside that it works great. I've tried round and square of many sizes and they have all worked out great.

maxluke, appreciate your response!

Bump

Resurrecting this thread with 2 pictures from the Waterwise Garden of Cuyamaca College.

-Succulent triptych

Resurrecting this thread with 2 pictures from the Waterwise Garden of Cuyamaca College.

-Don't-sit-on-me chair

These are so Awesome! But what to do in wintertime if you live in Z5a-b.... I notice the first photo from nomosno, the flats ARE hinged, so that question seems to be answered!