On August 23, 2017, Click hither to read my review of the novel edition.
As I was reading Designing amongst Succulents I started to compile a listing of random questions that popped into my head. Being the practiced sport that she is, Debra Lee Baldwin graciously agreed to respond them. Read on to honor out to a greater extent than nigh the 2nd edition of Designing amongst Succulents, novel succulent trends, together with what Debra's favorite succulents are.
Debra, congratulations on the 2nd edition of Designing amongst Succulents. Any gardening mass amongst such impressive sales numbers (over 180,000 copies inwards impress according to Timber Press) together with such longevity is a major achievement yesteryear whatever publishing standard. My review described the overall organization of the mass together with hence readers know what to facial expression forwards to. I’d similar to inquire yous to a greater extent than or less questions nigh the book, the latest succulent trends, together with what’s adjacent for yous personally.
Q: Do yous encounter social media every bit a driving forcefulness behind the success of the kickoff edition of Designing amongst Succulents? As I mentioned inwards my review, the rising of Facebook, Pinterest, etc. dovetailed amongst the exploding popularity of succulents.
A: Absolutely. Social media is a pregnant intelligence source, enabling trends to gain momentum faster than ever before.
Q: At what betoken did yous realize that Designing amongst Succulents needed an overhaul? Relatively shortly after publication? Or non until much later?
A: The 24-hour interval it arrived. I was leafing through the pages together with establish a typo. When I called my editor at Timber Press, she said every writer finds at to the lowest degree ane together with phones her, distraught.
I variety of expected Timber to desire a 2nd edition inwards x years if the mass did well, together with hence I never thought of the kickoff edition every bit cast inwards concrete. (By the way, shaver errors are fixed inwards subsequent "printings" which are unlike from "editions.") But when did I realize the kickoff edition was outdated? Probably a yr or together with hence after it came out, when a homeowner told me she had planted Mexican plume grass (Stipa tenuissima) inwards her garden because it was inwards the book's Companion Plants chapter, together with it had afterwards reseeded invasively. Sure enough, non long after the book's release, the California Landscape Contractors Association had added it to their "do non plant" list.
Q: Was it e'er your goal to completely rewrite the kickoff edition? Or did it but destination upward that way? Can yous force the process?
A: I knew it was inevitable, but I wasn't keen on it because of the fourth dimension commitment. I asked my publisher, "Do yous desire me to disappear for a year, or move on to produce populace speaking, blogging, article writing together with social media?" They realized my dilemma together with assigned me a wonderful developmental editor who helped expedite the process. She took all the novel content I'd written online together with inwards impress together with edited it into the previous manuscript, together with hence theoretically all I had to produce was OK the results. Yet the deeper I got into it, the to a greater extent than I realized the mass needed nearly all novel photos together with completely rewritten text. To produce it right, I'd conduct keep to larn rid of 85 pct of the master manuscript together with add together 100 to a greater extent than photos. My contractual deadlines, however, were based on my breezy expectation that the mass would come upward together amongst minimal effort. Consequently, for nearly a year, I worked 12-hour days, vi days a week, oftentimes inwards my pajamas—no fourth dimension to larn dressed—during which fourth dimension I saw fiddling of my husband, family, friends together with garden. And every bit amongst all my books, I gained a pound per chapter.
Q: How long did the 2nd edition conduct keep to finish, seeing how much yous changed?
A: This is my 4th mass amongst Timber Press, together with all conduct keep taken a yr of enquiry together with writing, together with yr of editing, layout together with production.
Q: The 2nd edition of Designing amongst Succulents seems quite consummate to me. However, succulent blueprint volition move on to evolve, perhaps fifty-fifty inwards directions nosotros can’t anticipate yet. Are yous upward for doing a tertiary edition when the fourth dimension comes?
A: Good Lord, no.
Q: What is the adjacent major projection you’re working on? Any teasers?
A: Well, it takes every bit much fourth dimension together with endeavour to larn the give-and-take out nigh a novel mass every bit it does to write it.
