Tag Archives: crafts

HDYGG: Propagate Your Succulents & Create Inexpensive, Awesome Gifts!

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My mom is always commenting on how much she loves our front yard, so I decided to give her a piece of it for Mother’s Day. Specifically, I decided to make her a terrarium with succulents propagated from our garden. I’ve been wanting to try my hand at making terrariums ever since I saw the 2008 film Penelope with Christina Ricci and James McAvoy. Weird, I know: It’s a modern-day fairy tale about a girl cursed with a pig snout…but it was FULL of gorgeous, enchanting terrariums thanks to the exquisite vision of director Mark Palansky (I admit that I’m a bit biased: Mark is a friend). One small problem: A terrarium is, by definition, an enclosure. Being closed, terrariums recycle their moisture, making them an ideal environment for plants that enjoy high levels of humidity, such as mosses and ferns. That means, of course, that they’re not a great home for succulents, which prefer dry conditions. So, instead of making a traditional terrarium, I made an open-air terrarium, which is to say: I put together a succulent arrangement. Continue reading →

HDYGG: This Tiered Potting Project Is Easy, Fun & Instantly Gratifying

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A couple of weeks back, when Ho-Mui and John were here photographing for the June/July issue, I did a simple, fun, and rewarding potting project. After the many months I’ve spent (and anticipating the many months more that I’ll spend) waiting to to see the natives I planted in front and the drought-tolerant grass seed I sowed in back produce results, I was craving a garden project that offered instant gratification (I know, I know—gardening is about patience. Cut me some slack). Many moons ago, Steph brilliantly suggested that there was a perfect spot for three tiered pots under our Crimson Bottlebrush tree. So, I treated myself to three pots, a few flats of sedums, and a handful of bigger succulents.  Continue reading →