Growing sedum

Between the apple green of the unripe flowers and the velvety chocolate brown of the dried seed heads sedum touches every shade of from blush pink to burgundy. Somewhere mid-way it reaches this hue intensity and contributes a significant portion of the fall garden color.

Like with many standard landscaping plants the excessive use of sedum in public spaces and the no-man's lands along freeways and between parking lots tends to undermine its great qualities, so I'm going to do it justice and reiterate them here.

Sedum thrives whether planted in full sun or full shade, it tolerates almost desert-like conditions (it is after all a succulent and it can hold on to its water indefinitely) and is practically impervious to disease.

It doesn't matter if the soil is loose or heavy, sedum will perform just as reliably. It blooms unfailingly and both its flowers and foliage are beautiful and will make great specimen or mass plantings. Its blooms for more than four months.

You don't have to feed it, prune it, or do anything other than divide it every once in a while, or transplant the babies the plant sprouts around itself occasionally. Sedum is not poisonous and therefore will not be dangerous to small children or pets, it is however bitter so squirrels and rabbits will leave it alone.

I could go on but I am just trying to make a point that landscape designers choose these plants for good reasons - reliability, low maintenance and long life.