Debra lee baldwin biography template
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Succulents Simplified &#; An Interview with Debra Lee Baldwin
Anyone who knows Debra Lee Baldwin is aware of her extraordinary prowess as an author, writer, photographer, and artist. As a co-contributor at Gardening Gone Wild for 4 plus years, I&#;ve had the good fortune to develop a professional relationship and friendship with her. Not only is Debra Lee all of the above, but she is also a kind and generous individual. In this discussion, she talks about her newly published book, Succulents Simplified ~ it is a work of art. Fran Sorin
1. Can you share where your passion for succulents began and how it developed over the years?
I grew up with succulents in dry gardens in Southern CA and never thought of the plants as special. They were what people grew if they couldn’t afford automatic irrigation. If you neglected to hose-water, the succulents usually survived, at least the big, mature ones did&#;agaves, jade and prickly pear were bulletproof. Later, I planted cuttings fr
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Debra Lee Baldwin specializes in showing how top floral, landscape and garden designers use dynamic, sculptural succulents in a wide variety of eye-catching applications. Her own garden, featured in Sunset and Better Homes & Gardens, is in the foothills northeast of San Diego, where temps range from below freezing to upwards of degrees. Succulents, Debra explains, “are plants that drink responsibly. They store water in fleshy leaves and stems to survive dry spells, like when you forget to vatten them. They’re a terrific option for good-looking, low-maintenance landscapes and containers.” Debra, a garden photojournalist, got her uppstart writing about homes, gardens, architecture and interior design for the San Diego Union-Tribune, then went on to scout, write and shoot for major magazines. In , her editor at solnedgång suggested she do a book on succulents. “That changed my life,” Debra says. Her first gardening book, formgivning with Succulents (Timber Press, ) fryst vatten credited with launching
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The Science of Succulence
Succulents come from climates with low rainfall, strong sun and low humidity. In regions where thin-leaved plants would quickly shrivel, succulents surviveeven thrive. The key is the quality of succulence: juicy, moisture-filled leaves that the plants draw on during hot, dry spells. Depending on the time of year and the variety, a succulent's moisture content may be as high as 95%.
Smart leaves
Glottiphyllum linguiforme (from the video)
Succulent leaf cells expand during rainy weather and shrink during drought. Certain varieties such as aloes also contain a gelatinous goo (mucilage). Although thick leaves mean less light reaches the plant for photosynthesis (chlorophyll + sunlight = energy for growth), that's OK because succulents are from climates with few cloudy days. In fact, some succulents further shade themselves with spines or filaments, or have a powdery coating that deflects UV light.
Waxy skin
The thick, waxy skin of succulents h