Succulent Style: A Gardener’s Guide to Growing and Crafting with Succulents (Plant Style Decor, DIY Interior Design, Gift For Gardeners)
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About this ebook
#1 New Release in Cacti & Succulents, Ornamental Plants, Gardening, Horticulture, and Landscape
We know—killing your plants succs. A crash course on all things succulents, this engaging and easy-to-use succulents book offers everything you need to know so you can both successfully grow these gorgeous plants and create cool crafts with them, too. You’ll find everything you need to know from cacti plant care to specific projects for decorating with plants.
A go-to reference for anyone trying to grow and maintain succulents. The ultimate guide to propagating, growing, and styling succulents and cacti both indoors and out, Succulent Style is as informative as it is gorgeous. Designed for millennials who want to stop killing their plants and for DIY types who want to learn about designing with succulents, Succulent Style is full of succulent growing techniques for beginners as well as for knowledgeable gardeners looking to expand their gardening skills. This beautifully photographed compendium makes the perfect addition to any coffee table or bookshelf.
Succulent ideas for your home and garden. Whether you want to learn how to care for a cactus indoor or how to style plants, you’ll find tons of tips and tricks inside. Start designing succulents with fun projects like succulent garlands, wall art, wreaths, succulent bouquets, potted arrangements as well as many other cool things.
Inside, you’ll also find:
- A detailed compilation of succulent varieties
- Instructions on how to propagate and plant cacti and succulents
- Tips to integrate succulents into outdoor and indoor design
If you’re looking for a succulents plants book or cactus book—like A Beginner's Guide to Succulent Gardening, Essential Succulents, The Gardener's Guide to Succulents, or Cacti and Succulents Handbook—then you’ll love Succulent Style.
Julia Hillier
Julia Hillier began selling succulent arrangements and plants almost two decades ago. Her award-winning succulent garlands and displays have been featured at world-famous hotels, botanical gardens, and have appeared in The Knot, HGTV Magazine, and more. Julia also runs workshops on growing and caring for succulents.
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- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I really enjoyed reading Succulent Style, it’s practical and easy to follow info about succulent care, design and propagation. Great book!
Book preview
Succulent Style - Julia Hillier
succulent style
A Gardener’s Guide
to Growing and Crafting
with Succulents
Julia Hillier
Succulent Artworks
Coral Gables
Copyright © 2022 by Julia Hillier.
Published by Yellow Pear Press, a division of Mango Publishing Group, Inc.
Cover Design and Art Direction: Morgane Leoni
Cover Photo: Julia Hillier
Photo Credits: Jim Bishop, San Diego horticulturist pg. 20 1st photo top row. • Mike Pyle of Mike Pyle Design pg. 28, 30 • Fairyblooms pg. 51-55, 139 • Christy Odom of Christy Odom Photography pg. 152, 161, 170 center photo, 168 photo with little girls, 164 wearing wrist corsage.
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Succulent Style: A Gardener’s Guide to Growing and Crafting with Succulents
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication number: 2022933227
ISBN: (p) 978-1-64250-785-0, (e) 978-1-64250-786-7
BISAC category code NAT048000, NATURE / Plants / Cacti & Succulents
Printed in the United States of America
I like to call succulent gardens friendship gardens because succulents grow best when they’re shared. Each cutting you take from a succulent becomes a new plant, and baby succulents will appear all around the stem to replace the one you’ve shared. With succulents, you always get more than you give.
—Julia Hillier
Table of Contents
Foreword by Angelique of Fairyblooms
An Introduction to Succulents
Section I: In the Garden
Chapter One: Design Elements
Design Secrets from Extraordinary Succulent Gardens
Idea List: Favorite Succulents for Landscape Design
Idea List: Adding Drought-Tolerant Plants to Succulent Landscapes & Planters
Idea List: Adding Top Dressings and Natural Elements to Planters and Pots
My Tool Cart
My Floral Supplies
Chapter Two: Incorporating Succulents in Your Garden
Favorite Succulent Ground Covers
Succulent Rock Gardens
Dry Creek Bed with Succulents
Chapter Three: Container Gardens
Large Container Gardens
Idea List: Succulents for Large Containers
Idea List: Favorite Plants for Succulent Designs & Container Gardens
Unique and Unexpected Containers
Medium and Small Tabletop Gardens
Making a Hypertufa Planter
Styling Cacti and Succulents in Clear Glass Containers
Planting Succulents in Driftwood or Grapevine Logs
Designing Hanging Succulent Planters
Creating Your Planter
(Step by Step)
Chapter Four: Outdoor Gardens
Tall Succulent Garden Planters
Large Succulent Garden Bowl Planters
Mini Tree Planted with Succulents
Vertical Succulent Gardens
Succulent Pallet Garden
Succulent Orb
Succulent Planted Chair
Succulent Rain Gutter Planter
Succulent Rain Chain Gardens
Section II: Succulent Know-How
Chapter Five: Succulent Care
How Often Do Succulents Need Water?
