Succulent Obsession: Introduction and Testing...1...2...3!

So, I've decided to start a blog about my obsession with succulent plants. Succulents have interested me for as long as I can remember. I love their structure, the wide range of physical forms, and the ease with which most can be propagated. I love how some types are so different from what most people imagine when they hear the word 'plant'. From tiny Conophytums to giant tree Aloes, I love them all! While the term succulent includes the true cacti, the spiny succulents don't do much for me, and I tend to collect the non-spiny ones. I am forever explaining to people who see my windowsills crammed with pots that "No, I do not collect cacti!"

I've been collecting succulents for years, but have yet to meet a like-minded collector in person in my area. So, I figured, perhaps I could find people with similar interests online. The main reason so few people in my area collect succulents is probably because I live in a cold temperate area (the Canadian Maritimes) near the Atlantic ocean, where the humidity tends to be high and the summers are rather short. (Which just means we enjoy them even more!) As many succulents evolved in warm, arid areas of the planet, a typical winter here would kill them. I have dealt with this problem in two ways. First, I collect succulents that stay small and so can easily be overwintered indoors (I don't have a real greenhouse). I also am loathe to resort to supplemental winter lighting, so any plants I grow need to be able to manage on the winter light levels in my home. Secondly, I collect cold-hardy species which can handle a Maritime winter. This eliminates the problem of taking them indoors for winter, but I am running out of sunny dry garden space.....Over the years I have discovered what works and what doesn't work for my situation, and this blog will talk about my experiences with different methods and genera. It will also talk about anything succulent-related that strikes my fancy!

So, welcome to my succulent blog! I hope someone out there will find it interesting and maybe even useful!

Here are a few shots from a recent visit to a local garden centre.