living picture
There’s something appealing about plants growing vertically rather than in a pot. Succulents do especially well in vertical arrangements, so they are a popular choice for creating living pictures. A living picture can cover an entire wall, or it can be something smaller and more personal. If you’re growing indoors, small and personal is a great option. Find a color palette of succulents that you like, or choose a variety of shapes and textures. Rosettes are a popular choice for living pictures, but branchy, trailing, and even somewhat tall succulents work well too.
materials
• Wood shadowbox frame
• Soil
• Succulent cuttings (3 to 5 varieties)
• Sphagnum moss
• Pencil or wooden craft stick
Fill the frame with soil up to the wire.
Soak the sphagnum moss with water.
Spread a layer of sphagnum moss over the soil in the frame opening.
Remove the lower leaves on the succulent cuttings, creating about 1 to 2 inches (2.5–5cm) of bare stem.
Use a pencil or wooden craft stick to create a hole in the moss and soil.
Insert the succulent cutting into the hole.
Using this method, create waves of succulents by placing several of the same succulent type in a diagonal or curved line.
If desired, add a larger succulent to the frame to create a focal point.
Use branchy or trailing succulents to add visual interest along the edge of the frame.
Continue to fill the frame with succulents. Keep the succulents close together because they will shrink slightly before growing.
Fill any gaps with clumps of moss.
Leave the frame horizontal for 6 to 8 weeks until the succulents have fully taken root. It makes a great table decoration!
Once your cuttings have rooted, hang the living picture or stand it up on a shelf.
To water the living picture, remove it from the wall and pour water on top, completely soaking the soil. Water your living picture weekly or when the soil dries out.
drainage
If your frame doesn’t have drainage holes, consider drilling holes in what will be the bottom of the picture so water can easily drain out. When lying flat, water should be able to seep out the back of the frame. When standing, water can drain out the front of the arrangement, but it will last longer if there are drainage holes in the frame.