See Wanda Mallen's Weird & Wonderful Succulents

You're about to visit the large garden and multi-room greenhouse of plant collector Wanda Mallen and husband Gary Vincent. Wanda shares expert tips, takes us through their two acres, and shows us what she's currently "addicted to."
"There was nothing here 25 years ago when we started," Wanda says. A big priority was trees for dappled shade, so Gary obligingly jackhammered planting holes in decomposed granite. "The good thing is DG drains well," Wanda says.
In an extensive multi-room lattice greenhouse built by Gary are dozens of species and cultivars of Sansevieria, Haworthia and Gasteria, plus aloes and euphorbias. Tropicals include bromeliads, ferns, and epiphytic succulents from Asia and South America. Indoors and out are marvelous crested, monstrose, caudiciform and/or variegated succulents; and odd paddle, spherical, and columnar cacti.
Walls are orange, blue and bright yellow, like the Talavera pottery she collects. Adding whimsy are metal garden sculptures small and large, and (my faves) Gary's clever, creative birdhouses.
Wanda and Gary's garden will be on tour during the Cactus & Succulent Society's biennial convention to be held in San Diego April 23-27, 2025. (That's what she's referring to at the end, when she says, "Come see for yourself").
GO TO a labeled gallery of 50 extraordinary plants on the "Wanda" page of my site:
debraleebaldwin.com/succulent...
LEARN MORE: Have a question about succulents not answered here? Use the Search bar at:
debraleebaldwin.com/
CORRECTION: At 3:58, the pendant, fuzzy yellow cactus in the Talavera pot is Cleistocactus winteri, not Disocactus (Aporocactus) flagelliformis.
ONLINE SUCCULENT SOURCES
- Mountain Crest Gardens: bit.ly/2k5gxqA
BOOKS BY DEBRA LEE BALDWIN
- Designing with Succulents (mainly about in-ground gardening), amzn.to/2M7bBig
- Succulents Simplified (good overview for beginners), amzn.to/2Ewil2I
- Succulent Container Gardens, amzn.to/2VZvGeE
CONNECT WITH DEBRA
-- Website: debraleebaldwin.com
-- Newsletter: debraleebaldwin.com/subscribe/
-- Online “Stunning Succulent Arrangements” Class: www.craftsy.com/class/stunnin...
-- Blog: debraleebaldwin.com/succulent...
-- KZbin: kzbin.info_c...
-- Facebook: @DebraLeeBaldwinOfficial
-- Instagram: @debralbaldwin
-- Succulent Chic Shop: bit.ly/2If7Qpg
ABOUT DEBRA
Award-winning garden photojournalist and bestselling author Debra Lee Baldwin shares her expertise about “plants that drink responsibly” in print, photos, videos and her “Celebrating the Joy of Succulents” newsletter. Debra is based in Southern California, home to more succulent specialty nurseries and growers than anywhere else in the world.
#succulent #succulentgarden #cactiandsucculents #garden #gardenscapes #gardeningtips #gardening #gardentour #design #gardendesign #gardenideas #succulents_only
This video:
• See Wanda Mallen's Wei...

[@QueenofSucculents]

To clarify: When Wanda says "Come see for yourself" at the end of the video, she's referring to it being a featured garden of the Cactus and Succulent Society's biennial convention in April. More info: cactusandsucculentsociety.org/events/convention/

[@raquelmano3594]

Thank you, Debra, for this lovely visit to a wonderfull garden! And to Wanda and Gary, for sharing their treasure!

[@sannaericditsler4034]

Thank you again for a visit to a fabulous garden.

[@TheMillennialPlantDad]

This was so heavenly. What an immaculate garden!

[@jodivisosky1656]

Wanda and Gary's garden is one of my all time favorites. Now I can see it whenever I want. Thanks Debra.

[@QueenofSucculents]

What a wonderful way of putting it, Jodi! You know, gardens are constantly in flux. Once a garden is photographed for publication, or is on KZbin, it stays the same forever. Considering the work that goes into making it perfect, that's a reward---and a relief for its owners.

