Tropical Transition: Discovering a New Plant Addiction
How retirement, a zone change, and a love for learning sparked a vibrant new gardening chapter.
Submitted by: Joyce; Florida, Zone 10a
There’s nothing like retiring and moving to a completely new garden zone to inspire a gardener. As a full-time employee who raised three kids in Zone 6b, I loved to steal away in spare moments to design and tend my shady ¾-acre garden—and work on foiling the local deer. Moving to Zone 10a with lots of time to fill, I had a lot to learn.
A well-used sidewalk in front is bordered with an array of succulents, with a decorative rock border that adds interest and protects plantings. Note the pop of fuchsia—the ice plant (Carpobrotus edulis) ground cover is just starting to bloom.
Flipping my focus to succulents and epiphytes—and with a newly minted “diploma” as a Florida Master Gardener—I call that a dream come true. My personal garden is MUCH smaller, yet still delightful. And fulfilling my Master Gardener commitment to giving back has provided a whole new palette of community space in which to garden, and opportunities to learn from and share with others.
Front yard view with an array of planters and stones accenting the in-ground plantings.
The succulent rage was in full bloom when I started, although most advice was oriented to drier climates like Arizona and California. Diving deeper, I learned that with the right soil prep and plant selection, I could indulge my passion for the unique architecture of succulents to my heart’s content. And a whole new world of epiphytes—bromeliads in particular—opened up to add color and more diversity of appearance. Succulents and bromeliads have proven to be highly compatible plantings, both culturally and visually.
Another view of the sidewalk border. The hot orange blooms are Jatropha podagrica 'Buddha Belly', surrounded by various agaves.
Six years in, I now have a reputation as a “succulent go-to” for teaching classes and giving advice. I supply a local magazine with a “Garden Happenings” column, which keeps me in contact with an array of other local garden groups whose events are featured in the column. I work with volunteer teams—one that has turned a bare city park into a lush community space featuring a Florida-Friendly landscape where the community exercises and meets to commune with nature, and another group that has enhanced our city’s downtown with an array of large planters filled with colorful blooms.
I love to mix plants in containers into the landscape because it adds height and diversity to the view.
Much as I enjoy the chance to garden outdoors year-round, I have not neglected my indoor space. I’ve added enough houseplants to lead me to feature a sign greeting guests—“Yes, I really do need all these plants!”
Landscape lighting really shows off the architectural beauty of these succulents.
Am I a collector or designer? BOTH! Addicted to plants? Yes. But it’s been a healthy addiction for my mind and body, and I wouldn’t want to imagine my retirement without all that gardening has done to enrich my life in so many ways.
More pictures from Joyce's garden:
Tillandsia duratii.
My lanai encloses outdoor living space, including our swimming pool, which has a built-in planter bordering one side. Plantings and accessories were chosen to represent a seascape on the left and beachscape on the right.
One side of my full sun front yard includes a mix of agaves, mangaves, and sun loving bromeliads; with rock edging, containers, and garden art in the background.