Just a Heartbeat Away

[miguynmkoi]

Wishing you a Happy Valentines Day! 

Need to make some chocolate treats for my best friends.  What is easier to make than flourless chocolate cupcakes!?!  Of course I'm making some for me and my cupid too!

This year is flying by soooo fast!  Spring is around the corner already!

[Kittyzee]

Love those succulents!  My hens and chicks are buried under snow and ice:  BUT I may see them in a few days as the temps are to be in the upper 30's and 40's for the next 5 days!     I had those beautiful non-hardy succulents that I brought in, but the new kitten decided she liked digging in the dirt and tore them to shreds.     Happy Valentines Day!   

[Indiana Karen]

Wow those are great Annette.....so creative.

I really goofed this year, I didn't get my pots carried in that had my succulents in them, so they are toast.  I have a lot directly planted in the ground and they should be OK.

[miguynmkoi]

Sorry to burst my bubble, Karen    This succulent creation was taken at a local nursery, Roger's Garden.  Wish I were that creative or had the $$$ to create something like it!

[Mikey]

Considering how many succulents are in the container as well as the type of succulents I'm guessing that just the succulents alone if sold individually would be valued at just over $100.  Add in another $35 for the pot and then Roger's mark up and I can understand why you would admire the arrangement......and leave it for a wealthy Newport Beach person to make the purchase.....  I enjoy Roger's Gardens but I too must be selective on my purchases there.....

[miguynmkoi]

You got that right, Mike!  Happy Valentine's to you and the Fetching One.

[karen J]

I wish I was creative enough to design such a pretty thing.

Either here or over on Koiphen there was a group Hens & Chicks purchase. They purchased a wholesale lot from a grower (overseas?) and then divided everything up between the participating members.
If I remember correctly the minimum buy from the grower was 100, but there were several different varieties. Anyone else remember that?

I didn't participate, but the folks who did got a very nice variety for a very reasonable price.
 (just an idea.... spring is coming!  )

 

[miguynmkoi]

Nearby there is a nursery that sells a great variety of succulents and cactus in plug size for a $1+ depending on the variety.  I just need some creative juices and containers that won't break the bank.

This arrangement is made of plug size plants which I crammed into a container I bought for $15 during the nursery's grand opening.     I felt guilty jamming so many plants into the container but everyone else was doing it too.  So if they jumped off the bridge....

[Indiana Karen]

Karen, I got in on that group purchase here a few years back.  I think we got around 20-25 different ones.  They were small starts and I planted them in strawberry jars and identified each one.  The darn cats wouldn't leave them alone and kept them dug out most of the summer.  I only had a couple survive.  :'(

Love that last picture, if the heart planter is worth $135, yours is worth at least $270.

[Kittyzee]

Everything that Karen said!    

And Karen:  what is it with cats and the darned succulents?  They LOVE to pull the hens and chicks out and carry them around--they look like cat toys I guess....

[miguynmkoi]

I wish I looked to see the price but I know from experience that these potted displays always cost a lot.  You're probably in the ball park if not under-priced, Karen.  My container has over 40+ plugs - it was all I could jam into the rectangular container.  I did not ads any soil like most other people were doing!  

I've lost all my name tags but here's one blooming a new flower every few days just for you Indi Karen.

[miguynmkoi]

Come to speak of darn cats that's maybe why a few succulents have fallen out of their spaces in my strawberry pot....I found a kitty's broken collar with bell near the pot!?!