Earlier this month Armstrong Garden Centers hosted a class on the topic of growing succulents and cacti. This class took place at multiple locations but we attended the one in Claremont.
Just moments before taking this picture, staff opened these gates. We were not the only car parked in the lot, awaiting for the clock to reach 8:30 am.
I was so in love with this arrangement. I would love to have a similar display in my yard. At a certain angle, the middle of these flowers have a lilac hue.
Above is a video I had my grandson put together showing many of the plants, supplies and decor I saw during my very first visit.
Our instructor John Burke introduce himself promptly at 9 am as he passed around some literature to those in attendance, space out under shade umbrellas. John explained that he went to school for Horticulture and would be happy to answer any questions throughout the lecture and after, even if it was off topic. Our literature included a breakdown of talking points on succulents and cacti including reasons to grow, requirements, prep and care.
I was happy to learn a few new things about one of the largest plant groups (succulents). Due to a terrible slew of fires in our area in the past week, John made it known that succulents and cacti are a very resilient plant and can often be fire resistant, making them a smart option to border your property line and possibly save your house! He stressed the importance of visual watering, being sure to saturate the soil (for potted succulents, water will need to leak from the drainage holes) so that the roots can have access to the water.
Overall, I was very pleased with the class and the nursery selection. I look forward to attending more classes in the future. My granddaughter and I filled out the survey for the class and spent another hour exploring the plants and supplies. We each made a purchase and used our 10% off coupon received during the class and I learned that Wednesday is senior discount day! That was great news since I only brought enough cash with me to purchase necessary items for my garden but a few decorative things caught my eye that I'll need to return for.
My granddaughter purchased these two succulents to put in her garden. I have quite a bit of the succulent on the left, but this particular cutting shows variegation in the leaves whereas my plants are a solid, darker green. I've never seen the succulent on the right before, but it sure has a unique look and shape to it.
