Fried Chicken , Sweet Tea and Succulents
There are certain things we Southerners
consider staples in our lives.
Fried Chicken cooked in an iron skillet;
perfectly sweetened tea with a hint of fresh lemon –
… and succulents.
Yep, you read that right.
We have planted succulents, even before
succulents were cool. 🙂
We also like to plant them in Succulent Containers
you would not quite expect to find them.
Such as the Vintage Blue and White
Farmhouse-Style Colander.
Succulents are a drought-resistant plant, and one
of the more popular and well-known varieties is
the basic aloe plant. The leaves and tubers of succulents
are generally fleshy and water-filled.
The best part of using succulents in your garden or
home is they are easy to maintain, and even the
most-unsuccessful gardeners can attain a flourishing
crop of plants with little effort.
Because succulents are smaller in size, they make
perfect plants for containers and terrariums.
They can be grouped together for an interesting variety of textures and colors.
Some of my earliest memories were my Mama planting
Hens ‘n Chicks into a pair of my Daddy’s old farm boots.
She would stick them just about anywhere they
would grow.
I have seen succulents planted in old wagons and
wheelbarrows and even in vintage tubs and pots.
I used an antique colander above, which allows for
good drainage.
Using a mixture of different plants, I also added an
assortment of mosses and lichen as filler, and adds
another element of texture and color.
Give succulents a try in your own home or garden.
And if you decide to put them in some old farm boots,
you’ll be gardening in official Southern style.
Before I go, I just have to share a secret with you!
I didn’t want to ruin my vintage colander, so the
beauties you see above are…
(gasp!)
Fake.
Yep, as fake as Dolly Parton’s “you-know-what.”
Her HAIR! What did you think I was talking about?
😀
These faux plants can be pricey, but I stalked
Hobby Lobby until these faux succulents were 50% off.
The entire group above was only $18.
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Want more Gardening Ideas?
10-Ways to Create a Pretty Lawn
Join me on Monday where I will be sharing a little
sneak-peek at my latest kitchen updates, to
include a look at my new IKEA Farmhouse Sink.
Thank you for spending a few minutes
of your day here with me!
You can also follow along with me at:
xxoo, Barb
Pat Peele says
Love this! I use live ones outside but want to use “real” looking ones inside. I once had a silk rose in “fake water” in the master bathroom and my husband commented on how long it was lasting. My husband is by profession a horticulturalist and writer/photographer.
View CommentYvonne @ StoneGable says
GORGEOUS post, Barb! I love those sweet succulents in that colander! Pinning and featuring on fb!
View CommentBarb says
Thank you sweet friend. 🙂
View CommentDonna R says
Love your ideas!
View CommentBarb says
That is very sweet. Thanks for stopping by The Everyday Home. ~Barb
View CommentAnny says
I LOVE this beautiful arrangement. Imagine my surprise when you said they were (gasp) FAKE!! My question is, what kind of soil can I use to plant real ones in the colander? I’m from up North, succulents don’t grow naturally around here…but we have lots of snowmen. Looking forward to your answer. Thanks, Anny
View CommentBarb says
Hi Anny – I have used both real and faux. I use the faux outdoors. You would need to add a few inches of small pebbles or stones to the bottom of the colander before adding a good soil. I would just use a compost mixture soil by Miracle Grow, etc. I like to make my own soil mixture with potting soil, manure, sphagnum moss and vermiculite. 🙂 You only need a few inches of soil The pebbles will allow for good drainage when you water. Hope this helps, and thanks for stopping by The Everyday Home. ~ barb
View CommentAnny says
Thanks. That helps greatly. Just wanted to make sure I didn’t put too much of this, not enough of that, etc. I hope my attempt comes out somewhere close to yours. Thanks again.
View CommentJeannie says
I was given 10 hen n chicks a year or so ago. I had a LARGE pot which was bare – probably 18″ across. Sooo – now the pot is full and they’re climbing on top of each other. Having had this experience, there’s no way I’m bring any inside LOL – but……. what on earth do I do with them now? I live in a “small” town (pop 191) and NO one wants any. Thinking maybe placing them on the ground where only a weed-eater can reach to push out the grass and weeds??
View CommentBarb says
Jeannie – I am not sure what your planting zone is, but I say if they will survive go for it. Mine survive here in Eastern NC and we get pretty cold. Yes, they grow like crazy. LOL Good luck. 🙂 ~ Barb
View CommentJeannie says
Thanks for the encouragement LOL – yes, they’ll survive – I’m in NW Missouri and they got snowed under and frozen last winter and still reproducing. I like them, but geemanee!
View CommentPearl Lee says
I have exactly the same colander left from my grandmother! Thank you for the great idea, totally love it! I’m making this small succulent garden this weekend. Greets!
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