I'm constantly considering building a green roof of succulents onmy shed. This book is full of helpful advice and inspiration. It's gorgeous to look at as well.

Gorgeous little book on one of my favourite type of plants. Very useful and informative and I have it earmarked for Christmas gifts for a few succulent-loving friends.

For me I was expecting more from this book. First I will say the pictures were amazing and were identified underneath. The beginning of the book the author goes into his story of how he got into growing succulents and then how his business took off and then of course he sells his business good for him. Then there are pictures of different gardens which were nice, but I was still looking for more. Maybe it is me and coming from someone who said he was doing this from 1972 I thought he would go into more detail about the plants themselves. The names, the type of soil that would be good, which ones are good in full sun and which ones are better for the shade. He did not bring up about watering or over watering, about drainage for your plants, and some other items about gardening that I felt he should have discussed whether the people he was writing to were novice gardeners or experienced ones. Many people now are planting succulents and I feel this book was lacking other than very nice pictures. I felt let down as a reader sorry and a gardener.

Succulents add attraction to the garden be it Indoor or outdoor......A great book about succulent planting and their care......

Succulents by Robin Stockwell is a beautiful book about growing and caring for succulents. There are many gardening ideas and plans detailed, as well as crafting ideas with instructions. The book also lists each variety of succulent and how to care for them. I would really think of this book as a partial encyclopedia, that's how much great information it has. There are plenty of great, color photos that are helpful in identifying each succulent variety.

Succulents: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing, Designing, and Growing 200 Easy Care Plants (Sunset) by Robin Stockwell is a wonderful book I was allowed to read from NetGalley and the book's publisher. This book is filled with glorious colored succulents in ways to show off your yard, patio, patio wall, home, and create gifts. It also has a delightful section on making succulents into art for wedding parties or for the wedding itself, for gifts, for home decor, and so much more. The book is a true piece of art itself with the outstanding pictures of outdoor ideas, the colorful mix, and the absolute joy of having these easy to care for plants. Of course the book has more than beauty, it has care and how-to's in here which was very handy info to have but the sheer beauty of the book is amazing.

Filled with history to inspiring growing plants at all, this book is beautiful with photographs that are high quality, rich with colours so vibrant you feel you're by the plants not just reading a book!


From pots, edgings, roof gardens and more we are shown that everywhere and anywhere can make way for a succulent or a few. There are plenty of tips and tricks to help get your own display started in many various forms you are sure to find inspiration for a modern, classic or own style succulent garden of some kind. There's even ideas for gifts, hair accessories along with funky indoor planter or outdoor hanging succulents too.


Complete with a guide to the various names along with pictures of the succulents you may come across, it is sure to teach you many things all in one handy book.


Many thanks to the publishers for allowing me to review this book for them!

Robin Stockwell’s passion for succulents drives this book, it energises the facts and highlights the beauty of these amazing plants. I have only recently taken to gardening, it has turned out to be a fun and relaxing hobby. My mum and I conceptualise changes to our already gorgeous space, it is quite the creative release. The garden we live in now has only been ours for eight months but we inherited a solid framework. The only missing element was succulents. Upon picking up this book, I hoped to be inspired, educated and entertained, on all three elements it exceeded my expectations. I gleefully shared sections with my mum and have put into practice a couple of items already with plans implement several more in the future.

“…by nature, succulents are perhaps the most efficiently designed of all plants for easy propagation. They not only reproduce by seed but, in many species, can multiply spontaneously by fallen leaves, branches or shoots.” says Robin. And so true this is! We have started a propagation area in our garden and have been blessed with growth already, so rewarding!

The contents page illustrates how diverse a journey one goes on with this book: inspirations, easy projects, favourite plants and a selection guide. The images throughout are stunning. South Africa is spoken of regularly, I do so love to hear good things about home! These quotes below are a highlights reel of the advice and humour that runs throughout.

“Some growers recommend succulents that they say can be walked on. In my experience, all succulents turn to mush when stepped on. The damaged plants may eventual grow back, but they’ll look unattractive for a long time. When trampled, I can just hear those poor plants screaming “OW!””

“Water-wise shrubs perennials, and grasses make the best companions for succulents in mixed borders.”

“I was once so inspired by a book called Maya Color that I painted several walls at my nursery in bold colours. Vivid colours really do bring out qualities of the plants you display in front of them.”

“The beauty of succulents for [wedding] bouquets is that they never die…The plants will live on as reminders of this special occasion.”

“Plant echeverias around your garden and watch the hummingbird population grow. Hummers love the nectar these blooms produce.”

I highly recommend this wonderful book, a 5 out of 5 on the en-JOY-ment scale!

I live in Florida and have had several varieties of succulents for years. Some in pot some in the ground. These plants are basically care free plants. They are so easy to grow, which is one of the things I really love about them and they are beautiful as well. This book is filled with tons of ideas. The 2nd half of the book is a succulent guide. It shows you clear pictures of each variety of each type of plant. As well as telling you the best ways to plant and grow them. I have learned so much from this book. Most important why I cannot get some varieties to grow and yet others I cant kill out. This book is fabulous for anyone who wants to or thinks they want to grow these beautiful and easy plants. Watch out local garden shop I'm on my way.

Succulents, succulents, succulents! So many gorgeous succulents! If you want to be environmentally conscious at all, you should be planting succulents - they're hardy, they don't need much water, and they can be just as bright and colorful as any other water-guzzling plant in a regular garden. You can live in the desert AND have a beautiful, colorful garden AND conserve water...with succulents! They're not just for the desert, either - succulents can thrive in all sorts of climates - I'm an Oregonian and succulents are everywhere.

