Could I do an outdoor garden here?

[cedillamuerta]

I've been wanting to start an outdoor cactus/succulent garden and have just come across a very inspiring picture as to how I could do it, but I'm worried it's too wet here. Suppose I use a very low organic matter substrate with lots of gravel and have large rounded stones as the main body of the garden. The cacti would grow out of the gaps between the stones (obviously they would be mostly small species). Is there any way the plants could survive the wet spells we get here? I suppose what I'm really asking is: can cacti stand wetness on the exposed part of the plant, as long as the roots are in a well-drained medium?

[Harriet]

If I can do it in Central Florida, you can do it there!

[cedillamuerta]

Alright! So what's your garden like and how do you deal with the rain?

[Harriet]

I have several prepared beds. I have found that the better you prepare the bed, the better the plants will do. It also helps to find plants that will tolerate the temperature extremes in your planting zone. (For instance, delosperma dies when you just hint to it that it will be moving to Florida, but it may work well for you.). You may have micro climates in your yard that will help the plants survive, or sometimes if a succulent likes full sun in zone 6 it may do well in dappled shade in zone 7 or 8. It all comes down to a willingness to try plants until you find the ones that work well for you, so take my advice with a "grain of salt" and then dive in.

I am having the best luck with opuntia, cereus, echinopsis and a few other cacti in the ground. But my best successes are with aloes, agaves, and yucca. Also, as time wears on, my rock gardens and other beds that I envisioned as pure cacti and succulent "showcases", have devolved to include a funky mix of desert and tropical plants... Who knew that could happen??

I'll post some recent pictures if I can find the time to dig out the camera...

[Peterthecactusguy]

It will be some work , but there are some natives to the South East(which I am not an expert on ) that you can grow there. Some OPuntiads come to mind, along with a few other types of cacti. Harriet has nice plants, so listen to what she's got. And take a look at her pictures to give you ideas. Your garden will be different than mine in Central AZ of course

[BobbyZ]

Cedellia: Try with some of the native opiuntia's for the area. Amend your soil with playground sand from Lowes or home depot it will aide in drainage. In NE Florida, I have been collecting native species O. dilleni, O. humifusa, O prusilla, O. stricta and they do well in the humidity. Other prickly pears such as O. ficus indica also do very well as does Certeus peruvianas. Some of the agaves such as confederate rose (desert rose) is available at home depot and also does very well. Some Echinocactus grusoni and Echinocatus texesis can take the humidity in FL and should do well there. I would gladly send some Agave americana varigata pups in the fall if you would like to add to the xerophyte graden. Keep in touch I am gone for the summerf but can gladly share some Opuntia pads and agave pups. Bobby Z