Watering Accessories
How to Water Succulents
The Importance of Sunlight
Succulents That Do Well with Less Sunlight
Succulents That Survive Freezing Temperatures
Succulent Soil
When to Plant and Repot
Succulent Pests
Dealing with Pests
Fertilizing Succulents
Chapter Six: Succulent Propagation and Identification
Growing Succulent Leaf Babies
Growing Succulents from Cuttings
Water Propagation
Growing Succulents from Seeds
Section III: Crafts
Chapter Seven: Events and Weddings to Remember
Tabletop Succulent Garland
Formal Succulent Tabletop Arrangements
Succulent-Trimmed Wedding Arch
Succulent Cake Topper
Succulent Guest Favors
Succulent Boutonniere
Succulent Wrist Corsage
Succulent Comb
Succulent Crown
Succulent Wedding Bouquet
Chapter Eight: Seasons and Holidays
Succulent Birdhouse
Grapevine Wreath Trimmed with Succulents
Succulent-Trimmed Pumpkins
Sempervivum Wreath
Succulent-Trimmed Holiday Grapevine Tree
Succulent Christmas Tree Ornaments
Heart-Shaped Grapevine Trimmed with Succulents
Chapter Nine: Personal and Home Décor
Succulent Ring
Succulent Body Art
Succulent Headband
Succulent Hat Band
Succulent Ribbon Dog Collars
Acknowledgments
P.S.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Foreword by Angelique of Fairyblooms
Julia teaches everything from the most basic care techniques to things she has learned along the way to create designs you wouldn’t think possible using succulents. You don’t have to be an expert to learn from one.
This is such an easy and captivating read that it’s difficult to put down. Her beautiful photos will warm your heart and spark your imagination and desire to make your own creations. With her simple step-by-step guided chapters, you’ll become an expert too!
Julia is an artist and creative genius who’s passionate about nature and all living things. For as long as I can remember, she has been exploring and experimenting with succulents. Long before succulents became popular, she would talk with people about succulents, and they would look at her sideways and say, what’s a succulent? Even then, twenty-five years ago, she taught classes on making succulent wreaths. She has helped pave the way for how people design with succulents today.
She has a way of becoming good friends with anyone she is around for more than ten minutes and loves to connect with others about succulents. It’s how she learns and teaches others, and now, you will benefit from her knowledge as well. Enjoy!
An Introduction to Succulents
It’s easy to become obsessed with succulents. Succulents come in all different colors, shapes, sizes, and textures. Like flowers, fruits, and vegetables, succulents get their beautiful colors from sunshine. With consistent sun, their colors stay fresh and vibrant.
And these incredible plants don’t just grow from seeds. A succulent plant can grow from a single leaf or a cutting, which is just one of the things I cover in this book.
I like to call succulent gardens friendship gardens because succulents grow best when shared. Each cutting you share from a succulent becomes a new plant, and baby succulents will appear all around the stem, replacing the cutting you’ve shared. With succulents, you always get more than you give.
I run our small family succulent business with the help of my husband, Scott, and our amazing Succulent Artworks team. We love working together. Family and friendship are at the heart of our business.
Succulent Artworks began as a passion for succulents. First, I learned about growing and propagating them, then I got creative making wreaths and other succulent designs. Friends began asking me to teach classes and to buy my designs. As word got out, orders poured in. That was the start of what became our family business.
We live in Southern California, where great sunny weather and very little rain make being water-wise a way of life. It’s also a climate where succulents thrive. Our area has countless succulent growers that fuel our passion. They’re treasure troves of beautiful and unusual succulents. We’ve been collecting and propagating succulents for over two decades. I’m an artist with a little wanderlust, so our creativity and designs are influenced by a study of art, design, and world travel.
Our award-winning succulent designs have been featured at world-famous hotels, botanical gardens, and tourist attractions. Our designs have been in Style Me Pretty Bridal Inspirations, Society Bride, on FOX TV and HGTV Magazine, and in House Beautiful, Pioneer Woman Magazine, and more. Succulent Artworks is a go-to favorite for exclusive gifts for Mom, birthdays, weddings, and all special occasions.
Many friendships have begun by sharing a passion for succulents and cuttings from our garden. It’s a great way to meet new friends.
I’m happy to share what I have learned about succulents. Here are a few things you will learn more about in the following pages:
There’s an ever-changing world of designer succulents. It’s still exciting to find succulents I’ve never seen. Did you know that you can create a new succulent hybrid by cross-pollinating two succulent flowers? And you can choose and register the official name for the new plant!
Beautiful planted succulent arrangements continue to grow and need only minimal care. In fact, succulent plants are quite independent; they thrive on a little neglect. They’re also remarkably resilient. If life gets busy and you forget to water your succulents, drench the soil with water, and drooping leaves rehydrate as their roots soak up the welcome moisture.
There are a few essential tips to follow in taking care of succulents. I’ll go into more detail later in the sections on Succulent Care and Dealing with Pests.
Most succulents love to bask in the sunlight. Not the burning summer sun at midday, but long hours of warm morning or afternoon sun, shining gently on their leaves, indoors or out.
Water succulents by drenching their soil, not by misting. Allow the soil to dry completely before you water again. If the weather is hot, dry, or windy, soil dries faster, so your succulents will need to be watered more often than if the weather is humid or cool. See the section on watering for more details.
Succulents store water in their leaves, stems, and roots. If there’s a danger of frost, most succulents will need to be protected. If the water stored in their leaves freezes, the plant could die. Winter-hardy succulents are an exception.
Occasionally a little pest will want to call your succulent home. But most pests can be controlled or eliminated with everyday household products, like 70 percent isopropyl alcohol, a mixture of Dawn dish soap and water, or neem oil from the local garden center.
Read on. I’ll teach you the art of fearless planting and extraordinary succulent design. It’s easier than you think!
Design Secrets from Extraordinary Succulent Gardens
The most beautiful succulent gardens are more than a collection of succulent plants. They incorporate specific elements of design that make a garden beautiful, draw us in, and inspire!
There are several truly inspired succulent garden designers whom I have learned from, and I am excited to pass on the skills they have shared with me. Learning from them has helped me take my own succulent gardening to the next level, and I’m excited to share their wisdom.
Jim Bishop
Jim Bishop was San Diego Horticulturist of