Mini Succulent Gardens for Mum

I’m such a huge fan of sisters Koren and Alana and their beautiful site, She Makes Magic. I love checking out their travel, food and crafting adventures, and feel endlessly inspired by their eco-savvy creations. When they asked me to write a guest post for their ’8 Ways to be Kind to Yourself’ series back in November, I jumped at the chance, and had so much fun collaborating with them. So I’m beyond excited to invite Alana to tea today to teach us how to make gorgeous gifts for Mother’s Day!

Please welcome Alana… ♥
 

Mini succulent gardens just for Mum

Mums – they really are something special aren’t they? My Mum taught me that the greatest virtues a person can hold are compassion, generosity, commitment and love. She did this by unconditionally giving me all these things and more from the very first day I was born.

A special Mum needs a special gift, especially on the one day of the year purely dedicated to her. And there is nothing more special than a handmade something, lovingly created by her own child. Of all the gifts we have given my Mum, I know it’s the handmade ones that she has cherished the most.

These mini succulent gardens are super adorable and so easy to put together. You can personalise them with pretty coloured rocks, ribbons and notes. And with the proper care, they will last for years, reminding your Mum every day of just how much you love her.

What you’ll need

• Small pots for your succulents – second-hand or vintage glasses and teacups, or recycled pots and cans will all work well
• Small pebbles
• Soil
• A variety of succulent cuttings
• Pretty things to decorate – ribbons, decorative stones, buttons, crystals
• A popsicle stick
• Pretty paper
• Craft glue
• Lots of love for the succulents and your Mum

Collect and prepare your succulents

Succulents are amazing, hardy little creatures that seem like they will just about grow anywhere. A lovely girlfriend gifted me clippings from her cactus, agave, aloe and other plants so I had plenty to choose from. But I’m sure if you have a look around your neighbourhood you’ll be surprised to find succulents growing everywhere. Clippings do need a little prior preparation. If you’re not sure, check out our step by step guide to cultivating succulents from clippings.

Prepare your pots

If you’re using recycled cans or tin of some sort, you might like to consider painting the pots first with a rust proof primer. I used vintage punch glasses so no priming was necessary. Next, line the base of your pots with small pebbles. These stop your little succulent’s feet from getting wet, preventing an onset of root rot (never nice). Then cover the pebbles with soil.

Plant your succulents

Create small wells in the soil and pop in your succulents. I used succulents of different heights and texture for eye-catching, sparkly fun.

Decorate

Use the pretty paper to create a cute card for your Mum. Cut the popsicle stick in half lengthways to create a skinny stake and stick the card onto the tip. Then pop it into your succulent pot. Finish by covering the soil with decorative stones. I decided to use pebbles to complement the earthy tones of the succulents plus I’m a sucker for anything natural looking. But you could also use pebbles or crystals in your Mum’s favourite colour. A ribbon wrapped around the pot would also look super cute.

Loving your succulents

Remember that succulents are desert plants so they need lots of natural light (think a bright windowsill) and very little water. Because these guys are in pots without drainage, extra care is needed so that the roots don’t end up sitting in water. Your Mum should allow the soil to completely dry out before watering and make sure that any water in the pot doesn’t sit above the original layer of pebbles.
 

They look so happy on the window sill…

Happy Mother’s Day to all the beautiful Mums out there. ♥

Love, Alana xx

Alana is a tea drinking, cat loving, push-bike riding Aussie who loves to invent deliciously simple vegan recipes and turn recycled old things into crafty new things. With her sister, Koren, Alana co-writes She Makes Magic, a blog dedicated to their shared journey toward a kinder, simpler and more ethical lifestyle. Head on over for rustic vegan recipes, handmade crafty DIYs, vintage finds and loads more bits and bobs that make them smile.