One thing us gardeners love even more than caring for our plants is showing them off. Of course, you can’t invite everyone over to see your garden. You can, however, take a little bit of your garden with you. That’s what Beth Davidson suggests doing. The proprietress of Dragonfly Shops & Gardens in Old Towne makes wearable succulent jewelry—and you can, too.

“It’s possible to create whimsical bracelets, cuffs, necklaces, earrings and even rings made of succulents,” says Davidson, who teaches classes on this art form and has all the fixings for succulent jewelry at her shop. “Succulent jewelry is a real conversation starter,” she says. “The first thing people always ask is if it’s real.”

Since succulents are drought tolerant, slow-growing and easy to care for, they make the perfect centerpiece for living jewelry. “It’s a creative way to wear your succulents, and it makes a really cool gift,” says Davidson, who shares tips for creating and maintaining living jewelry.

• Use a piece of jewelry that has a large, flat area for succulents. A bracelet, cuff or ring with a bezel works well. If you’re making a necklace, you can use a shell.

• Create a moss base. Attach some green or gray moss in the planting area using Tilly Tacker, a waterproof glue used to attach air plants (tillandsias) to objects. The moss will give the succulents something to adhere to.

• Gather succulent cuttings. Prune small cuttings from existing succulents. They don’t need roots. The plants will develop roots once attached to the moss. Use Tilly Tacker to attach the plants.

• Choose cuttings that blend well together. “I like to stay in the same color range when I’m choosing the succulents,” says Davidson. “For instance, if the succulents are all sage green, then I’ll choose a lime green moss that really makes the arrangement pop.”

• Avoid adding excess plants. “Don’t put so many plants on the piece of jewelry that you can’t tell what the piece of jewelry is,” suggests Davidson. “Work from the center out. Put the largest piece in the center and smaller pieces around that. Try putting moss in between each succulent piece, which makes a nice contrast and helps you avoid overplanting.”

• Maintain your living jewelry. Since succulents are slow-growing, they’ll grow for a few months in your jewelry. If they start to outgrow the space, simply do some pruning. Tuck the trimmed pieces in another area of the jewelry or outside.

• Spritz the succulents once a week. Spray a fine mist of water to hydrate.

• Store the jewelry in a bright location. Locate the succulent pieces near a window or full-spectrum lights.

• Use caution when wearing your succulent jewelry. “Be careful when you give someone a hug, and don’t stick your hands in your pockets if you’re wearing a succulent ring,” says Davidson.

Living Succulent Jewelry class at Dragonfly Shops & Gardens
Make a bracelet or earrings & necklace.
Saturday, September 14, 2019, 11 am-noon, $25 (all materials included) 
260 North Glassell St, Orange CA 92866 / 714-289-4689 (Call to register)