Years ago, I purchased some sprigs of sedum from a lady dividing her perennials. I was curious about these fleshy plants, which while not initially beautiful, were an interesting fleshy texture. I planted some pieces here and there, and left them alone. They became the low growing edging of the front of my long garden borders, with no maintenance from me. The sedum spread quickly, covered the low growing clover that sneak into my garden, and I don’t think I ever watered the garden in those days! Flash forward to my new smaller garden and I grabbed a few pieces of assorted sedums from my various plants and put them here and there in low and dryer areas of the garden. At the front of my sidewalk/outside fence garden, I planted 2 small clumps (2 inches diameter), which have spread in one season to 3 feet in diameter – filling in a problem dry area. It’s not beautiful yet, but it is keeping the weeds from encroaching and keeping the ground from eroding. – Shown above.

I have also planted some bits and pieces to augment my flower pots, and these have anchored the geraniums and petunias, providing some pot filler and trailing interest. These include Sedum kamtschaticum – hardy with a yellow flower in summer, Sedum Angelina – which has a spiky look to the foliage is light green to yellow but spreads a little less and is possible a little less hardy.

This season I have purchased some small purple sedums, and while they have not spread as quickly as the others, they have held their ground – so to speak and provided some contrasting foilage and now even a bright purple flower. This is Sedum Dragon’s Blood. I have also planted purple Sedum Vera Jameson which is a bit taller and more to the pink side. These sedum have been planted on a steep dry slope.

As August creeps in I am searching for some Autumn Joy Sedum, which is taller, and provides some fall colour (reddish blooms)when my other flowers have faded.