If you are looking for a way to bring flowers indoors that will last longer than a cut arrangement and make for a gorgeous centerpiece, why not turn to succulents and bulb blooms of the season. I was recently asked to do the flowers for a friend’s baby shower and was elated to do so. I love flowers, I love gardening, and I love finding unique containers to use for planting and arrangements.
If you live in the South or are visiting the South, a trip to Charles Phillips Antiques and Architecturals in Theodore, Alabama will blow your mind. One of the coolest stores on this planet, Charles Phillips carries old doors, repurposed pots, antique rolling pins, Turkish linens, and so much more. This is where I found my 3 1/2 foot antique dough bowl for a mere $68 (compared that with the over $250 price tag for a new one at Pottery Barn.) The dough bowl served as my inspiration for this centerpiece aka container garden.
When choosing what to plant I knew succulents would be easy and elegant. Then I looked for early spring blooms like tulips and hyacinths.
To begin planting, I set up a station on our outdoor table. I lined the dough bowl with plastic then added a layer of pea gravel for drainage. (Succulents must have adequate drainage.) I filled the dough bowl with potting soil and then began planting the plants with the most height first, then continuing with the larger succulents that could drape over the sides of the bowl. I played with the plants and moved them around until I achieved the look I was going for, filling in the blank spaces with small succulents. I finished by filling in any holes with potting soil. You can also use moss to top off any blank areas.
To water simple drizzle and mist every other day. Keep in sunlight.
Remember the coolest things about succulents – they re-root easily. So as pieces break off or they get to big and you would like to trim. Save those pieces and replant for new succulents that you can use in your garden, on your patio, or in arrangements.