SEMPERVIVUMS (HOUSELEEKS)
Sempervivums are succulents of a different genus but of the
same order as sedums. They are completely hardy and like dry
sandy soil and sunny positions. Plate VI shows a sink rock
garden planted entirely with different species of "Semps."
The plant is rosette in form and develops by growing new
rosettes around itself; these can be removed and planted elsewhere. Flowers are of soft, lustrous shades between rosy pink and
purple and the "foliage" also changes in colour through the year.
Several species (which are identified by the word arachnoideum)
have a delicate "cobweb" woven over each rosette.
sempervivum arachnoideum, the Cobweb Houseleek; S. a.
Standsfieldi (P); S. a. tectorum; S. glaucum; S. Hookeri;
S. montanum (L).
SUCCULENTS
Plants which have to survive long periods without water have
a fleshy appearance and water-storing characteristics. Such
plants are called Succulents. Do not make the mistake so frequently made of thinking that they are all some kind of Cacti.
Succulents comprise 24 families and Cacti is only one of these
families (although a family which numbers more than 2,000
species!).
The more important families of interest to the minigardener are:
Crassulaceae. Includes the Sempervivums and Sedums already
mentioned; Crassulas, attractive shrubby types; and Cotyledons,
which resemble miniature palm trees.
Aizoaceae. Includes the Mesembryanthemums; the "Window
Plants" Frithia and Fenestraria; and the "Living Stones" which
look like pebbles and produce flowers very much larger than
themselves.
Liliaceae. Includes several attractive rosette type plants such as
Haworthia.
Cactaceae. This is the vast Cacti family which includes species
as small as a tiny button and one which grows 60 feet in height
and is 2 feet thick! They assume the most fantastic shapes (as
do many other succulents) and their habits are weird and remarkable, but not without interest. They need to be well rooted in
light, sandy, porous soil. They detest our outdoor weather, fogs,
draughts, overheated rooms, frosts, etc., but are frequently killed
by too much kindness; a golden rule is that too little water is far
wiser than too much or too frequent watering. Cacti are
abnormal little monsters conditioned to abnormal treatment
from Nature and will neither prosper nor give their best displays
unless some effort is made to maintain something on the lines of
their natural conditions. They like sunshine, light, and fresh air
that is dry and arwm.
Succulents are of so many types and need different kinds of
treatment and care, it would be impracticable to go into details
here. The general rule is not to grow plants of opposing needs
in the same garden. This applies most particularly in associating
Cacti with other plants. There are many exceptions, however, in
the succulents; the sedums and sempervivums, for instance, will
live indoors or out and be quite happy with other plants.
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