Superbly succulent

It seems like a mirage. There I was driving through Wagga on the way to visit my dear old Granny's grave. Maybe she was guiding me. I got a little lost and out of the corner of my eye I saw a sign.

Great gardener Del Bungay

Succulents $1 each.

I pulled up in my car and investigated and that's how I met the lovely gardener Del Bungay pictured. Del's greatness in the garden helps raise money for a Uniting Church facility planned for Wagga. I plundered her stock and took about 20 beautiful plants which will look amazing. She and her husband have had an open garden showcasing these resilient plants and Del mentioned several waterwise gardens nearby that have been opened to the public.

Del attributes good organic matter to her healthy specimens and of course warns against over watering. I consulted my copy of The Canberra Gardener. Contrary to popular belief most succulents don't come from deserts but originate in potentially rich grassland with moisture limited during the season. To thrive, they need good drainage to stop the feeding roots from rotting. A mixture of about equal parts clean river sand and good quality compost is most effective in garden beds. In pots the author says a good commercial potting mix is ok with clean sand to be added in a ratio of one part sand to two parts commercial mixture. A small amount of balanced fertiliser should be added if the potting mix doesn't contain fertiliser. A gravel mulch is recommended to prevent problems. Mealybugs, scales and two-spotted mite (red spider) will attack potted succulents.

I need to find some beautiful containers but meantime my succulents should be ideal at my entry doors to welcome guests with their dramatic foliage and beauty.