I have a passion for plants that drink responsibly. Not only are succulents beautiful to look at, they’re a great option for lazy gardeners (like me).
I garden on a half acre in the foothills of Southern CA, where temps range from below freezing to 110 degrees F. I grew up with succulents, have grown them for years, and as a garden photojournalist, author and consultant am aware of how top designers use them in landscapes and containers.
During the ’90s and into this century I covered homes, gardens, architecture and interior design for the San Diego Union-Tribune. I scout, write for and/or shoot for publications that include Sunset and Better Homes & Gardens. In 2005, my Sunset editor suggested I do a book on succulents.
Designing with Succulents came out in 2007 and spent 19 weeks on Amazon’s list of the Top Ten Bestselling Gardening Books. The sequel Succulent Container Gardens (2010) also is a bestseller. Succulents Simplified: The Complete Guide to Growing and Designing with 100 Easy-Care Varieties is a spring, 2013 Timber Press release.
Editors, reporters, bloggers, GWA members and designers: I’m happy to provide photos, plant IDs and anything else you might need for articles, clients, posts, etc. Please ask!
Visit my website: www.debraleebaldwin.com.
To be on my mailing list, email me. View my quarterly newsletter, News from the World of Designing with Succulents.
Download one or more of my photo libraries (1,500 images total): Succulent Plant Palette, Succulents in Containers, Succulent Landscapes, and Succulent Flowers.
Come to one of my presentations, find out what I might offer your group, or learn about my potting workshops for individuals and small groups.
Follow me on Facebook. See my Succulent Chic board on Pinterest. Visit my YouTube channel.
I also have a line of succulent-themed cards and gifts and and produce a calendar every year.
My Gardening Gone Wild posts include:
The Birthplace of Better Homes & Gardens
Living Rocks (Pleiospilos nelii)
Margaret Roach’s Backyard Parables
Jeremy Proctor’s South African Adventure
Why I Love Ghost Plant (Graptopetalum paraguayense)
How to Create a Garden Calendar
Of Succulent Wreaths and Cuttings
How to Create a Succulent Tide Pool Garden
Are Succulents for the Birds? You bet!
Why I Can’t Resist Cactus Flowers
Terrariums on the Skybridge in Seattle
Silver-White Lovelies at Waterwise
That Poinsettia You Bought? Here’s the Back Story
The Easy Way to Paint Watercolors
Lani’s Garden
The Exquisite, Elusive Spiral Aloe
Garden Adventures in Quebec, Part Two
Garden Adventures in Quebec, Part One
Dew Drops Dazzle (photo essay)
Rose photo contest winner (photo tips)
California Poppies in My Garden