Spectacular succulents - floral arraignments - Brief Article

Sunset, April, 2001 by Sharon Cohoon

Robert Cohen has the magic touch with these obliging plants

Maybe you think you know as much as you want to about succulents. I know I did. They're the sculptural little plants, usually shunted off to the side in nurseries, that you dash past without a glance on your way to check out the newest perennials. Right? Okay, now take a look at the dreamy concoctions on these pages. They're made with the same plants we've been ignoring. Could it be we've overlooked some of nature's choicest plants?

Robert Cohen, the maestro responsible for the compositions shown here, isn't guilty of that: He's been madly in love with succulents for at least 15 years. There's hardly a container in his Newport Beach, California, garden that doesn't have donkey tail (Sedum morganianum) cascading from it or at least one big green Aeonium rosette tucked in somewhere. Cohen admires succulents for their sculptural perfection, seductive textures, subtle colors, substance, drama, and remarkably forgiving, flexible natures.

But he doesn't like to show them off alone. He prefers combining a half-dozen kinds in pots, blending tone-on-tone patterns reminiscent of brocades. He mixes succulents with plants that have foliage of an entirely different nature, such as asparagus fern, coleus, or curly parsley. Succulents also look great in primarily floral arrangements.

Blame his passion on roots, he says. Though Cohen is now the co-owner of the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, much of his life has revolved around the florist trade. His father was a florist, and Cohen himself owned the Windsor Florist. These experiences shaped his approach to gardening. "Everything I touch seems to turn into a bouquet," he says. Few of his plantings are without his favorite succulents. "They are wonderful," he says. "No bouquet should be without them."

Cohen's succulent bouquets

* Select wide, shallow containers. Since many succulents are wider than they are tall, planters of the same proportions are usually the most aesthetically pleasing. Terracotta dishes aren't the only options. For instance, with drainage holes added, the concrete birdbath on page 96 makes a splendid container.

* Start with the accent piece. "Look for a plant that will give the finished arrangement some drama," says Cohen. "You don't want all short, round pieces." He usually selects something sharply vertical. Sansevieria (snake plant) is one of his favorites, but he also uses asparagus fern, euphorbias, and even ivy trained up small trellises.

* Plant contrasting companions in small groves. "You rarely find individual plants alone in nature," says Cohen. "Usually things grow in clumps, and that's how I like to arrange them."

* Set plants close together. "I don't have the patience to wait for things to fill in, and with succulents you don't have to," he says. If there are gaps in a pot's planting, he fills them with cuttings from succulents elsewhere in the garden. They invariably take root. If one succulent overtakes its companions in a container, Cohen simply cuts it back and lets the others catch up.

Planting tips

* Use succulents appropriate for your climate. The Aeoniums and echeverias that Cohen favors flourish in his mild, coastal garden but are too tender for mountain gardens and don't like harsh desert summers. Sempervivums are cold-hardy in all zones, as are many sedums and some Delosperma (ice plant). In the desert, gasteria, haworthia, and agaves are better choices.

* Provide good drainage. Succulents will forgive most failures--too much or not enough water or lack of fertilizer--but they do like their roots in quick-draining soil. Use a cactus potting mix that is 50 percent pumice. If you live in a particularly wet climate, you might want to use an even grittier mix. For extra protection from winter root rot, move containers under the eaves during prolonged rainy stretches.

* Water frequently when the weather warms. Succulents can survive considerable neglect, especially in mild climates, but they look better with regular irrigation in the desert and elsewhere when temperatures climb. In fact, it's hard to overwater them in summer.

* Feed infrequently. Though succulents could probably get by without any fertilizer, to keep them in peak condition most succulent fanciers feed them two or three times a year with a liquid fertilizer (20-20-20, for instance) diluted to half strength.