I love a table displaying a collection of succulents: exotic and intriguing, I find the geometry of their forms mesmerising. This bowl takes the idea of a succulent collection one step further by combining a range of them in one vessel.
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Succulents are a good way of bringing interest to a windowsill or covered area as the winter approaches. Arranged together in a low bowl, these four succulents create a display that looks good from every viewpoint and is an ideal table centrepiece.
How to achieve the look
Container and composition
A round bowl is the perfect shape to show off the extraordinary textures of these succulents; the smooth leaves of Echeveria desmetiana and Aeonium ‘Velour’ contrasting with the spiky leaves of Aloe ‘Cleopatra’ and Sempervivum tectorum.
The subtle shades and tones all work well together: the aeonium’s dramatic, deep-purple, almost black, foliage picks up the purples of the houseleek, while in turn its blues pick up the echeveria’s almost metallic shades. The aloe does a brilliant job of bringing all these colours together. Including all four plants in an easily portable bowl means that they can be moved at the end of summer from an outside table into the house, and placed on a sunny windowsill where they can continue to be enjoyed. The sempervivums are the foil to the individual architecture of the aeonium, aloe and echeveria, so once you have positioned these in well-drained soil, carefully fill the gaps with the sempervivums.
Cultivation and care
Succulents need a free-draining, gritty compost so use either a cactus compost, or mix in up to 30 per cent grit or fine gravel to a good multi-purpose compost. All these plants need to be kept away from excessive wet, so place this somewhere where you can easily bring it in if longer periods of rain are forecast. A sunny position outside is best in summer. They’ll need a sunny position in winter too, but very definitely inside.
Plants
Aloe ‘Cleopatra’ Deep-green leaves with pink spiny margins and pronounced pale-grey spots. It produces tall spikes that hold orange-red flowers. 20cm x 30cm. RHS H2, USDA 9a-11.
Sempervivum tectorum The common houseleek is a vigorous evergreen perennial that quickly forms a mat of clusters of fleshy rosettes. Its leaves are blue-green suffused with reddish-purple. 10cm x 45cm. AGM. RHS H7, USDA 3a-8b.
Echeveria desmetiana A perennial succulent, forming a low, dense rosette of highly ornamental, thick, fleshy, blue-green leaves with a dense, waxy-white patina. It bears spiked clusters of glowing, rich orange-red, tubular flowers. 12cm x 12cm. RHS H3.
Aeonium ‘Velour’ An upright, evergreen, succulent perennial or sub-shrub. At the end of its branching stems it produces rosettes of soft green and dark purple leaves. 1m x 1m. RHS H1C.
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