Don’t miss Succulent Gardens’ Extravaganza 2013—9/27 and 9/28

Castroville-based Succulent Gardens, Northern California’s premier succulent grower, will host Extravaganza 2013 on Friday, September 27 and Saturday, September 28. The theme of this year’s event is “Passion:”

While passion is the theme, creativity is the focus. All of the speakers and volunteers are creative, driven individuals with new ideas for incorporating succulents into, not just gardens, but daily life. From accessorizing with succulents to making more succulents to photographing succulents for lasting memories, everyone on the schedule has amazing ideas for ways that all of the attendees can go home and continue to cover the world with succulents. [source]

Agave ‘Blue Flame’ (top row) and Agave ‘Blue Glow’ (bottom row)

This year’s speakers range from Robin Stockwell, owner of Succulent Gardens, and Brian Kemble, curator of the Ruth Bancroft Garden, to Debra Lee Baldwin whose three books on succulents have set the gold standard. There will also be a presentation on accessorizing with succulents by Laura Balaoro, master gardener and founder of the Succulent Fanatics group on Facebook, and daily photography walks with the one-and-only Candy Suter of Sweetstuff’s Sassy Succulents. To see the complete schedule, click here.

Rows of aeoniums and Aloe plicatilis

If you’re a member of the Succulent Fanatics group on Facebook, please note that on both days we will have a display table where you can showcase your own succulent creations. On Friday at 7:30pm we will get together for drinks at the Ramada Inn in Marina, and on Saturday at 8:15am we will meet at our display table at Succulent Gardens for a group portrait. For more info, click here.

Of course Succulent Gardens will have thousands upon thousands of plants for sale. They don’t take credit cards, so be sure to bring enough cash. Speaking from experience, I can tell you that you’ll be tempted to spend more than you thought.

More echeverias in trays, forming a mosaic when viewed from above

Fancy echeveria cultivars…

To whet your appetite, below are links to my posts from Extravaganza 2011 and 2012. They’ll give you a good idea of what to expect. Succulent Gardens is one of the most exciting destinations in Northern California for succulent lovers so don’t miss this special event!

Aloe polyphylla

EXTRAVAGANZA 2011

• Succulent Gardens Extravaganza, part 1
• Succulent Gardens Extravaganza, part 2

EXTRAVAGANZA 2012

• 2012 Succulent Extravaganza wrap-up
• Succulent Porn

Aeonium decorum ‘Sunburst’, Agave attenuata ‘Kara’s Stripe’

Purple and green aeoniums

For more info on Extravaganza 2013 as well as directions to the nursery, click here.

This is event is FREE. It doesn’t get better than that!