Q: In the mass yous say that “women, who instantly constitute the bulk of succulent aficionados, conduct keep larn captivated yesteryear rosette varieties.” Do your observations advise that women prefer soft-leaved succulents piece men gravitate to a greater extent than towards plants amongst teeth, spines or thorns, similar agaves together with cactus? Making such full general statements is e'er fraught amongst danger, but at that spot may live to a greater extent than or less truth to it.
A: OK, yous asked! It's an within joke amidst vendors at Cactus together with Succulent Society of America shows that women desire echeverias together with other succulents that resemble flowers; together with men prefer cacti together with euphorbias that are wickedly spined together with reptilian—especially if phallic-shaped.
Q: In your opinion, what is the adjacent large thing inwards succulents? Any major trends you’re seeing?
A: You bet. Cactus is actually taking off. What was ane time appreciated yesteryear solely a few grizzled collectors is going mainstream. (See this weblog post on the topic.)
Q: Are at that spot specific succulent genera where you’re seeing peculiarly exciting move beingness done yesteryear growers?
A: Yes, inwards detail echeverias, haworthias, agaves together with aloes. Hybrids are selected for coloring (both flowers together with leaves) together with variegation, toughness, illness resistance, symmetry, texture, size together with form.
Q: The ane ingredient limiting the suitability of succulents every bit landscape plants is mutual frigidity tolerance. Are yous seeing whatever promising developments that mightiness force the mutual frigidity tolerance further, if that is fifty-fifty possible botanically?
A: No question, a succulent's powerfulness to withstand extremes together with adverse atmospheric condition is highly desirable together with commercial. Within a species you'll honor those individuals amongst greater tolerance to cold, oestrus together with damp—three things that, inwards excess, are decease to succulents. One recent introduction is a fancy ruffled echeveria that tin serve every bit a landscape flora where summers are scorching hot (like my garden together with yours): Echeveria 'Sahara', patented yesteryear Altman Plants. There's a lot going on amongst Sedum hybrids, too, but the challenge amongst cold-climate succulents is to larn them to thrive where summertime temps soar yesteryear 90.
Q: Which are yous favorite succulents of them all? I know this is a seemingly impossible enquiry to answer. But if force came to shove, which would yous pick? Size doesn’t matter.
A: I similar those amongst intriguing shapes, textures together with personality. Like faucarias amongst leaves similar fanged, rubbery jaws. And Agave utahensis 'Albispina', which has long white spines that are paradoxically fragile together with wavy. I'd live heartbroken if I lost my Mammillaria bocasana 'Fred'. It consists of a lot of fiddling chubby cylinders that look to conduct keep collapsed on themselves. It's ho-hum growing together with sun-sensitive, together with non common. I saw it offered yesteryear a vendor at the San Francisco Flower together with Garden demonstrate for $17, which I thought was pricey together with hence I didn't larn it. But similar dear at kickoff sight, I couldn't forget it. The adjacent yr I splurged on a 'Fred', which I carried abode on the plane on my lap.
Q: And finally, let’s play the deserted-island game: If yous were stranded on a deserted island, which succulents would yous desire to conduct keep amongst you? Let’s focus on portable plants that would represent on a shelf inwards your isle cave.
A: Never hear decorating the cave, I'd rather non starve! Spineless opuntia (nopales) is non especially tasty (unless yous similar sour light-green beans), but it is really high inwards vitamins, minerals, fiber, nutrients together with antioxidants. It grows from pads together with needs no irrigation other than rainfall. So when the rescue shipping endure arrives, I'll live inwards swell shape!
Debra Lee Baldwin's website is a rich resources for all things succulent. From at that spot yous tin also click through to her pages on Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, YouTube, together with Instagram, all of which offering a wealth of photos together with videos.
Sumber http://www.succulentsandmore.com/
 |
| Debra Lee Balwin asset her "new baby" (photo © Debra Lee Baldwin; used amongst permission) |
As I was reading Designing amongst Succulents I started to compile a listing of random questions that popped into my head. Being the practiced sport that she is, Debra Lee Baldwin graciously agreed to respond them. Read on to honor out to a greater extent than nigh the 2nd edition of Designing amongst Succulents, novel succulent trends, together with what Debra's favorite succulents are.
