Landscaper and artist Richard Pocopalia has recycled more than 600,000 tons of discarded material for garden use, turning old guardrails, driftwood, broken crockery and other discards into unique designs. Tillandsia, or air plant, may be combined with "found art" objects since it requires no soil to grow. Water it daily with a spray mist bottle. To create your own artistic planter, collect old stepping stones, concrete pieces and broken bricks. You'll also need moss, jade plants or other succulents and a small, low-growing sedum. The soil used is black clay that's been amended with organic matter. - Mound the soil on top of the stepping stone (figure A).
- Add broken pieces of concrete or other found objects to create vertical interest (figure B).
- Place taller plants toward the center of the stepping stone.
- Keep in mind that the finished soil level will be the same as it was in the container. You may need to remove some roots to accomplish this.
- Tuck a small, low-growing sedum under pieces of broken concrete and brick. Fill in with soil whenever possible.
- For a lush look, cover the surface of the soil with moss after the plants are in place.
Jade plants (Crassula ovata) are long-lived tender perennials that require full sun or partial shade. Allow the soil to dry between waterings. Apply a balanced fertilizer in spring and summer. Sedum (figure C) has the same care and light requirements as jade plant.
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