Plant porn from the 2017 Succulent Extravaganza
As I always do, I took lots of photos at the 2017 Succulent Extravaganza held on September 29 and 30 at Succulent Gardens in Castroville on California's beautiful Central Coast.
My earlier post talked about this fantastic—and free!—event in more detail.
This post is nothing but plant porn from Succulent Gardens, Northern California's largest succulent grower. Most photos are of the demonstration gardens but a few are from inside the retail greenhouse where thousands upon thousands of plants are for sale.
Be warned: This is a long post, containing 70+ photos. Take your time. I promise you it's worth it.
My earlier post talked about this fantastic—and free!—event in more detail.
This post is nothing but plant porn from Succulent Gardens, Northern California's largest succulent grower. Most photos are of the demonstration gardens but a few are from inside the retail greenhouse where thousands upon thousands of plants are for sale.
Be warned: This is a long post, containing 70+ photos. Take your time. I promise you it's worth it.
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| Aeonium 'Sunburst' and Agave attenuata 'Ray of Light'. This is in the demonstration garden Andrea Hurd created for the 2015 Succulent Extravaganza. |
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| Agave attenuata 'Ray of Light' and Aloe arborescens 'Variegata' |
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| Agave 'Blue Flame' (back), Agave 'Blue Glow' (front) |
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| Aloe vaombe and Euphorbia rigida |
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| Agave attenuata 'Boutin Blue' |
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| Echeverias |
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| Very pretty aloe. If only I knew what it was! |
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| The kind of groundcover tapesty I wish I could grow but sedums and sempervivums like these dislike our summer heat |
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| Aloidendron 'Hercules' and assorted agaves |
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| Agave attenuata 'Ray of Light' and a choice Cotyledon orbiculata selection |
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| Agave attenuata 'Ray of Light' |
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| Agave 'I Wish I knew What You Are' |
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| Aloidendron 'Hercules', Agave 'Blue Flame' and friends |
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| So many colors and textures! |
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| This was one of my favorite vignettes of this year's Extravaganza |
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| More groundcover ideas for those of you in a milder climate |
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| Selfie frame |
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| Agave geminiflora |
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| I'll never get tired of this corner |
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| Aloidendron 'Hercules', Aloe speciosa (the one on the right with the tilting head), Aloe vanbalenii (lower left), Kumara plicatilis (behind the agave), Agave desmettiana 'Variegata' (lower right) |
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| Aloe vanbalenii |
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| Euphorbia tirucalli 'Sticks on Fire', Echeveria runyonii (blue), not sure what the pink echeveria is |
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| Echeverias and dyckias. This (and the photo above and below) is part of the undersea garden installed for the 2015 Extravaganza by Danielle and Michael Romero |
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| Senecio articulatus (back) |
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| Agave 'Kissho Kan' |
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| This is "Rustic Rampage" by Organic Mechanics, also installed for the 2015 Extravaganza |
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| "Rustic Rampage" is an ode to recycling and repurposing |
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| More Agave attenuata 'Ray of Light', clearly happy in the frost-free climate of Castroville |
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| Agave bovicornuta |
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| I love this create repurposing of a drain pipe |
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| Same idea with metal pipes |
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| Aeonium wonderland |
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| Aeonium 'Sunburst' with one Aeonium 'Zwarkop' |
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| Purple aeoniums make quite a statement... |
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| ...especially when backlit |
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| Crested purple aeonium |
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| Echeveria elegans aka Mexican snowball |
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| Euphorbia tirucalli 'Sticks on Fire' |
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| Colorful succulent tapestry in a piece of driftwood |
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| Golden barrels (Echinocactus grusonii) |
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| Agave 'Kissho Kan' |
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| Agave 'Kissho Kan' |
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| Ferocactus peninsulae and Agave applanata 'Cream Spike' |
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| Ferocactus peninsulae |
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| Opuntia robusta and Agave 'Kissho Kan' |
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| Aloe plantings along the outside perimeter of the nursery |
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| Agave guadalajarana 'Leon' |
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| Agave 'Blue Flame' |
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| Aeonium canariense in a sea of jade plant (Crassula ovata) |
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| Ocean of 1-gallon Agave desmettiana 'Variegata' |
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| Agave desmettiana 'Variegata' and Cotyledon orbiculata |
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| Flowering Senecio serpens and Cotyledon orbiculata |
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| Pink echeveria and ×Mangave 'Bloodspot' |
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| Sedum nussbaumerianum and Echeveria 'Blue Prince' |
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| Kalanchoe pumila (top left) and Graptoveria 'Fred Ives' |
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| Kalanchoe beharensis |
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| Echeverias in the retail greenhouse waiting for a new home |
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| A whole lot of ruffles |
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| This echeria hybrid wasn't labeled, but to me it's one of the most beautiful—and alien |
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| It looks like an undersea creature, doesn't it? |
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| Echeverias with caruncles (bumps on their leaves) are either loved or hated—or misunderstood. Honestly, I can't tell you where I stand. I'm still trying to make up my mind. And I've been at it for years. |
Looks like you had a whole lot of fun taking pictures of all that eye candy.
ReplyDeleteNever seen such good looking succulent plants as in the Central Coast, no sunburn, no scorch spots, no dried out old leaves. What deliriously happy plants. Never seen such gorgeous 'Ray Of Light's. Who would have thought lettuce and Agaves would do so well in the same climate?
Agave 'I Wish I knew What You Are' is that the real name? Not 'Dragon Toes'?
I agree! The climate on the Central Coast is just dreamy. I went to graduate school in Monterey and never wanted to move away :-)
Delete'I Wish I Knew What You Are' is my lame attempt at saying that I don't quite know what it is. 'Dragon Toes' is a very good guess. I thought of it as well but the three 'Dragon Toes' I have are not quite the same--mine have lighter teeth. Maybe there's a degree of variability? Or maybe it depends on where they grow? Or maybe mine aren't really 'Dragon Toes'?
Your readers should click on 1st photo to scroll through them full screen.They are splendid !
ReplyDeleteThanks for the recommendation to embiggen the photos. Some of these pictures literally made me swoon.
DeleteThe camera sure loves that agave 'Ray of Light'. I've always been knocked out by pics of it in the Growing Obsession garden, and these are if anything even more appealing. A most stimulating occasion for you! Thanks for sharing these excellent shots.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing these great photos! Was it really 70? I wanted even more when I got to the end.
ReplyDeleteThere are too many wonderful combinations here to call out a few. I'm going to bookmark this post for reference when I turn my attention to the succulent bed on the south side of my house.
ReplyDeleteThat’s a lot of beauty. I really want an Agave guadalajarana 'Leon‘ . . . because I want to point to it and say “that’s Leon”...
ReplyDeleteThese pics are just gorgeous....I wish my 'ray of light' looked like those! ;)
ReplyDeleteSuch a shame there wasn't much to see... ;) I'm glad I'm seeing these photos just before I have to bring my potted succulents inside for the winter -- earlier in the year and it would have sent me right out plant shopping!
ReplyDelete"Very pretty aloe. If only I knew what it was!"
ReplyDeleteDid you ever get an answer on that one? The colors remind me of rubroviolacea or conifera, but it doesn't have the shape.
Yes, I do actually. It's Aloe 'Swordfish', sold by Altman Plants.
DeleteOh wow, I have purchased four Swordfish but I've yet to see them display that amount violet hues. Mostly green to teal. Can't wait to get them in the ground and let them grow!
DeleteSame. I just saw a bunch of 'Swordfish' in San Diego, and they looked more vibrant than mine. Mine isn't in full sun, though...
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