When it comes to plants, July is always an expensive month for me. I go to the RHS Hampton Court Palace show every year and every year I see lots of garden plants that I like, I splurge and then I spend the rest of the summer desperately trying to keep them hydrated until I can plant them in the Autumn. That is before I even get onto succulents – since I usually buy succulents year round, I try to hold back in July. Not this year…

and this doesn’t even include a bunch of semps and sedums I bought too!

I think its because there are so many more stalls popping up that sell succulents at Hampton Court, and so I indulged…

Aeonium ‘Kiwi’ (Penberth Plants/RHS Hampton Court Palace flower show)

I have had my eye on these for ages, they are forever popping up on social media. So when I saw this lovely specimen, grown down in sunny Cornwall by Penberth Plants, I had to have it – only a fiver too, so reasonable for a succulent of this sort of size in the UK. Unfortunately it got a bit bruised on the way home, but never mind, it will grow out eventually. I planted it up in this low wide blue pot, as I am hoping it will eventually fill the pot, and I like the bright blue against the green and yellow of its leaves. I usually advise against planting succulents up in too large containers in the hope they grow into them, so I will have to be really careful how I water this one. I also need to get it in the sun so it develops the fabulous pink to red tints on its leaves.

Fenestraria aurantiaca/ Baby’s toes (Craig’s House Cacti/RHS Hampton Court Palace flower show)

Another succulent on my wishlist ticked off. Baby Toe cactus are quite hard to find in the UK. I think they are so weird but I like them. I have planted it up in this ceramic pot and at this point I am just hoping I don’t kill it – wish me luck!

Senecio rowleyanus/ String of peals (Simply Succulents/RHS Hampton Court Palace flower show)

Yet another succulent that I have wanted for ages and have struggled to find as a small plant although this young specimen is a bit too wee for my liking. Ideally I would have wanted one a bit fuller than this but hopfully it will put on a bit more growth before the end of the season. Another succulent I am going have to be cautious that I don’t kill, but one I am super stoked to have in my collection.

Aeonium sedifolium (Simply Succulents/RHS Hampton Court Palace flower show)

This is a dwarf Aeonium – so cute! Could you resist?

Agave Victoria reginae (Simply Succulents/RHS Hampton Court Palace flower show)

I have wanted an Agave for a long time. I actually want to find a relatively hardy one to grow outside all year if possible, but in the mean time it will be fun to grow this baby into a beauty.

Crassula rupestre (Simply Succulents/RHS Hampton Court Palace flower show)

Another weird but wonderful looking succulent. I think in time this will have to be moved from this little lavender pot, but for now I think it looks great, so soft and pretty!

Aloe ‘Franco/Lime Fizz’ (Ayletts Nurseries)

Stopping at a nearby garden centre to stock up on terracotta pots for my already numerous succulent purchases, I happened upon this amazing Aloe and I fell in love instantly. The colours, the textures.. ahhh! So I bought this gorgeous pot to go with it. Until it grows to a size where it can dominate the pot by itself (which might be a few years off) I have planted it with the Portulacaria afra and Senecio cephalophorus because I think they look great together. But the Aloe is the star for me.

Haworthia pumilla (Ayletts Nurseries)

I love these chubby Haworthias! They are so satisfyingly plump and I love the white markings too.

Cereus forbesii (Ayletts Nurseries)

This beautiful cactus has an almost ombre tie-dye colouring, the prominent colour being this amazing turquoise. I did have one of these and I don’t know what happened but it started to look pretty sad pretty quickly. So my strategy with this one is to do nothing.. Leave it in a south facing window all winter and try not to water it…

Echeveria assorted (Wilkos)