Waterwise Botanicals Succulent Celebration
On June 7th and 8th Waterwise Botanicals nursery in Escondido,CA hosted the 1st annual Succulent Celebration, a festival dedicated to all things succulents. Falling Waters Landscape was on hand to represent the company and take part in the festivities of the weekend. As I approached the front entrance I knew it would be lively since the roads were lined with cars on either side. The Festival was truly a celebration of all things succulents as every guest speaker was an expert on succulents.
The respected and accomplished speakers on hand included :
Photojournalist & bestselling author Debra Lee Baldwin
Plant Research and Development Manager Kelly Griffin
Landscape Designer Michael Buckner
Waterwise Botanical founder Tom Jesch
Designers Chris Berg, Carmen Contreras
Solana Succulents owner Jeff Moore
Mission Hills Nursery owner Tiger Palafox
Debra Lee Baldwin was a crowd favorite for capturing the crowd with her humor and knowledge. On friday morning she had the attention of the largest crowd of the weekend with her talk on her top 10 favorite succulents for the garden. Her Potting demonstration on saturday was also a favorite for her quick yet beautiful succulent bouquets that awed the crowd for their visual appeal while using a minimal variety of species and a few simple design principles. Each and every speaker gave insightful talks about their respective topics and provided informative tips for homeowners and their gardens.
Tiger Palafox Entertained with an informative talk about myths regarding succulent landscapes and let everyone know that mixing succulents with non succulents is OKAY. People tend to be afraid to experiment mixing different types of plants at times. The talk also informed on the extreme hardiness of succulents and how they don’t need established root systems for survival. Succulents will however thrive and aesthetically look and perform better with regular watering.
Waterwise Botanicals plant experts were on hand throughout the entire weekend helping guests who meandered through the rows of varieties of plants and succulents being sold. Nursery tours were held throughout the day while maintenance and care tips were providing guests the know-how for a successful garden.
The festival brought vendors selling pots and unique flower arraignments in interesting containers. Some vendors even ventured from Santa Monica, CA while guests traveled from as far as Oregon. The crowds which consisted of people from all walks of life were busy from morning to late afternoon. Bbq Food Trucks were on hand during the lunch break and brought long lines which allowed people to mingle and talk plants while enjoying mac n cheese brisket sandwiches on sourdough bread.
Breaks between the speakers allowed guests to meander through the nursery and allowed me for a quick 5 minute sketch of the succulents in the display gardens. Sketching can bring inspiration from time to time and may be the catalyst for the next set of Falling Waters Landscape designs.
The 1st annual Succulent Celebration by Waterwise Botanicals was surely a great success. The public was well informed on a variety of subjects about their succulent gardens and topics of pest care, irrigation, complimentary plants and tips for plant care were flowing from many a professional. The public was flowing through the entrance from morning to night with cars parked along the road as far as the eye could see as they, just as I were excited to have the opportunity to hear from experts in the industry and browse the large catalog of succulents available at Waterwise Botanicals. We can’t wait to come next year and see what the celebration brings us.
