When you hear the words “English Garden,” what do you think of? Succulents and cactus baking in the hot sun, right?

OK, maybe not, but there were many succulents growing in lots of the gardens and nurseries I saw in England last summer. Succulents (including even a cactus here and there!) were clearly the new darlings of English gardeners.

Succulent Inspiration from England

Many succulents, especially Sedum, are hardy enough to be planted right in the ground in England (even in Minnesota!)

Others can be houseplants in the winter, but live outdoors in the summer. It’s an interesting idea to keep the succulents in their pots, bury them in the ground for the summer, and surround them with flowers.

Above: The green “roses” are Aeonium and the orange spikes are Isoplexis.

Above: The dark burgundy “roses” are also Aeonium, one called ‘Zwartkop’ that will be at the sale.

Above: Here is one of many collections of succulents at Beth Chatto’s nursery.

Above: Row after row of succulents are being tested in the trial gardens at the Royal Horticultural Society’s garden at Wisley. If a group of plants makes it here, you know that there is already intense interest in it.

Starting to feel inspired by succulents?

Succulents Available at the sale
This year we have ordered many more succulents for you than ever before. Some we have grown ourselves or have seen in photos or in one of our growers’ greenhouses. Others will be a surprise for everybody since one succulent grower is on a buying mission for us to “bring us whatever looks great!”

Above: Opuntia polyacantha

Hardy Succulents for 2008

• Hens and Chicks (Sempervivum): Cobweb, Mrs. Guiseppi, Twilight Blues, Mix, Green, and Royal Ruby
• Pincushion Cactus (Escobaria)
• Prickly Pear (Opuntia): O. polyacantha (pictured above), O. fragilis many selections
• Stonecrop (Sedum): Both upright and creeping, over 30 varieties
• Yucca (Yucca glauca)

Above: Kalanchoe luciae ‘Flapjack

Above: Sedeveria ‘Jet Beads,’ Echeveria ‘Von Pearl,’ Crassula ‘Princess Pine,’ Aeonium ‘Kiwi’

Houseplant or Summer Succulents for 2008

• Agave: Jaws, Mediopicta and Mr. Ripple
• Aeonium: Atropurpureum, Kiwi, and Zwartkop
• Blue Chalk Fingers (Senecio vitalis)
• Desert Rose (Adenium obesum)
• Echeveria: Furry (E. setosa), Red Stripes, and Von Pearl
• Flapjack (Kalanchoe luciae): Flapjack (pictured above)
• Living Stones (Lithops)
• Night-Blooming Cereus (Epiphyllum oxypetalum)
• Red Yucca (Hesperaloe parviflora
• Sedeveria ‘Jet Beads’
• South African Princess Pine (Crassula muscosa pseudolycopodiodes)
• Non-hardy Stonecrop (Sedum): S. clavatum and S. maknoi ‘Ogon’
• Tiger Aloe (Aloe variegata)
• Variegated Prickly Pear (Opuntia)

Plus: Some combination planters like these:

Above: Their names give them away: Aeonium ‘Zwartkop’ and Blue Chalk Fingers (Senecio vitalis) can be seen in the combination planters.

Blue-Eyed Daisy (Arctotis ‘Pumpkin Pie’)
A compact habit, silvery-green leaves, and profuse deep orange blooms from April until November make this annual perfect for a hot-colored container planting. See if you can find at least four other plants whose foliage or flowers are color matches for the four colors of this plant. Full sun. 10-14″

Upright Fuchsia ‘Autumnale’
A trailing Fuchsia with red and purple flowers that bloom early and then all summer. But perhaps the main reason you would want it in a container is its unusual gold leaves flushed with purple and orange. That should give you lots of options for pairing it with other plants! Full sun to partial shade. 6-18″

Wax Begonia ‘Buttered Popcorn’ (Begonia semperflorens ‘Buttered Popcorn’)
Hanging sprays of white flowers light up containers for shade and shine in full sun containers. ‘Buttered Popcorn’ is a strong grower that thrives on heat and humidity. I wonder if it would look good planted with Ranunculus ‘Buttered Popcorn’ which besides sharing the name has yellow flowers and yellow variegated leaves? Full sun to full shade. 24-36″

Rex Begonia ‘Evelyn Weidner’
This unique plant features bright pinkish purple and silver 7″ leaves that have a playful snail-like curl and wavy edges. It’s great to find such a colorful foliage plant for the shady spot. Partial sun to full shade. 8-12”

Spiderflower ‘Linde Armstrong’ (Cleome ‘Linde Armstrong’)
Yes, that height is correct. A new, compact, thornless Cleome with whiskered lavender pink flowers and outstanding heat tolerance. Be the first to have a tiny Spider Flower in a container! Full sun. 10-16″

Firecracker Plant (Russelia ‘Tangerine’)
Pale orange tubular flowers hover above the dense, cascading threadlike foliage. Try planting it with any large-leafed burgundy foliage plant that also enjoys full to partial sun. Easy to grow. 12-24″

Aren’t they adorable at this age? Rush Creek Growers are taking excellent care of them for us.

Above: Begonia ‘Sophia’

Above: Lace Leaf Begonia, Begonia bipinnatifida, a rare begonia

Above: Flapjack, Kalanchoe luciae ‘Flapjack’

Above: Echeveria ‘Red Stripe’ with Sedum clavatum at the front left and back right edges.

Above: Agave ‘Jaws’

Above: They’re like little muffins!

Above: Seedlings of several types of perennial Stonecrop

Above: The “mother greenhouse” at Rush Creek Growers

Above: A patchwork of plants centers on the bright green of Sedum makinoi ‘Ogon’, an annual Stonecrop

If you’re curious about what the whole sale looks like, this video shows it in a slow pan from the west end of the building (looking over the roses) to the north side where the perennials are located along the back of the room, and then around past the annuals to the south side of the room. It’s 40 seconds long.

If you haven’t already seen it, you might want to check out the Plant Sale in Three Minutes video that was posted earlier.