When Life Hands You Lemons

Feel Free to Share!

“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade” is a proverbial phrase used to encourage optimism and a can-do attitude in the face of adversity or misfortune.

The underlying message of the saying is to make the best out of a difficult situation, to find opportunities in adversity, and to turn something negative into something positive.

So how does that fit here?

When some of my terra cotta pots fell off a shelf, many broke, and being a frugal gardening enthusiast, I decided to hang onto them and see how they could be utilized at some time in the future.

Back in the 80’s the one subscription magazine I would get was Better Homes and Gardens. I loved that it had a bit of everything: home decor, recipes, and gardening tips and tricks.

One article they had was on miniature gardens in dishes. Some call them Fairy Gardens now, but the ones highlighted in the magazine were themed miniature gardens. Back then, there weren’t many readily-made objects to buy for a miniature garden; you had to make them yourself.

I kept photos of those gardens for years, but sadly, I tossed them during one of my decluttering forays, and I admit that I regret it now.

But I took one look at the way this pot above broke and thought it would make a fabulous base for a miniature succulent garden.

 I have several Hens and Chicks ‘sempervivums’ in pots in my greenhouse and now a lot out in my garden.

Creating a Fun Mini Garden

Using the broken pot and shards, I put together a fun little mini garden that I have enjoyed for years.

First, I mix up some of my DIY Succulent Soil and place it in the bottom of the pot. I make sure to put a small shard of the pot over the hole in the bottom to prevent it from plugging up.

Cactus potting mix is a good option for succulents, or you can create your own by adding some extra perlite or some horticultural sand to a quality general potting mix.

When pulling off succulent babies to pot up, it is recommended to let them sit out for a few days to heal over the ends. But I must confess I don’t always do this.

Tuck the ends of each of the small succulents into place and firm them in. Leave gaps so they can fill in with their own babies. Use a shard of broken pot to hold the loose soil in place, leaving areas to tuck the sempervivum pups (babies).

This is a small 4-inch pot, so it took only a few to fill it up.

I still need to get some pebbles to add. They help keep the soil mix in place when you water. Watering is infrequent but the mix is very loose and will start to come out with the flow of water. Weighting it down with some gravel keeps it in place.

Did you know that Hens and Chicks are of the plant genus Sempervivum, which means Live Forever? That name was given to these lovely little plants because of its hardiness and durability. It grows in some of the most inhospitable locations. It can be found high up on windswept mountain slopes, where temperatures can plummet as much as 60 degrees in 24 hours.

It can take root in a rocky crevice with barely a smattering of soil. What are some of the secrets of its endurance in such harsh conditions?

The live-forever plant has succulent leaves, which carefully hoard water. This enables it to take full advantage of all the moisture available from rain or melting snow.

Also, it grows in clusters that unite their strength to get a firm grip on the rocky support. By taking root in crevices, it has some protection against the elements, even though there may be very little soil.

In other words, it thrives by making the most of difficult circumstances.

We can all take that attitude to heart. Despite its harsh environment or unfavorable circumstances, it grows beautifully and will even bloom. The Sempevivum not only survives hardship but it is determined to thrive with grace and beauty!

So, to say the least, the Sempervivum makes Lemonade. Not only has this little collection lasted for a very long time but it inspired me to create another larger display.

 You can see how this one came together here, plus it has a video for you to watch in realtime.

This photo below is my inspiration, it is not my photo and though someone mentioned where this may have been taken, I have not been able to verify it yet.

I think the path leading to my Primrose Cottage would look magnificent planted this way!

Feel Free to Share!