Landscaping With Flagstone & Succulents

Definitions

• Flagstone landscaping uses dissimilar stones with flat surfaces creating walls, walkways and patio surfaces that feature various colors and textures. Flagstones have natural shapes but are pieced together so that only thin gaps of sand or mortar exist between them. Succulents are a category of plant that store water in their leaves and roots. Succulents are generally hearty and include cacti as well as other flowering varieties of different shapes and sizes.

Landscape Design Choices

• Flagstones and succulents are appropriate for most type yards, including large and small gardens, and planting spaces. They tolerate a range of climates. Both flagstones and succulents are most commonly used in desert landscaping in Arizona, Southern California and the Rocky Mountains. Succulents require little water, making them efficient plants where water usage is restricted. For residents in other regions, incorporating flagstones and succulents into a native landscape adds variety and creates an exotic desert theme.

Succulent Roots

• A benefit of combining flagstone landscaping and succulent plantings is that succulent roots are unlikely to damage nearby stonework. Flagstone pathways generally require landscaping fabric that prevents grass and roots from growing and damaging the stones. However, the shallow roots of succulents are too short to grow up beneath flagstones and cause any significant damage. Succulents' limited root structures also make them appropriate for shallow window boxes, portable pots and the spaces above utility lines where plants with more extensive roots could choke off sewer lines and cause major damage.

Installation and Maintenance

• Installing a flagstone surface or pathway is straightforward. If you remove turf grass to install the flagstones or have other type plants besides succulents nearby, laying down landscaping fabric protects the stones from below. Next, apply a layer of sand. Compact it by wetting and tamping it down. Finally, position the flat flagstones and fill in the gaps around them with sand or gravel. Planting succulents is even simpler. It requires only that you place succulent plants in loose soil and occasionally water them. Succulents are easy to propagate by breaking off individual branches and replanting them, meaning you can purchase a single succulent plant and divide it between several parts of the yard.