Cindy has recently moved to a new home on the coast in central California. She left behind her cherished garden and favorite succulent store. As she finished unpacking and started to turn this new house into her home, naturally, she needed more succulents! She started with a large Aloe, left by the previous residents. It was growing lonely, all by itself in a large terracotta pot beside the front step. She ended with the dynamic succulent arrangement above, welcoming visitors to her home. Let’s follow step by step as she created this succulent design.

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Start with Your Inspiration

Cindy recommends using your container and it’s intended setting as the inspiration for designing a succulent arrangement. She used the large, terracotta pot left by the previous homeowners. It’s weathered appearance fits in well with the cobblestone wall behind it and the antique bricks of the walkway. Using the terracotta/ stones/ bricks as her color story, she knew she wanted to stick with a color palette in similar warm, rich tones. She decided that a dusty burgundy would be ideal — an easy color to find that would fit in with the colors of her home, yet stand out. She paired it with it’s complementary color, green. Using complementary colors (opposite colors on the color wheel) is an effective way to create a sense of harmony, and she had the large, green Aloe to anchor the arrangement.

She went shopping with this color scheme as her focus, looking for burgundy succulents and green complements while ruthlessly disregarding the allure of the many blues, purples, greens, yellows and oranges to be found. I’ve gone shopping with Cindy, and her narrow focus is amazingly liberating! Otherwise, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by all the lovely colors, shapes and cool plants, (ask me how I know!). She found the Sempervivum Chick Charms™ Chocolate Kiss with a subtle, burgundy color. Then, a Kalanchoe luciae “Flapjacks” and the diminutive Cremnosedum ‘Little Gem’. A Crassula ovata ‘Sunset’ had lovely, burgundy margins on the leaves, and was included.

Concerned that the overall color palette might seem too somber, she brightened the look by adding in a variegated Dracaena. The bold, white lines add drama, and the long, slender, curling leaves repeat the shape of the Aloe’s leaves. (Remember the importance of repetition in design!) She added a silvery Cotyledon obiculata oblongata and an Echeveria colorata, again, lightening and brightening the color palette without changing it. She also scooped up a Senecio radicans ‘String of Bananas’ to tumble over the edge of the container. Now, for the fun part!

Adapting Succulents to the Design

Cindy planned to make the large Aloe the focal point of her new design. First, she needed to rework it to suit her needs. She cut off the rooted base, (which is likely to sprout new top growth with basic care). Then, she removed a number of the lower leaves until she had the plant ready to add dramatic flair to the arrangement without overwhelming it.

She then took large, woody cuttings from a Crassula tetragona growing on the property. Long neglected, the leaves were just at the tips of the branches. But they provide both height and some appealing texture. Again, she took large cuttings to suit her design, counting on the cuttings rooting into the arrangement.

Although she purchased a single pot of Crassula ovata ‘Sunset’, it had two healthy plants growing in it. This is a common practice of professional succulent growers, to get a full look more quickly to offer to the public. If you look for pots with multiple plants, it gives you additional value. Cindy gently divided the two plants, to be able to use each separately in her design. They have independent root systems with just a bit of tangling between them.

Planting the Arrangement

Cindy uses the “Rule of Thirds” to ensure her designs remain in balance and scale. She wanted to make this a tall arrangement, so she made the pot 1/3 of the overall height of the arrangement, meaning the plants need to reach twice as tall as the pot, for an overall height that is three times the height of the pot. (For a shorter arrangement, she makes the container 2/3 of the overall height).

Her Crassula tetragona cuttings were perfect for the height she needed, but the jazzy Dracaena wasn’t quite as tall as she hoped. So she added it’s root ball on top of the soil, gaining another few inches of height! She frequently uses this trick to add height and drama to an arrangement and enjoys excellent success with their care! As she continues to plant, she disguises the exposed root ball with other plants, or green moss, which makes it seem to disappear.

Next, she inserted the Aloe stem in at an angle, so the long, curling leaves seem to wrap around the pot and embrace the succulents to come!

Fill in with Additional Succulents

As she filled in with the succulents, Cindy is keeping a few things in mind. She always makes certain the arrangement remains attractive from all sides and angles — including from above. She uses a lazy susan to enable her to continually move the container, checking on different views. But she also works to achieve a sense of “rhythm”, to draw the eye into and through the arrangement. It’s not just a matter of creating a single, pleasing arrangement. She uses elements of the design to draw your eye from one point to the next, so the arrangement takes you on a visual journey.

She added the silvery Cotyledon obiculata deep inside the arrangement to pull the eye through outer plants and to this bright point. Again, she positioned the root ball on top of the soil, granting the plant greater height. It nestles into the base of the Dracaena, and is beautifully framed by the Aloe’s leaves.

She added the Crassula ovata ‘Sunset’ between the Aloe and the Cotyledon. She had a couple of Aeonium arboreum, whose rosettes fit well with the burgundy and green color palette she developed. See how the leaf margins repeat the color of the Sempervivum? She continued then, to fill in with the rest of her plants, always placing each new plant with care for the overall design.

The Finished Arrangement

Next, she added the Cremnosedum ‘Little Gem, at an angle, with its root ball on top of the soil. The leaves of “Little Gem’ hide its own roots and those of the Cotyledon. She then covered the root balls with more soil, then green moss, ensuring the mechanics of the design are fully disguised.

Notice how the Cremnosedum repeats both the color and the rosette form of the Sempervivum, but on a much smaller scale. That change in scale also adds a richness of texture, further inviting your eye to linger.

Notice how in this shot, your eye first alights on the silvery rosette of the Echeveria colorata. Then, the silver tones (repetition!) of the Cotyledon draw your eye in further. The white-laced foliage of the Dracaena pulls your glance up the full height of the arrangement. This is the sense of rhythm Cindy created. When you reach the top, you’ll see how the texture of the Crassula tetragona echoes or repeats the texture of the Senecio radicans, ‘String of Bananas’ spilling over the edge of the pot.

Every angle shows a small, hidden pocket of beauty!

Cindy and I would love to hear what you think! Feel free to leave a comment below. But, if you’d like to learn more about Cindy’s succulent design process, based on the principles and elements of floral design, join us in The Succulent Perch Community on Facebook! Ask questions, see her new designs and learn all about her design tips!

We’d love to see you in the community! Cindy covers succulent design, and I handle succulent care. The community is a warm and welcoming group of enthusiasts who are always happy to help!

See you soon!