Michelle’s Containers in California
Pairing bromeliads and succulents yields great container combinations
Today’s photos are from Michelle Derviss in Novato, California.
She says, “I’ve been a member of the San Francisco Bromeliad Society for several years. Like many garden clubs, we meet once a month and have a rousing plant swap, a plant raffle table, and a guest speaker. I have built my collection of bromeliads from the generosity of other bromeliad club members who have divided and propagated their plants by seed. I have paired some of my bromeliads with succulents. Together, the two distinctively different families of plants make a good marriage due to their similar water, light, and temperature needs.
“Most of the succulents that I used in these pots are from garden cuttings. I like the ease of simply taking a cutting, waiting a day or so for the cutting to heal over, and then poking it into the soil. Truth be told, sometimes I don’t even wait for the cut to heal over and stick the cutting directly in the soil, and I have rarely lost a plant. I feel the strong upright strappy forms of the bromeliads lend themselves well to the rounded shapes and colors of the succulents.”
Have a garden you’d like to share?
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening!
Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here.
Fine Gardening Recommended Products
SF600 LED Grow Lights 2x4 ft
Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.
The New Organic Grower, 3rd Edition: A Master's Manual of Tools and Techniques for the Home and Market Gardener, 30th Anniversary Edition
Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.
The Crevice Garden: How to make the perfect home for plants from rocky places
Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.
Comments
These are really great! Nice combinations
These definitely evoke a smile of delight. They provide lots of textual interest and, in their subtle way, invite a closer look. I didn't realize the secret behind rooting succulents...certainly sounds easy peasy and I have no excuse not to give it a try. I recently stopped in a local nursery and they had a wonderful display of succulent crammed containers for sale. The fun part was that there was no duplication of container or arrangement. They ranged from a dainty teacup to a galvanized metal horse trough. Someone on the staff had a lot of fun shopping at yard sales and estate auctions and snapping up anything cheap that could have a drainage hole drilled in it and hold soil.
You are truely talented, Michelle. Any of theses containers could win the Fine Gardening container photo contest. I hope you have entered.
So imaginative! I'm going out this morning to play with the succulents. (Enjoyed the name of your 'Garden Porn' blog...my husband teases me about having 'plant sex' whenever I spend time in my garden)
Succulents and bromiliads are some of my favorite plants, I think because they are the ancients, like my ginkgos and dawn redwoods. I used to have a collection of potted plants, I like cacti too, but alas I can no longer have them with cats. Michelle's arrangents are lovely, I especially like that last one. Thank you for sharing.
So floral, and not a flower in sight! A delightful combination of textures and colors. I am with Annek regarding the blog name. That's what my wife calls my online plant shopping and perusing...Very similar the the California gardeners that call themselves 'hortisexuals'!
I love your containers! I would sure like to find something similiar to the woman's head container. Can you say where you found her? :-]
I've loved Michelle's designs for quite a while now, she is so talented. As a matter of fact I copied one this year, it is beautifully simple... Aeonium Zwartkop, Parrot's beak and Panda Plant. Thanks Michelle!
Bromeliads and succulents are a match made in heaven. Bromeliads make stunning thrillers in these containers. I so love this post - fabulous colors, textures and composition. Thank you for sharing and looking forward to seeing more of Michelle's creations for I am certain there are more.
Thank you so much to both Michelle's!!! I was wondering what extraordinary thing we could do with my client's backyard pots. Now I know!!!
A big thank you to all that took the time to comment. I appreciate the kind words.
And to Michelle Gervais at Fine Gardening, thanks for your support and generous spirit.
To rion, who asked about the 'pot head' planter. I take a relaxing evening ceramics class at my local community college and made this pot head planter a year or so ago.
It's a fun way to spend the evening and every now and then I make something that doesn't expode in the kiln firing !
Again, thanks for all your kind words. Gardeners are the nicest people.

Hurry though , on your torso provides two sets sexy and in within the list of affordable True Religion bluejeans! True religion jeans sale completely release the original character. So that it is often really typical for individuals http://www.massageheights.com/dauf.htm
ascertain the specific celebrity inside of a few delightful denims from True Religion Jean[url=http://www.massageheights.com/dauf.htm]Replica Rolex watches[/url]
Males ought http://www.massageheights.com/dauf.htm
jeans is sort of a woman requirements men praised some..
Replica oakleys ,Oakley sunglasses designed to change each year, the same as another style?? However, the alternatives are very different game situations, there is absolutely no truly fashion. USA Cycling legend Lance Armstrong Lance Armstrong, LIVESTRONG founder, we previously reported a considerable joint planning, joint project with NIKE. ray ban outlet ,Oakley Sunglasses lenses are incredibly safe, no pressure, may get a new optical pause, so you has to be truthful and accurate vision of premium clarity. Its charm build awareness from worldwide, perfect tone, plus mixed coloring help Oakley shade shopping. Oakley M Frame ,For many species, they never go out of fashion, persons may change using the seasons, if you are sunglasses for a cheap price to buy a difference fourfold a year without any problems.
Each of us carries a unique face shape, these can usually be split into to help choose the best sunglasses. Bulky sunglasses cover the majority of the division of ??the face, you can adjust the straight slender jaw and cheekbones and be the first choice when you buy. You will find there's health-related purposes Oakley sunglasses protect the eyes because UV skin ringworm individuals throughout the PUVA remedial UV source is incredible for some time. . Authentic goggles, simply because they are actually called, have been devised for the C5 products. The product or service is very consisting of five metal is heated after the merger, an extremely difficult creative. In short, they even make Oakley sunglasses throughout the mid-summer day, about four seasons in the thin air from the beach or boating or skiing.
Each wearing Oakley sunglasses sweat of athletes within the arena, are worthy of respect. All Oakley sunglasses are designed to perfectly fit the contours of the face, and all day wearing comfort and protection. Oakley sunglasses for a class itself, it's got confirmed to be an authentic fashion craze, and have found their way into some well-known Hollywood film. Retailers advertised many designer sunglasses, they're not merely the overall goal is usually to supply the framework of fashion, however they provide you with the greatest level of eye protection sunglasses glasses stock.
Log in or create an account to post a comment.
Sign up Log in