I would love to hear about this as well. Just picked up a few succulents last week. I also used to hang out on these sites but have been absent for awhile. Looking forward to seeing some familiar names again-used to haunt the kitchen, hostas and mn garden forums pretty regularly.

Your shade garden looks great. I've had no luck growing the common hens and chicks. They either die in the ground over winter or if in a container squirrels dig them up, I replant, and they dig them up again. This cycle continues until the succulents eventually dry out.

Last spring my CA sister-in-law brought me two small succulents which I overwintered under lights in my cool basement laundry room.

My neighbor who has them said this year the pocket gophers are eating her hens and chicks!! I have a HECK of a time with my fairy gardens--dang critters diggin holes to find a place to live. There has to be a way..people do it!! I am spying a bit of space to the back of a front bed up against the garage. I hear snow cover is an issue..the eve protects this spot and it looks pretty dry most of the time..I am just not sure it would be sunny enough. Here you can see the space..I would take the hosta in the back out...

Would you be able to see it at the back of the bed? Are you going to move some of the daylilies as well? How about clearing out some of the plants next to the steps and putting it there, in the front? Could you put the display on a stand on the porch? Could you over winter it in a garage or shed?

Do you realize that you will need to replace some of the succulents as they outgrow their space in the display? I have no idea how fast any of those various plants grow.

When you stand at the edge of the sidewalk you can see the spot I would put them. Right now the hosta, I have there are struggling, not enough water..too much sun, bad division last year? It looks so dry there is why I am asking if it would be a good place for a succulent rock spot. FULL sun is not something I have. The corner you suggest if full of Autumn joy, they are covering rotting board on the porch skirt. That spot is also a highway for pocket gophers who live under the porch. I am told DH will fix the porch and steps some day...maybe at that point I will do a redo on this bed.

I had hens and chicks here:

But they did not come back and I cannot move this container for winter. Are you suggesting if I left my wheel barrel as is I could move it to the garage and it would survive? This is information I have been seeking over in the cactus/succulent form and am getting no where. I am aware it is FULL and needs to be thinned..I can only imagine what it will look like come fall. It will be more than bursting.

The closest full sun I have is this bed:

I have tried a few ground cover succulents here and they just do not take off. I think the snow plow pile up kills them off? On the opposite side of my drive way I have a succulent ground cover that goes gang busters..but one thing I did read over on Cactus/succulent was snow cover is an issue...

Yes, leaving in the wheel barrel and putting in the garage for winter is what I would try. Does the wheel barrel have holes in the bittom for drainage?

Perhaps you could post on the perennials forum which gets more action than this one.

Thank you mnwsgal, I will try them. Cactus/succulent doesn't get much action either..or they have no idea about MN, not sure which it is. There is a deep plastic tub in the wheel barrel and yes it has proper drainage holes. I am wondering about the dark of the garage over winter...I guess it is an option I need to try.

I have quite a few succulents that I have had for many years. Some are getting too big this year. I overwinter them in east facing windows, back about 6 inches from the cold wintery drafts. I tried putting them under grow lights as I use the lights for my orchids. They didnt do well-not sure if it was too bright , too cold or too warm. So back up with me they came. I really enoy them. I P\put them all out in the summer where they get morning sun and dappled shade-again they do well. Enjoy what you have, it all looks wonderful.

This is confusing so NOT full sun? Seems like they are sun plants.

I have been keeping my little planter from home depot on my front porch since I got it 2 weeks ago. It really seems to like it there as it is already growing a bit. It gets morning sun but by about 11 it is in shade, although still fairly bright. I think I have only watered it once or twice, although it may get some windblown rain. So far so good. Guessing I will have to replant sooner than I expected though. Not sure what I will do as fall approaches. I seem to kill any houseplants :p. Here are two pics.

good luck arcy, looking forward to follow ups from you

Thanks, I am going to need it. The hole is dug and rock has replaced a shovel depth of soil. (old landscape rock I removed years ago) Next I will add lava rock and then potting soil. Rain is coming in so it might be Monday before I have pictures to post.

Well, wish me luck!!

Good luck with the new spot. If you can take closer pictures next time it will be easier to see all your new babies :) Love the spheres too.

No, no birdies this season. I am guessing the smell of the varnish kept them away. Maybe next year after it has weathered a bit. Here is a close up as requested. I wanted to wait for my plants to perk up and look happier..not sure they are there yet but so far no critters has dug any up which I count as a plus. The white sheets and white powder are critter control. The orbs we made from hoops off of wagon wheels I used to have set in the garden. We found them on the property and I used them as a marker for the back of my gardens. I think all my watering was the death of them.

THANKS for all the support!!

Arcy, I don't know much about succulents other than what seems to work in my yard. I have found that my ground cover succulents do best when they have to reach for their water. I have killed a few hens and chick along the way to figure that out. My spot looks similar to yours with the rock. I would suggest you add more rock and plant into the rock instead of planting into the soil and maybe create a slope. That way no matter how much rain comes they will be able to dry out when needed. Hope that was helpful...I'm new to posting. Happy planting!