Debra, congratulations on the 2nd edition of Designing amongst Succulents. Any gardening mass amongst such impressive sales numbers (over 180,000 copies inwards impress according to Timber Press) together with such longevity is a major achievement yesteryear whatever publishing standard. My review described the overall organization of the mass together with hence readers know what to facial expression forwards to. I’d similar to inquire yous to a greater extent than or less questions nigh the book, the latest succulent trends, together with what’s adjacent for yous personally.
Q: Do yous encounter social media every bit a driving forcefulness behind the success of the kickoff edition of Designing amongst Succulents? As I mentioned inwards my review, the rising of Facebook, Pinterest, etc. dovetailed amongst the exploding popularity of succulents.
A: Absolutely. Social media is a pregnant intelligence source, enabling trends to gain momentum faster than ever before.
 |
| Debra Lee Baldwin's YouTube channel |
Q: At what betoken did yous realize that Designing amongst Succulents needed an overhaul? Relatively shortly after publication? Or non until much later?
A: The 24-hour interval it arrived. I was leafing through the pages together with establish a typo. When I called my editor at Timber Press, she said every writer finds at to the lowest degree ane together with phones her, distraught.
I variety of expected Timber to desire a 2nd edition inwards x years if the mass did well, together with hence I never thought of the kickoff edition every bit cast inwards concrete. (By the way, shaver errors are fixed inwards subsequent "printings" which are unlike from "editions.") But when did I realize the kickoff edition was outdated? Probably a yr or together with hence after it came out, when a homeowner told me she had planted Mexican plume grass (Stipa tenuissima) inwards her garden because it was inwards the book's Companion Plants chapter, together with it had afterwards reseeded invasively. Sure enough, non long after the book's release, the California Landscape Contractors Association had added it to their "do non plant" list.
 |
| Mexican plume grass (Stipa tenuissima), pretty but invasive nether ideal conditions |
Q: Was it e'er your goal to completely rewrite the kickoff edition? Or did it but destination upward that way? Can yous force the process?
A: I knew it was inevitable, but I wasn't keen on it because of the fourth dimension commitment. I asked my publisher, "Do yous desire me to disappear for a year, or move on to produce populace speaking, blogging, article writing together with social media?" They realized my dilemma together with assigned me a wonderful developmental editor who helped expedite the process. She took all the novel content I'd written online together with inwards impress together with edited it into the previous manuscript, together with hence theoretically all I had to produce was OK the results. Yet the deeper I got into it, the to a greater extent than I realized the mass needed nearly all novel photos together with completely rewritten text. To produce it right, I'd conduct keep to larn rid of 85 pct of the master manuscript together with add together 100 to a greater extent than photos. My contractual deadlines, however, were based on my breezy expectation that the mass would come upward together amongst minimal effort. Consequently, for nearly a year, I worked 12-hour days, vi days a week, oftentimes inwards my pajamas—no fourth dimension to larn dressed—during which fourth dimension I saw fiddling of my husband, family, friends together with garden. And every bit amongst all my books, I gained a pound per chapter.
 |
| Spread from the 2nd edition of Designing amongst Succulents |
Q: How long did the 2nd edition conduct keep to finish, seeing how much yous changed?
A: This is my 4th mass amongst Timber Press, together with all conduct keep taken a yr of enquiry together with writing, together with yr of editing, layout together with production.
Q: The 2nd edition of Designing amongst Succulents seems quite consummate to me. However, succulent blueprint volition move on to evolve, perhaps fifty-fifty inwards directions nosotros can’t anticipate yet. Are yous upward for doing a tertiary edition when the fourth dimension comes?
A: Good Lord, no.
Q: What is the adjacent major projection you’re working on? Any teasers?
A: Well, it takes every bit much fourth dimension together with endeavour to larn the give-and-take out nigh a novel mass every bit it does to write it.
 |
| Debra at the 2016 Succulent Extravaganza at Succulent Gardens inwards Castroville, CA. She volition live a featured speaker at the 2017 Succulent Extravaganza on September 29 -30. |
Q: In the mass yous say that “women, who instantly constitute the bulk of succulent aficionados, conduct keep larn captivated yesteryear rosette varieties.” Do your observations advise that women prefer soft-leaved succulents piece men gravitate to a greater extent than towards plants amongst teeth, spines or thorns, similar agaves together with cactus? Making such full general statements is e'er fraught amongst danger, but at that spot may live to a greater extent than or less truth to it.
