Succulent foliage is remarkably variable, even without bloom. There are so many unusual colors, textures and patterns to choose from. Many are complimentary to others. Many contrast exquisitely. What better way to display some of the favorites than to assemble them into a succulent foliar tapestry!?
This is actually old technology that started to become a fad again only somewhat recently, after these foiar tapestries were installed on a retaining wall in North Hollywood a few years ago by GreenArt Landscape Design. Small cuttings of succulent plants were plugged into rigid mesh panels that hold growing medium vertically against another flat panel of the same size. The whole contraption was suspended against the concrete wall, with a bit of space in between to limit staining and bleeding onto the wall.
With the fountain, potted plants and other features, the limited space was insufficient for a hedge to obscure the retaining wall. Besides, the uniform foliage of a hedge or clinging vines climbing upward, or cascading plants hanging downward, would have been rather boring. These foliar tapestries look like artwork that might hang on walls inside the home, except that they are outside, visually extending the interior living space out onto the patio.
Foliar tapestries certainly are not for everyone. There is nothing ‘low maintenance’ about them. The small plants must be groomed regularly, and trimmed to stay flat. Flowers will need to be snipped off before or after bloom. The heavy planters must only be installed onto concrete walls or walls that are able to support the weight, and must be installed properly to avoid staining and bleeding. Wooden walls would be likely to rot so close to so much moist growing medium. However, as you can see, in the right situation, such tapestries are worth the effort.
Tony Tomeo 
These have become quite popular in Spain recently, but I’ve never seen one made entirely out of succulents! They’re beautiful but I’m not sure they’re worth the effort and maintenance… That’s why most of them are fake! I could see one with fake succulents becoming popular in the future, though.
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Although I would not want one in my own garden, many clients really like them, and do not mind paying for the maintenance. They really are impressive. I would just put grape vines on that wall. They need a lot of maintenance too, but they at least give something back.
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I think they look wonderful. I’d love to do something like that myself, but the problem would be to find succulents that are frost hardy.
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Quite a few Sedum are cold hardy in the ground, not sure if they’d survive being hung like this. Plus they’d likely come out of winter quite ragged and tattered looking.
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Being hung on a wall under eaves might be easier for them than being in the ground, but like you say, they would look tired after winter. Even here, the succulents need to be groomed of old foliage and pruned to prevent them from blooming.
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Yes, that is a seriously limiting factor. All the other compact perennials that do not mind frost do not look as nice throughout the year.
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That is beautiful!
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GreenArt does that sort of work. It is too fancy for my taste, but their clients appreciate that sort of work.
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Thiss is very attractive. I would like to try one that could be shown at our flower show and wintered in our rock wall foundation basement during the winter.
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Would it last in a basement for that long? Cutting back all at once afterward might be better than pruning and grooming it over a period of time.
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So cool! I’ll be that tooks some patience.
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Getting the infrastructure constructed was the difficult part. Plugging the rooted cuttings was not difficult. Maintaining it is what takes serious patience!
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I love the look of these tapestries and could be tempted to “have a go” but then you added the words “high maintenance”…
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Oops, . . . well, yeah. I am not one of those writers who tries to sell readers on things that are impractical. I am a horticulturist, not a writer.
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Maybe just a small one would be manageable
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There is plenty to tend to already in your garden, and you still have pots the thin out. Adding a tapestry might be counterproductive.
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Ah yes, at the moment I’m minimalisiing. But who knows what the future changes might be…
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The Whole Foods in downtown Austin has an indoor foliar tapestry.
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Hopefully, they take care of it properly. Some property managers get their landscape maintenance professionals to install such tapestries, even though there is no one on staff who will care for them properly.
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It does look pretty neat, especially when just planted. Of course, you have to have the right location and climate or they would need to be replanted every spring. I think a working person would not have time for the maintenance and would soon grow tired of it. Best suited for people who can afford to hire others to manage it or in public areas where it can be admired by everyone (and maintained by professionals). Thanks for sharing and the link.
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In my own garden, I would have planted something to cascade over the wall, or climb up it. I prefer the simplicity.
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Reblogged this on Tony Tomeo and commented:
These were actually featured in the Sunset – Western Garden Book back when they were new. This article is three years old.
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These are amazing, Tony. The first time I saw these was in France. My daughter’s husband brought one home from a garden centre. I was a little dubious if it would survive as neither of them were gardeners… and it didn’t. I think they need dedication and specialist care to look good.
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That is what I dislike about them. The clients like these enough to have them maintained. It is more than I would want to pay for, or do myself.
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Simply gorgeous!!! What a stunning design! Thank you for sharing.
Elizabeth
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I was not so keen on it, and would have preferred vines climbing up from below, or cascading plants hanging down from above. The client really likes it though! So does everyone else who sees it. (Obviously, I am no landscape designer.)
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