[@izaikonn5822]

Stunning! Just stunning!

[@ericaschmerbeck4181]

What a fabulous couple and an inspiring garden/collection!

[@nmumpton]

What a fabulous garden! I love it. The plants are totally amazing and how she displays them is really art! She sure is lucky to have Gary to figure it all out. As you said, "we should all have a Gary"

[@laurabalaoro8019]

Oh my! What an amazing garden. You always find the great gardens. I need this motivation. ❤👏

[@juanramos.jr.7948]

Wonderful video! Thanks for bringing us along. 😊😊😊😊😊❤

[@jomarielopez2229]

Beautiful! I appreciate seeing this beautiful yard!

[@denisedewire1091]

WOW!! Amazing garden. I am in awe!! Thanks for sharing!!

[@terirachelsims8928]

That represents a lot of work - with gorgeous results!

[@marthaochoa6148]

Wow, love it love it. I cannot imagine somebody owns the beautiful garden.❤

[@asmitadeshpande1712]

Gorgeous garden. Wish to see more of it.

[@tinaparis8068]

Fabulous garden such a magical place! ❤

[@mvasquez1778]

“We all need a Gary” LOL! Amen, sister!

[@johnniekuykendall2696]

Oh-My-Lanta! What a spectacular sight to see! Thank you so much for sharing, Debra, and thanks to Wanda and Gary for allowing us to visit their gorgeous gardens!

[@jeannemeadow7113]

Debra excellent review of Wanda’s Amazing garden!

[@QueenofSucculents]

Thank you, Jeanne! And also for introducing me to her over a decade ago. 😍

[@rebeccaz789]

Inspirational

[@Lorenmcdee]

Deborah I have watched you for a few years now. I love the videos you put out. Would you consider making another garden tour of your own property? I really loved the one you did before

[@QueenofSucculents]

Hi Loren -- I'm so glad you like my channel and enjoyed the video of my own garden. I'll do another video tour, but I need to wait until after the winter rains. The rest of the year it's not as photogenic due to high heat, frost or drought. In spring, everything's blooming, fresh-looking, and green with new growth. Right now (midsummer) the acacias are dropping seed pods everywhere 😜

[@teresavega7675]

So fabulous! Thank you for the tour. How do we get info about the tour?

[@QueenofSucculents]

if you belong to the Cactus & Succulent Society, their biennial convention is in San Diego in April 2025, and Wanda’s garden is one of several on tour for attendees.

[@trishwhetzel2061]

This is just the most amazing video. My sister sent it to me thank you thank you thank you for sharing. Is there anyway we can go visit this?

[@QueenofSucculents]

Wanda welcomes garden clubs, horticultural societies, and cactus & succulent groups, mainly in spring. If you're a member of the Cactus & Succulent Society of America, in April 2025, it'll be a featured garden on tour during the biennial convention in San Diego.

[@trishwhetzel2061]

@@QueenofSucculents I will pass that onto my sister who belongs to the Chula Vista Garden club. I know they would be very interested and I hope to be in San Diego during that time.

[@QueenofSucculents]

For plant names, see the gallery on the corresponding page of my site: debraleebaldwin.com/succulent-garden/wanda-mallen-garden/

[@nmumpton]

Thank you for posting so many plant names, Debra! Much appreciated!

[@QueenofSucculents]

@@nmumpton You're welcome, Nancy, and thank you for your comments!

[@oakesaustin160]

at 3:28 I think thats Cleistocactus winteri, not A. flagelligformis

[@QueenofSucculents]

Thanks, Oakes. Good catch! I'll correct it in the gallery.

[@stevevicki5671]

Wanda said, "Come see for yourself." Did I miss an address somewhere in the video or your notes?

[@QueenofSucculents]

It’s a private residential garden by invitation only. However if you belong to the Cactus & Succulent Society their biennial convention is in San Diego in April 2025, and Wanda’s garden is one of several on tour for attendees. Pretty sure that’s what she meant.