agaves

Agaves are living sculptures. In the ground or in a container, their strong shapes and strapping leaves add instant drama to any setting. Never mind that they’re a cinch to care for. If you’ve been intimidated by those menacing spines you see in the photo at left, come take a closer look.

“There is no genus of plants that has given me more gardening joy than agaves,” says Scott Calhoun, an Arizona-based garden designer and author of . With more than 200 recognized species, it is a diverse genus with many garden uses. Depending on the species, individual plants can range