Tips for Arranging Succulents for Gifts and Landscapes

Plant lovers know that succulent arrangements can be challenging. However, since succulents come in multiple varieties, colors, and shapes, it is actually a simple affair. What helps in creating beautiful succulent arrangements is that it is pretty easy to rear these plants. Most of the species are innately robust and can withstand extreme conditions. Be it finding the right combo plant or variety, creating unique arrangements with multiple succulents in one pot, or DIYing window box arrangements, you need to remember that optimal care is most crucial.

Wish to gift a bear succulent to friends and family or keen to add vividness to your landscape garden? Window box succulent arrangements are cute and fun while adding glamor to the place. Here are some excellent tips for DIY plant arrangements.

Which plants are considered succulents?

Succulents are plants that are thick and fleshy with engorged parts. They are made to store water, either in stems or leaves. These are considered ornamental flowers because their looks make them ideal for home and garden decor. Interestingly, these plants can easily survive in a drought ecosystem.

Understanding what succulents grow well together

The first step in 'how to make your own succulent arrangement' is to research and find out which thick-fleshy plants have similar needs. Doing so will bring an aesthetic appearance to the arrangement. Also, the plants will live in harmony for a long time. Aspects to take into account while considering what succulents can be potted together - 

• The growing season
• Sunlight requirements 
• Watering needs
• Soil considerations

For example, Agave and Echeveria look great together. Add Hen and chicks to it, or Jades to the arrangement, and you will have a hero arrangement in hand. It is because all of these succulents are winter-dormant plants. Add the Graptosedum California Sunset to this, and it could be disastrous. It's because the latter is a summer-dormant plant. Pair up the California sunset variety with Aeonium and Kalanchoe for astounding results.

Colorful succulent arrangements

Another advantage of succulents is that they come in manifold hues. Just ideal for making a colorful arrangement and sending it out as a New Years' gift. These are the common color choices you have:

• Purple like Hen and Chicks or Purple Heart.
• Blue like Blue chalk sticks or Blue Glow or Agave.
• Red like Campfire Plant or Desert Cabbage or Lipstick called Echeveria agavoides.
• Orange like California sunset, Peanut cactus, Golden Sedum, or Orange Monroe, which is an Echeveria variety.
• Yellow or golden variants like Sempervivum or Sedum.  In most cases, yellow succulent means rot. However, there are some that are naturally yellow. 
• Green - Examples include Senecio Radicans, Senecio Serpens, Aloe vera, etc.

Succulent owners can take advantage of the differently-colored fleshy plants at their disposal. One essential thing is that the natural color of these plants varies as per sunlight, shade, temperature, and water. Placing the arrangement outdoors in bright light is suggested for maintaining the color.

Color themes

1. When deciding the color theme, you can choose between complete purple succulent arrangements and blue or red monochromatic arrangements. In this case, same-colored succulents with varying shades are used. 
2. Another option is to go into an analogous setting. In this case, The best way is to use a large container - a shallow saucer to make a succulent color wheel. This arrangement involves using colors adjacent to each other in the color wheel. For example, colors like yellow, orange, and green. 
3. The other option is the use of complementary color schemes. This particular arrangement is about using plants opposite each other on the wheel. For example, using red and green or blue and orange.

Paying attention to the succulent size

Now that you know about the best succulents to plant together and the colors, it is important to refer to a succulent size chart. There is an interesting formula to get the sizes right when arranging succulents in a pot -

• Choose large succulents to add thrill to the arrangement. The tall spikey plants stand out and create a dramatic look to the arrangement. The first thing that gets noticed is these tall succulent arrangements, called thrillers.
• Once the thrillers have been identified, it is time to choose the fillers. These succulents will take up most of the space in the unique succulent arrangement. Care should be taken to choose fillers that complement the thrillers. One can choose different succulent varieties to make the arrangement visually attractive in this category.
• The last aspect is spillers. There are succulents that dangle, hang, or spill out of the assorted succulent pots. You can use plants like String of Pearls, or even longer ones like Sedum Burrito. The aim is to cover the pot's edges most attractively. Doing so also helps make the arrangement live longer. 

