Where I live it gets very hot and humid in the summer and sometimes it is unbearable outdoors. Succulents are a fantastic plant for the hottest of summers because not only do they store water in their stems and leaves but God designed them to store water from the atmosphere and soil making less work for me in drought conditions.

Melinda Myers, from Birds and Blooms, uses succulents in containers………

“subtle in appearance, I prefere to use containers of equally understated beauty, so that the planter doesn’t overshadow the plant”.

My favorite of the succulents are the flowery Portulaca and Puslane. Their rubbery leaves remind me of the native ice plant I grew up with on the West Coast and have a variety of bright colored flowers that open in the day and close up at night like a real desert flower.

Sedum is also another favorite. It returns every year bigger and better than before and lasts from Spring until Fall, changing color along the way.