The southwest sloping succulent bed

In late 2020, suffering from the stir-craziness that accompanied the pandemic, I decided to tackle a complete renovation of the moderate slope on the lower level of our front garden.  I worked on it off and on from October into December.  I posted updates now and then but, as I prepared an update, I decided it might be useful to provide a general review of the project.

To help identify the area in question, here's a current photo:

You can see the house on the main level in the background.  This bed faces the southern property line.  The lath house I use for shade plants is feet away to the left near the street.

The project was inadvertently triggered by a gopher problem.

Once I discovered this gopher den, it took me a few months to encourage him to move out.  He initially moved from one area to another in the upper garden.  A combination of solar-powered sonic devices and deterrent granules watered into the soil eventually got rid of him.

I knew I had to repair the dry-stacked wall but as the gopher's construction project had destroyed a lot of the Aeoniums I'd planted here and as the rose bushes planted by a prior owner had never done well, I felt I might as well tear the area apart

I cleared the area, added rock to stabilize the slope, and replanted.

The pineapple guava tree (Feijoa sellowiana) was fine so it stayed, as did the succulents on either side of the affected area

As we didn't want to make a trip to the local stone yard (which I'm not sure was open to walk-in customers), I used rock saved during demolition of the indoor barbecue we'd removed during our 2019 home renovation.  I didn't buy any large succulents for the area either, relying instead on cuttings and small plants ordered by mail or picked up at the local garden center.  This photo was taken in early December 2020 when I declared the project "done."

In March 2021, an unidentified critter or critters, destroyed many of the Aeoniums on the east end of the bed (the lower right side as shown in the previous photo) so I had to clean up and replant that section.

This photo was taken in late March after I'd cleared the broken plants and replanted with cuttings.  I removed a Euphorbia tirucalli 'Sticks on Fire' that had stood in front of the bed on this end as well.

Over the course of 2021, I also lost some plants and added others.  The losses included a few of the tiny Echeveria 'Raindrop' purchased by mail order and 2 Baccharis mangellanica, which grew well and looked great for almost a year before suddenly dying late last summer.  

Top row: After removing 2 clumps of Aeoniums along the upper path, I planted Aloe 'Moonglow' there
Next row: I added small Aeoniums, including leucoblepharum and 'Suncaps', and transplanted an Agave gypsophila 
Third row: Other additions included Lachenalia bulbs and cuttings of Crassula dubia

Some of the original plants have done better than others.

The original 3 Agave desmettiana bulbils have grown slowly relative to pups of Agave bracteosa (upper left) but Graptoveria 'Fred Ives', a Mangave 'Kaleidoscope' pup, and Sedeveria 'Fanfare' have beefed up nicely. 

The Lomandra 'Platinum Beauty' are also doing well, although an Amaryllis belladonna in the vicinity of one, planted many years ago among the former mass on Aeoniums and forgotten, needs to be moved

So how do you think it's doing?  Here are a few comparisons from different angles.

East views, photographed in December 2020 (left) and January 2022 (right)

West views, taken in early January 2021 and January 2022 respectively

North-facing views from December 2020 and January 2022

Views looking downward from the main level of the garden, taken in December 2020 and January 2022

Progress has been slower than I'd have liked but that's largely due to my use of small plants and cuttings.  However, using what I had on hand at the time was probably the right call.  Now I just need to summon my patience.

All material © 2012-2022 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party