Adding other plants to the succulent arrangement 

Consider adding other plant species to the arrangement for adding to its visual appeal. For example, succulents and cacti together can be a great combo. Small tiny cacti make the arrangement cute. Medium-sized cacti bring in a spiky element to the arrangement. An excellent outdoor or indoor succulent garden idea is to plant them with succulent companion plants. The purpose is to add height and an ornamental look to the arrangement. This idea works fabulously, whether it is succulent arrangements in pots or arranging a garden. The pictures of succulents in pots make for interesting Instagram posts too!

Consider adding plants like Osteospermum, a drought-tolerant flowering plant, to your succulent garden. Besides, plants that look good with succulents are:

• Ornamental grasses offer ample shade to the succulents from the afternoon sun.
• Blue fescue grass is not as tall as other ornamental grass, but it looks good with your cactus succulent arrangements.
• Lavender and rosemary are flowering herbs but look good indoors as well as outdoors with succulents. Other plants that can be considered are salvia and yarrow.

For example, if you are looking at Sempervivum companion plants, consider Sedum hispanicum, Sedum rupestre, or Sedum sexangulare.

Choosing the container for your succulent arrangement

One of the concluding things to consider is the container. It is important to choose the perfect container or pots for your arrangement to create the right statement. Terracotta, ceramic, terrarium, mason jars, etc., are good choices. Choose pots or containers that are about 5 to 10% bigger than the succulents. For example, ​​Echeveria arrangements look great in glass or a terrarium. To make a tabletop succulent planter, you can use shallow terracotta containers or a driftwood succulent arrangement.

For indoor succulent arrangements, you can use a triple-layered pot for small succulent plant arrangements. Take the case of a Sempervivum arrangement. You can keep planting the offsets in the holes and gaps in the same pot to make the arrangement denser. It can make for an amazing gift pack too.

DIY outdoor succulent plant arrangements

The trick is to take bigger pots and containers. For example, consider metal-casted pots. You can use repurposed pots and containers, like an ancient metallic urn, or even go in for a vertical frame. When going in for large succulent arrangements, start from the center. The biggest succulent should be planted in the middle of the container. Then, go about adding plants on either side of the central one. Add tiny succulents in the small gaps to create your own unique arrangement. 

In case of small succulent arrangements, go ahead with tiny pots. These arrangements are good for gifting and as decor pieces in your living rooms. Wooden tabletop planters, small terracotta handmade pots, hanging planters, etc., can be considered for indoor succulent pot ideas.

FAQs

1. What flowers go well with succulents?

Perennial plants such as Red Valerian, Kangaroo Paw, Mexican Daisy, Fortnight Lily, Sea Lavender, Lion's Tail, Yarrow, Bird of Paradise, and Bush Monkey Flower go well with succulents.

2. Share some tips about succulent arrangements in small pots

Small pots look good with succulents. There are many varieties that are tiny and stay throughout their life. These plants can be considered in pint-sized pots. Pots of diameter 2, 3, or 4 inches are fine for succulents with compact roots.

3. Can you plant Aloe vera with other succulents?

Aloe vera is a common succulent. In an arrangement, it can be paired with plants like onions, scented geraniums, strawberry plants, and sow thistle. 

Talking of succulents, you can plant Aloe vera with agaves in a large bowl. They can be combined effectively with cacti of the same size in a shallow pot. 

4. Can you plant succulents with cactus?

Cacti and succulents make amazing planter ideas for indoor arrangements. Since both the species have similar needs of light, heat, and water, they pair up really well.

5. What to remember when planting Aloe with other succulents?

Having similar needs, it is a great idea to grow succulents together, especially Aloe vera with other succulents. Going slow on watering and fertilizers can help create a good attractive combo. 

If you wish to watch live succulent arrangements, you can check out Youtube arrangements for getting the latest creative ideas. 

Succulents are undoubtedly the most loved plants among plant lovers. Not only are they easy to care for but also look pleasing in any space. Now that we have shared everything about succulent arrangements in terms of color themes, container to be used, and succulent size, we will encourage you to try your hands on it and experiment with your little friend.