The Cactus and Succulent Garden

A cactus and succulent garden in New York? Absolutely! And why not--there are only two states in the US that don't have at least one cactus species growing wild--New York isn't one of them.

A cactus and succulent garden makes perfect sense. The climate is warming, water is an issue in many places, and there are hundreds of fabulous plants waiting to be tried in a sunny, not-so-wet area.

With the ceremonial planting of Cylindropuntia imbricata at the apex of the new cactus and succulent garden, I've brought the desert to The Gardens at Turtle Point. A formerly depressed (and depressing) area along one of the drives is now a flourishing garden that won't need any supplemental irrigation once the plants have established themselves. It's filled with plants that are stunning in flower and have the added benefit of fascinating architecture and foliage for the balance of the year.

The best way to grow cacti and succulents, and the one that looks the most pleasing and natural, is in a rock garden. Much of what follows applies equally to cacti and succulent gardens and rock gardens.

Here's how I did it.

The area was first cleared of existing vegetation and all rocks but the largest were temporarily removed. With a clean palette, rockwork was reconstructed and the existing concave area filled in and raised with between 12 and 18 inches of soil that was 6 parts sandy gravel, one part compost, one part loamy soil. These are components that I had on hand. The most important factor is the drainage--hence the large proportion of gravel.

After letting the area sit for a few days to settle--and to make sure the rocks were arranged the way that I wanted them, the planting commenced. I'll explain how I accomplished the planting, but the way you do it is up to you.

Inspired by my xerophytic mentor John Spain (author of "Growing Winter Hardy Cacti in Cold/Wet Climate Conditions" THE Bible of the hardy cactus growing fraternity), I decided that in addition to the cacti and succulents in the garden, I'd include alpine plants--small beauties from the mountains that can take a similar set of conditions. John grows an amazing collection of plants in Connecticut and has several gardens. Some are dedicated to cacti and succulents, but his oldest has a mixed planting that is extraordinary and quite beautiful--a nod to the intermountain West where cacti and alpines grow together.

I started by planting those plants that I hope will spread and carpet areas of the garden. Several different Delosperma, many Sedum, and Scutellaria orientalis ssp. pinnatifida (which has done beautifully in another rock garden here and is lifting its yellow dragon's heads in profusion as I write). Next came the alpines, 'Nana', Gypsophila aretioides(which I'm also growing in troughs--the nicest I've seen is at Wave Hill in the Bronx in their trough collection--hard as a rock), Erigeron tweedyi, Lychnis flos-jovis 'Nana', and other assorted goodies.

Next came the feature plants. A pair of Manfreda (or is it now Agave)virginica 'Spot' with maroon spots on their aloe-like leaves, Echinocereus and many Opuntia species and cultivars--with more to come as seedlings and cuttings mature.

As with all gardens, the planting scheme will evolve as I discover what works--and what doesn't. New species and cultivars will be included as they become available. The possiblities are limitless...

Next is a gravel mulch. This helps shade the soil's surface, retards the evaporation of moisture, reflects heat (and light), and protects the crowns of the plants by keeping moisture away from them, thwarting rot--the bane of cactus and succulent growers.

The crowning touch: back to rock. I've seen many rock gardens over the years, and more than a few have left me with an uneasy feeling that I was hard pressed to express. I've finally figured it out. They were missing small rocks.

I'm sure it sounds bizarre, but think about it. Every rock garden has the large, structural rock that creates the framework around which the garden is constructed. They all have gravel mulch--a sort of tablecloth on which the table is set. What's missing (and creates an unnatural feel by its absence) is the middle size: fist-to-breadbox sized cobble to use as accent pieces. A garden without them just doesn't feel right. Scatter them around in appropriate places (and don't overdo it), and you'll notice the difference immediately. Funny thing is, deciding where to put them is the hardest part of putting this kind of garden together.

Once everything is in place, I like to rinse the entire garden, rock, plant, and gravel, in a gentle spray to cleanse surfaces of dust and sand. Water the plants regularly until you see growth and then let nature take over. Watering once plants are established is only necessary in times of severe drought.

Time for you to create your own xerophytic Xanadu. It's easy, rewarding, and (it's true) will amaze your friends...

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