Pam and Tim Jara's back yard in a San Diego residential development is a marvel of space planning. In it are seven distinct living areas: spa, bar/barbecue, dining, fireplace, vegetable garden, bonsai/mosaic garden, and fountain/aeonium garden. There are even more if you include their succulent-filled front yard with its tough and intriguing lawn alternative (kurapia, from Japan, not a succulent); inviting garden nooks with benches; a semi-shaded patio garden; and a side-yard utility area concealed behind a bender-board fence. Pam's the artist-designer and succulent expert; Tim's the expediter. "He trusts my eye," she says. "He almost never disagrees with me."
Both know a thing or two about plants, having volunteered at the San Diego Botanic Garden for over a decade. Tim helps keep the SDBG's bamboo forest beautiful, and Pam spruces up the Garden's famed life-sized topiary dancers and undersea succulent display. Now retired from nursing, Pam makes ceramics and mosaics to ornament her own outdoor spaces and to sell (via https://www.pamsgardenart.com). Pam is a protege of San Diego artist Marsha Rafter, whose work and garden I also show on my site and here on my YouTube channel.
See artist Marsha Rafter's outdoor mosaics and succulent garden:
-- https://debraleebaldwin.com/succulent-landscape/add-art-to-succulent-garden/
-- https://youtu.be/gEexCWzBMk4 (Marsha’s garden)
-- https://youtu.be/cC5fKBAj-ic (Mosaic cactus)
LEARN MORE:
-- Go to the corresponding article on my site: https://debraleebaldwin.com/succulent-landscape/see-a-seven-room-succulent-garden-i-love/
-- Have a question about succulents not answered here? Use the Search bar at:
https://debraleebaldwin.com/
KURAPIA LAWN ALTERNATIVE
Retired San Diego Botanic Garden horticulturist Dave Ehrlinger recommended Kurapia to the Jaras. It's a deep green ground cover with a dense growth habit, suitable for Zones 7b and above. Like better-known dymondia (also shown in the video), "You can walk on it, even drive on it," Tim says of this spreading, nonsucculent, mat-forming plant from Japan. When 72 plugs (a standard tray) are spaced 15-18 inches on center, they spread to cover about 100 square feet. During Kurapia's main growth period, March through September, plugs take a mere three to four months to fill in.
ONLINE SUCCULENT SOURCES
— Mountain Crest Gardens: https://bit.ly/2k5gxqA
SPECIAL THANKS
To Pat Roach for help with videography
BOOKS BY DEBRA LEE BALDWIN
— Designing with Succulents (mainly about in-ground gardening), https://amzn.to/2M7bBig
— Succulents Simplified (good overview for beginners), https://amzn.to/2Ewil2I
— Succulent Container Gardens, https://amzn.to/2VZvGeE
CONNECT WITH DEBRA
-- Website: https://debraleebaldwin.com
-- Newsletter: https://debraleebaldwin.com/subscribe/
-- Online “Stunning Succulent Arrangements” Class: https://www.craftsy.com/class/stunning-succulent-arrangements/
-- Blog: https://debraleebaldwin.com/succulent-blog/
-- YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=DebraLeeBaldwin
-- Facebook: @DebraLeeBaldwinOfficial
-- Instagram: @debralbaldwin
-- Succulent Chic Shop: https://bit.ly/2If7Qpg
ABOUT DEBRA
Award-winning garden photojournalist and bestselling author Debra Lee Baldwin shares her expertise about “plants that drink responsibly” in print, photos, videos and her “Celebrating the Joy of Succulents” newsletter. Debra is based in Southern California, home to more succulent specialty nurseries and growers than anywhere else in the world.
Mountain Crest Gardens interview with the Queen of Succulents https://youtu.be/c5zW9cFWaVo
This video's URL: https://youtu.be/PHKX3ePxIPE
#mosaicgarden #gardenart #outdoorrooms #gardenrooms #artistgarden #sandiegogarden #succulentgarden #kurapia