Hi, Janet,

I really like your wall. It looks like you also have some Lewisia thrown in there for good measure. 'Sir William' is very handsome, and that's a nice bright red Sempervivum. Could it be 'Red Beauty' or 'Red Ace'? I have a small, round alpine garden, and I'm always looking for standouts like that!

Wendy

Found out the red semp is Sensation.

I just had a block wall constructed altho the "face" of the wall is inward, instead of outward facing as yours is. I would like to try and plant some of it like you have. First of all, I'm in zone 6 so I don't know if that would make a difference in the plants' ability to survive winters. Secondly, did you put some soil or moss or something in the chinks of the walls to get them to root? Thanks for any info you can give me - your wall is stunning!!

Very nice wall! Is it facing south in full sun? RJ

I know that some sedums and sempervivums are hardy even down to zone 1! I am sure that you will be able to locate many varieties in your local nursery that would be suitable for your zone. I don't think that the configuration of your wall would affect the ability of the plants' to survive. However, if your walls are constructed so that there are overhangs, you might be able to get some less hardy types to survive under them.

I did not use any special medium to get the sedums and semps to root. I used whatever I had on hand, be it sand or soil. If I had a twisty piece of sedum which did not wish to stay seated in it's place, I would use a little stone to jam it in. It was very very easy process. This activity would be quite suitable for the younger gardeners in the family!

Janet

I just discovered that I had sedum growing in my yard. Well, I knew the plant was there, just had no clue what it was. It just grew and grew and I gave it to everyone. I think you have it up on your wall. Someone told me it is called 'chubby fingers'. I had not thought to grow it on a wall like that. It looks very interesting and I may give it a try. (Your wall looks beautiful, by the way)

What is the pale sedum you have on the wall? It is an unusual color and contrasts nicely with the wall and other plants.

I have over 100' of wall that twist and wind facing south to southeast, getting direct sun for 2 to 4. The section depicted faces south and gets 4 hours of direct sun during mid summer. Some sedums, such as Sedum Makinoi Ogon, prefer a bit more moisture and shade. I have this variety in the walls that face southeast and get only 2 hours of sun.

The grey areas are Sedum Cape Blanco:

I'm SOO in love with these pics...My husband just discovered that, out of all the plants in our garden, the ones that call to him are little creeping things with fat little leaves-so he's taking over the 'cairn' piles I made out of the local shale. I have a few semps stuck in them already, but this should really inspire him to try other varieties...thank you!

Did you just set the plants on that wall's "shelf" that looks like it's only an inch or so deep, or did you make holes or pockets in the wall to tuck them into?
It seems that soil just setting on an edge like that would get washed away in a rainstorm unless it had a lip of some-kind to hold it.
Can you show a picture of a spot just before you plant it?
I'd love to do something like that. It is so beautiful.

Fantastic! I love your walls!

very nice wall,

martin...

do you know the hardiness zone of the Cape Blanco?

Really beautiful wall. I love the contrasting textures and colors. I have only a few varieties in my own rock garden and like the fact that they keep it interesting even when blooms on other plants have gone.

I have read that Sedum spathulifolium 'Capa Blanca' is rated from Zones 5 - 9 so you should be ok in planting this sedum in your area.

My walls were built with very little if no spaces between the base of the higher block and the lip on the tops of the supporting block. Stems of sedums were literally laid in any available places and kept in place by some sand/soil/rock or by just the fact that the stem was gently wedged into place. There were some wider spots created in the curves and it is there that I could plant some very small semps, who's roots were small and the plant could be wedged in. I misted the plants occasionally until they began to root and take hold.

I find that rains are not a problem. On the contrary, over time, organic materials wash down into any available crack and settle around the plants so that a little soil base begins to build up to support them. Very easy, economical, low maintenance gardening!

Janet

So you just stuck stems (not roots ?) in between the available chinks in the wall and they actually took hold and grew ? No drying out ? Did you have to water them everyday ? I have a wall just like that and if it was REALLY that easy to make a masterpiece like yours, WOW, I'm in heaven ! For instance: I just bought one good sized Sedum (trailing type) in a pot. If I cut off pieces of stem with no roots, it will live ?? I could get alot of plants from this one plant if that wa the case. Please clarify if that is correct! Thanks for the info and for being such an inspiration !
Amy

Yes, it is as simple as that. Mind you, if you can get more stem and root planted, all the better. I lightly watered the walls during the warm weather to keep them from drying out. The more you help the sedum along by giving it some moisture and additional soil along the cracks, the easier it is for the sedum to get established.

Here is a pic of the typical sedum "starters" that I used:

http://hyperphoto.photoloft.com/view/Image.asp?s=cano&u=1737012&a=1332536&i=10844522

Have fun!

Janet

How long did it take to go from the starter pics (thanks for those BTW) to what you have now ? It definitely looks like something I will try and undertake. It is so unusual looking and really striking. Thanks again for your help !
Amy

With such small pieces, it took a couple of years before the wall started looking somewhat established. I generally put a number of pieces of a variety together so that they would fill an area sooner than later. The wall in the first pic is over 10 years old. I generally brake up "battles" between some of the more vigorous sedums each spring so that the hens & chicks and each sedum variety have their own space.

Janet

You're my inspiration!!! We are building a 3ft retaining wall with the AB this fall and I will be attempting to plant my wall like yours. We are however, west facing so we get ALL DAY sun! Do you think that will be a problem.

Thanks for the pics.
Karen.

I'm not sure if your full sun conditions would be a problem. I know some of my sedums are more drought tolerant than others. The Cape Blanco & some of the "cubby" type sedums can take drier conditions than the "leafier" types such as Dragons Blood, which seemed to take longer to settle in. I hand water my other garden beds and give the walls a light mist as I pass through anyway. I know that the semps & sedums that have access to more soil in the bendy areas of my walls do very well with very little supplemental watering from me. The relative economy of this type of planting makes it easy to experiment. Have fun!

The wall and the semps are lovely! I'd love to have a wall like that in my garden. Good Work Janet SW BC !

THANK YOU for sharing these photos and your advice and CONGRATULATIONS on creating such BEAUTIFUL garden art!!

I have reposted my pics onto webshots.com under 'Garden 2002-2003' for this thread.

Here is a link that might be useful: Garden

I cannot call up any of these pics. What am I doing wrong?

OK Janet,
I am waaaayy jealous of your lewisia wall. I can grow lewisia in the pot, and even as an air plant, but every time I stick it in the ground it kicks off. I tried a gravel mixture out of the gutter, and still... Maybe it's my high pH? Can you make a suggestion as to what to plant it in? Thanks in advance.

Your wall is gorgeous!! I never thought about doing this. Thanks for posting pictures!

Super nice!! I saved this entry hoping the pics would load and am glad to be able to see them now!