Designing with Succulents

Succulent plants offer dazzling possibilities for garden design and require only minimal maintenance to remain lush and alluring year round. Featuring the work of more than 50 professional garden designers and creative homeowners, this complete design compendium is as practical as it is inspirational. Lavishly illustrated with over 300 photographs, it gives design and cultivation basics for paths, borders, slopes, and containers; hundreds of succulent plant recommendations; and descriptions of 90 easy-care, drought-tolerant companion plants. Beginners and experienced designers, landscapers, and collectors alike will find what they need to visualize, create, and nurture the three-dimensional work of art that is the succulent garden.

Media reviews of this book:

"If you have gardeners on your gift list who are living in warm climates, this gardening book is one they will treasure. And don't forget your indoor gardening pals. ... This book is the bible that tells how to grow [succulents] and then use them to create gorgeous landscapes and containers that become stunning works of art."

—Nancy Szerlag, Detroit News, December 8, 2007

"New plantings as well as additions to existing gardens will benefit from Baldwin's presentation of color, texture, and shape in the form of drought-tolerant plant species."

—John Bagnasco, Garden Compass, November/December 2007

"The advice given is wise and borne of the author's firsthand experience, but is not too prescriptive and is full of great ideas with illustrations to match."

—Nigel Taylor, Gardens Illustrated, October 2007

"A solid overview for landscape architects working with succulents."

—Landscape Architecture, September 2007

"If it were not for [this book] ... I might have given up succulents forever. But one can't help but be inspired by photographs that induce sighs and daydreams, and not a small amount of garden envy."

—Mariana Greene, Dallas Morning News, July 13, 2007

Customer reviews of this book:

"A great and wonderful book. Thank you!"

—Bonnie H. from San Diego, California, October 28, 2007

"Couldn't put it down! In the top ten of my favorite books on gardening and design."

—Dennis S. from Santa Rosa, California, October 24, 2007

"Great! The best I have seen."

—Virginia H. from Encinitas, California, August 2, 2007

"Very good book for my area, lots of useful information!"

—Carl H. from Lakeside, California, July 17, 2007

"Wonderful book! Fantastic photographs — the book really inspires me!"

—Lisa H. from Bothell, Washington, July 6, 2007

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An excerpt from this book:

It is possible to cultivate a succulent garden in less than ideal conditions, even in areas prone to freezing temperatures and rainy winters. Many cold-hardy succulents thrive in regions that experience prolonged, hard frosts. When water freezes at 32°F (0°C), it expands, which can burst plant cell walls and turn them to mush. Those succulents that are frost-tolerant have salts in their cellular fluids that lower the temperature at which the fluid freezes, or they can handle the formation of ice within their cells. Non-hardy succulents may survive freezing temperatures if their roots are unharmed ...

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