Living Art DIY

With a little more time on my hands now that paper writing does not consume my weekends, I was inspired to create a living succulent frame.  Succulents have become one of my favorite plants since moving to southern California and I wanted to find a way to display them in an artistic way. 

 

Brian found some scrap wood in our shed and purchased the wire mesh at the hardware store.  It took a bit of time to saw all of the pieces the correct length but he enjoyed working with his hands outside on a warm winter's day.

 Here is the finished product before painting. 

 I simply used paint we had around the house, which happened to be yellow and light brown.

Light brown paint gives it an "antiqued" look.

 Here is the box after it was painted. 

 

Succulents need cactus soil for easy drainage. 

 The soil fell easily through the metal mesh.

 I ordered 36 succulents for $36 at Amazon and they came 2 days later in really good condition!

 look at those beauts. 

 I shook the dirt off the roots and used the end of a scissors (pencil or chopstick would work as well) to make holes through the mesh. Start with the big plants first and use the smaller ones to work around the bigger ones.  My preference is to use as many plants as possible for a more full look.

the finished product needs to rest for about 4-8 weeks for the roots to establish before hanging it up as a picture.  Increase the sunlight gradually but do not place in hot direct sunlight for long hours as plants can become sunburned.

the final product.  We're pleased :)