A: OK, yous asked! It's an within joke amidst vendors at Cactus together with Succulent Society of America shows that women desire echeverias together with other succulents that resemble flowers; together with men prefer cacti together with euphorbias that are wickedly spined together with reptilian—especially if phallic-shaped.
 |
| For men only? |
Q: In your opinion, what is the adjacent large thing inwards succulents? Any major trends you’re seeing?
A: You bet. Cactus is actually taking off. What was ane time appreciated yesteryear solely a few grizzled collectors is going mainstream. (See this weblog post on the topic.)
 |
| Cacti are endure getting the attending they deserve |
Q: Are at that spot specific succulent genera where you’re seeing peculiarly exciting move beingness done yesteryear growers?
A: Yes, inwards detail echeverias, haworthias, agaves together with aloes. Hybrids are selected for coloring (both flowers together with leaves) together with variegation, toughness, illness resistance, symmetry, texture, size together with form.
 |
| Echerveria 'Compton's Carousel', ane of the most sought-after recent introductions |
Q: The ane ingredient limiting the suitability of succulents every bit landscape plants is mutual frigidity tolerance. Are yous seeing whatever promising developments that mightiness force the mutual frigidity tolerance further, if that is fifty-fifty possible botanically?
A: No question, a succulent's powerfulness to withstand extremes together with adverse atmospheric condition is highly desirable together with commercial. Within a species you'll honor those individuals amongst greater tolerance to cold, oestrus together with damp—three things that, inwards excess, are decease to succulents. One recent introduction is a fancy ruffled echeveria that tin serve every bit a landscape flora where summers are scorching hot (like my garden together with yours): Echeveria 'Sahara', patented yesteryear Altman Plants. There's a lot going on amongst Sedum hybrids, too, but the challenge amongst cold-climate succulents is to larn them to thrive where summertime temps soar yesteryear 90.
 |
| Sedum 'Lime Zinger', a SunSparkler introduction hardy to zone 4 |
Q: Which are yous favorite succulents of them all? I know this is a seemingly impossible enquiry to answer. But if force came to shove, which would yous pick? Size doesn’t matter.
A: I similar those amongst intriguing shapes, textures together with personality. Like faucarias amongst leaves similar fanged, rubbery jaws. And Agave utahensis 'Albispina', which has long white spines that are paradoxically fragile together with wavy. I'd live heartbroken if I lost my Mammillaria bocasana 'Fred'. It consists of a lot of fiddling chubby cylinders that look to conduct keep collapsed on themselves. It's ho-hum growing together with sun-sensitive, together with non common. I saw it offered yesteryear a vendor at the San Francisco Flower together with Garden demonstrate for $17, which I thought was pricey together with hence I didn't larn it. But similar dear at kickoff sight, I couldn't forget it. The adjacent yr I splurged on a 'Fred', which I carried abode on the plane on my lap.
 |
| Faucaria tigrina |
Q: And finally, let’s play the deserted-island game: If yous were stranded on a deserted island, which succulents would yous desire to conduct keep amongst you? Let’s focus on portable plants that would represent on a shelf inwards your isle cave.
A: Never hear decorating the cave, I'd rather non starve! Spineless opuntia (nopales) is non especially tasty (unless yous similar sour light-green beans), but it is really high inwards vitamins, minerals, fiber, nutrients together with antioxidants. It grows from pads together with needs no irrigation other than rainfall. So when the rescue shipping endure arrives, I'll live inwards swell shape!
 |
| Spineless prickly pear (Opuntia) |
Debra Lee Baldwin's website is a rich resources for all things succulent. From at that spot yous tin also click through to her pages on Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, YouTube, together with Instagram, all of which offering a wealth of photos together with videos.
Sumber http://www.succulentsandmore.com/