Jeff Moore’s New Book: Soft Succulents Amazing tips

 

Jeff Moore’s books are the See’s of eye-candy, filled with sumptuous photos that show the very souls of fleshy plants. Moore is a succulent expert, garden designer, photographer, author and 26-year specialty nursery owner. He recently released Soft Succulents, the sequel to Under the Spell of Succulents and Aloes and Agaves in Cultivation. Moore has taken the self-publishing route, which imbues his books with a refreshing persona and makes them an excellent value (none are over $35).

Since 1992 he’s owned Solana Succulents in Solana Beach, north of San Diego, and Moore writes for residents of Southern and coastal CA from the Bay Area south. Consequently, Soft Succulents gives two pages to the genus Sempervivum (which grows great farther north) yet 20 to Dudleya, a genus of California and Baja natives. Aeoniums, difficult to grow elsewhere in the US (don’t bother if you’re in Florida or Hawaii), have 53 pages with 46 varieties. (And to think I grow only 14!) Echeverias, similarly difficult to grow elsewhere, at least outdoors, top out at 52 pages, 63 varieties.

Many of these photos from Solana Succulents’ website appear in Soft Succulents ~

Favorite quotes from Moore’s latest (and arguably loveliest) book:

“You could take a dive into and roll around on any of these juicy creatures, and the only damage would be to the plants and maybe stains on your clothes. These softies will pass the nervous grandma test.”

“Consider blending them with at least a few of their more heavily armored relatives…my kids and animals grew up around the spiky stuff, and they learned some valuable life lessons from daddy’s plants.”

“I would estimate that well over half of the species, cultivars or hybrids that I have at my nursery were either unavailable or yet to be created when I opened in the early nineties.”

“Echeveria ‘Bubble Machine’ is either a true beauty of genetic manipulation, or an example of man’s inhumanity to plant.”

“If you’ve tried and killed a traditional bonsai tree, keep the pot and try a jade, such as Crassula ‘Hobbit’ at left.”

To nit-pick, I would have liked the plants presented alphabetically according to genus. Although most are, it’s strange finding Sempervivum in the front and Cotyledon in the back. There are numerous inconsistencies with horticultural nomenclature (such as several spellings of the same name) and formatting (i.e. what needs single quotes or ought to be italicized). But, as it turns out, the only egregious error I thought I’d found wasn’t one.

I first assumed “Toelken” was a misspelling of “Tolkien” (as in J. R. R.). However, on page 196, re crassulas ‘Hobbit’ and ‘Gollum’ Moore explains: “The fanciful names are attributed to Helmut R. Toelken, who published a thesis on the revision of the crassulaceae in 1977. Although no relation to the J.R.R. Tolkien of Lord of the Rings renown, someone must have been inspired by the similar names to bestow these cultivars with their monikers.”

Moore and I met in 2003, when I was covering gardening for various publications. I wondered why he seemed so normal. I often profiled horticulturists who were cross-eyed over a particular plant—ferns, bromeliads, plumeria, roses, dahlias and more. Generally I’d hang out with one of these endearing geeks until I understood his or her passion. I interviewed many fascinating collector-experts, but (apologies to those still around), most were off-the-charts eccentric.

Not Moore, a regular guy who just happened to have a thing for fleshy plants. The only strange thing was that he evidently made a living at it. I asked this surfer and family man (who’s usually in shorts—very Solana Beachy) which succulent we should feature. He chose Aloe bainesi (Aloe barberae). This is from the article, which appeared in the June, 2004 issue of San Diego Home/Garden magazine:

“People speculate that Seuss drew his multiheaded palms after seeing Aloe bainesii,” Moore says, “But I doubt it. Back in the ’50s and ’60s, there were maybe a couple in all of San Diego. Aloe bainseii just happens to look like a Dr. Seuss tree, not the other way around.”

Inside Moore’s mind is a map with locations of memorable succulents highlighted.

“I notice them when I’m driving around. Each one is a piece of art.”  [See the entire article.]

Fourteen years and three books later, Moore has given the horticultural world art galleries-in-print of nearly every genus of succulent. And he’s not done yet. In the works is a book on cacti and spiky euphorbias. I think Moore’s on target. Such plants are gaining popularity, and no other succulents are so much fun to photograph. Those spines, backlit!

The post Jeff Moore’s New Book: Soft Succulents appeared first on Succulents and Succulent Garden Design | Debra Lee Baldwin.

from Succulents and Succulent Garden Design | Debra Lee Baldwin http://ift.tt/2D2rnRx
via IFTTT