Last week, I took a trip out west to California for filming. I was excited to be back in California close to where I grew up and I was even more excited to be able to connect with a long time online friend, Cindy from The Succulent Perch. With a huge love for succulents and a mutual admiration of them, Cindy suggested that we get together at one of her favorite places in the world, actually one of the world’s largest succulent growers, to put together a succulent arrangement for my sister who I would be seeing later in the week.

My sister’s design style is mid-century modern. Cindy had this gorgeous chartreuse vintage planter by Bauer that would match my sister’s decor perfectly. Using the planter as our jumping off point, we went to work discovering beautiful succulents of varying shapes, sizes, and colors to compliment the design.

For this arrangement we chose: Kalanchoe tomentosa ‘Chocolate Soldier’, Crassula conjuncta, Crassula ‘Baby’s Necklace’, Opuntia Hybrid Crest ‘Roller Coaster’, Euphoria trigona ‘Royal Red’, Crassula capitelia ‘Campfire plant’, Echeveria ‘Joan Daniel’, Aloe KJG, Hawthoria fasciata variegata, and Anacampseros telephiastrum variegata ‘Mimicry Plant’.

We started off on the sides, mixing tall elements with shorter ones.

The art of layering the succulents has been perfected by Cindy.

The dish filled quickly and beautifully with the succulents as though they had been together forever!

We topped the succulent arrangement off with sweet beige colored gravel to give it a finished look. A sprinkle of sea glass followed!

A paint brush was used to tidy up any bits of soil on the succulents’ leaves as well as the planter.

With a wooden towel, everything was tamped down in the succulent arrangement and straightened out as necessary for the finishing touches.

Crushed seagrass was added last. These photos do not do this beauty justice!

I could not believe how beautiful it turned out. I love how the red and green hues compliment one another and how everything seems to fit perfectly into this amazing vase. Since this planter has no drainage holes, watering will be kept to a minimum. A simple quick spritz of water every couple of week should suffice. This planter should be protected from frost. The perfect spot would be under a covered patio.

I would like to thank Cindy and Altman plants for their amazing hospitality and generosity of their time and location and plants. I definitely got my succulent fix and was oh so tempted to bring this baby home to me.

If you would like to order some of these amazing succulents please visit Altman Plants. 

Or you can always have Cindy make something just for you!