Robin Stockwell doesn't just show you how you can use succulents in your garden, she also has sections on how to make succulent bouquets, table dressings, hanging baskets, gift toppers, wreaths...they really are versatile plants. So, if you have even the remotest interest in gardening, succulents, or drought-tolerant plants, then this book is essential.

This book is not for people who like cottage gardens, but rather for people who like an easy care structural garden. I enjoyed the landscape situations that where illustrated in the book and the information of various ways to use succulent in a garden.
The second part of the book the book is a little crafty as in the ways one can use succulents on the table, bouquets and pots. But what I really like was the last section which put the succulent in to family groups all illustrated and explained - a wonderful source of information if you have seen a plant you like but have no-way of knowing what to ask for in a shop.
Todays world of garden has a trend for gardens with very strong structural aspect combined with easy care, this book with help to build such a garden wherever your space. The information within this book is not only well photographed but has a lot of practical information for all gardens who want to try succulents.

Robin Stockwell, one of the premier succulent growers, has provided a great sourcebook on succulents. The first portion of the book contains photos of landscapes that feature succulents. A variety of environments, from typical desert to tropical islands, show that succulents can grow in many different settings. The second half focuses on various projects one can do with succulents, from the succulent wreath to wedding bouquets. Simple directions make the projects seem easy. This section is followed by profiles of some of Stockwell's favorite succulents. I found this an easy guide to the various succulents. My only complaint is that a lot of beautiful Euphorbias were missed in favor of some relatively boring ones. The last section of the book provides a simple guide to growing succulents. This would be a great book for anyone who's considering adding succulents to their landscape, or even in containers on their deck. This book shows that the oft overlooked succulents can play a major role in a sustainable landscape, and still provide lots of beauty, texture and color.

Robin Stockwell's Succulents provides a wealth of information on this easy to grow variety of plants. The beginning of the book is focused on succulents planted in the yard. The pictures are lovely, but for my yard it is was not as all helpful. Further into the book are examples of DIY projects using succulents. This is a bit more helpful but still left a little to be desired for me.

The best parts of the book are the last two sections: My Favorite Plants and Planting and Care. The first includes a very comprehensive list of succulents. It includes types of succulents and the varieties for each type. This is wonderful for choosing exactly what succulents you want. The final section provides all of the information you need to properly plant and maintain your succulents.

While the first half of the book might be lacking, the second half more than makes up for it. This book is great for beginners and seasoned succulent growers. I would have it in my home library for a reference guide if nothing else. If you are a fan of succulents, this book is definitely worth checking out!

Excellently written book on everything you wanted to know about succulents, growing, care, types, arranging, and design ideas. The photography alone is awe-inspiring and makes you want to immediately visit your local garden store. For a succulent lay-person, this book is a must; the descriptions and instructions couldn't be easier to follow. Necessary for every public library, and you'll probably want to purchase it for your home collection as soon as you've flipped through it.

A valuable, valuable book for anyone looking to learn about these fascinating, easy to grow plants. Expert Robin Stockwell offers so much in the way of care, design tips, site selection (either indoors or out), and beautiful photography. Great addition to your gardening shelf.

I want to be green fingered but sadly I'm not, the only plants I've been able to grow are succulents; I have one that's been growing for almost a year now and it has grown so much since I received it so I wanted to hopefully learn a bit more about them and how to look after better. The book has fantastic photos as well as great ideas of what plants to use in different areas/environments such as growing them in containers which is what I'm most interested in. I love the idea of planting succulents in hanging cones and as wedding arrangements and gift toppers which is such a unique idea! I wasn't as interested in the first half of the book but the second contains so much information that I wanted.

Great book to have as a resource or give as a gift!

I love getting out into the garden, and I have to admit that I have learnt most of it from my Mum. As a little girl I'd accompany my Mum and Dad to the garden centres out in the countryside and I learnt about buying plants, choosing the right ones, looking for healthy growth above and below the soil, the types of plants that work best in certain soil types and what looked aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

I'd then help Mum plant them and care for them in our gardens at homes. Since I've become an adult I know that these are skills I've been so blessed to have been taught that will be very useful when the times comes for me to tend to my own garden with my other half. I generally become alive when I'm in the garden, surrounded by nature or in garden centres (take note Mr S - so does my Mum!) but as someone who loves to learn new things, I jumped at the chance to review this book.

Succulents are plants that I have around 3 varieties of at home, but other than the fact that they grow in any soil - perfect for the dry soil on my front garden as you need a road digger to penetrate that earth, I don't know very much about them.

In Succulents, Robin has given very high quality detail of how to look after these plants, how to plant them, where to plant them, and given really inspirational ideas of how to make them look very pleasing on the eye. This book goes beyond just listing the plant name (including latin name), height, spread, soil type, and time of the year. What Robin has created is almost an encyclopedia of everything you need to know about Succulents.

As a beginner to gardening technicalities this book would be brilliant for someone wanting a beautiful yet easy to maintain garden. The plant placements are almost contemporary yet minimalist - if you have OCD this might be for you! I actually said to my Mum over the past few months that I just really want to create an area in the garden for Succulents - and this book has given me the tools and knowledge of how to do just that.

A really wonderfully insightful book dedicate to a variety of plants and style of gardening that could be embraced this year. It's never too early to plan ahead.