The 1st tier of my 3-tier hanging basket. I lined the outside of the coir with plastic wrap as I thought the soil mix would drain a little too quickly. I really don't like how it looks.

Another succulent I seem to always be drawn toward. So, I bought another one earlier today!

I find it's silvery-white cocoon coating so irresistible. Am I crazy? -don't answer that, lol.

My pachyphytum "blue haze" which, as most of you know, I had damaged the farina recently by spraying it with neem oil. I'll have to wait until new leaves are generated for it to look it's best again. Others have told me it would be a very looooong wait.

As I was pulling off some dead, lower leaves from my E. pvn, this little one was under one of the leaves!! It took me a moment but, I finally remembered placing a leaf that had fallen off during a re-plant next to the e.pvn. I didn't place it under the leaves so, evidently both plants have grown quite a bit in 3 months.

I also finally remembered which species it is, can anyone take a guess?

Another of my latest acquisitions earlier today. The label says it's a Pachyphytum ganzhou; research says it's really a Pachevedum ganzhou. It is a new hybrid having 3 parents; Pachyphytum oviferum x Echeveria derenbergii x Sedum morganianum. How could I not buy this little guy when he's 3 favored plants rolled into one!

Besides, it was on the dollar rack at the store. It's clear that the coating is damaged (and, no this time it wasn't my fault!), hence, the dollar rack! I figured in time, with a little tlc it would recover good as new. Wish us luck : )

Everyone- Just curious, when I went to home depot earlier I saw a baby kangaroo rat. I didn't think much of it as I've seen so much wildlife there, I always expect to see a creature or two, lol. I've seen birds of all types, even a hawk once, a rabbit, way too many rats and mice. has anyone else seen any "wildlife" at these big box stores?

What do you mean, Neil. Do they sell these, or are they running loose?

Very nice! I especially love the arrangement in the white planter, but I love them all. I can't even take free cuttings from friends right now. I'm succulent overpopulated! Have fun at the show! btw-The only wildlife I've seen running around at a big box store, other than sparrows at Lowe's was a hermit crab that escaped at Walmart. :)

Robin

Haha Neil, I think you'll enjoy the show and I bet you'll come back with some cool plants. Looking forward to the pics. :-)

You guys are the bestest! Hope you go to your show too Andy

A hermit crab! OMG Robin lol

Marguerite YOU CRACK ME UP!!!!! yes, running loose!! IVE never known home depot to sell wildlife! LOL you made my stomach hurt!

Hi, Neil, I hope you post pictures from the show. A few months ago, I had the pleasure of attending my first c&s show. I bought a lot, and then my husband went back and bought me a plant I wanted but didn't buy but couldn't quit talking about (an agave "white rhino"). I'll be looking forward to your pictures from the show, both of the really impressive specimen plants and those of what you end up purchasing. I can't wait to go to the next show I see advertised. Until then, I'll just live vicariously through others' posts and pictures. Have fun!

Oh, Neil, I'm trying to imagine it. Is a kangaroo rat Australian? How did he get there? And a hawk? Is this an outdoor store? Maybe the hawk came after the rabbits? If it was Ireland Health & Safety would be down like a ton of bricks. If I tell my wildlife son he'll be on the first flight to the US to go shopping in Home Depot.

He could trap numerous pigeons in my HD semi/outside nursery. I like their soft cooing. They don't seem to damage plants. Min

OMG Marguerite, I have to apologize I have this automatic presumption that everyone on the forum is North America based. I truly thought you were saying that to be funny. These were separate instances over the course of several years of shopping at various locations throughout the country. In a lot of our shopping centers/malls especially in the western states have open areas...the roof is the sky if you will. Many of our lowe's and home depot stores have a huge part of the nursery section outside. I guess that's how "critters" get in from time to time. the weirdest I've heard so far was a bunch of deer that had stormed into a wal-mart and caused a lot of damage. Maybe others here have heard about it, it was on television a while back. a few weeks ago when I mentioned to an employee in the garden center that there were at least 3 rats by the soil area she said, "oh, that's nothing, we usually have a lot more than that." Very non-chalant about it too, lol. Another employee at another location said they had heard owls in the back of the store.

"Deer Enter Kohl's Department Store In Iowa Through Automatic Doors, Bewilder Shoppers"

That also made headlines as two of the deer exited the way they came in, lol. You can read about it at the link below. And, there's gotta be at least 1 youtube video about the other incident. One of the deer managed to jump halfway behind the cash register area with an employee still in the spot. Luckily for him he got out of the way in time.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/19/iowa-deer-enter-kohls-store-doors_n_2160110.html

I will post pics and of my purchase. I just need to rest. I've been up all day and all of last night : ) i'm on that over-tired adrenalin, all wound up gggrr.

Marguerite, how close is County Mayo to your location?

Don't worry about thinking I'm from the US, Neil, you can't hear the Irish accent when I post. I live on the East coast, near Dublin, the capital. Mayo is on the west coast. Approximately 180 miles from here to there, depending on how you travel.

Thanks for all the info. re. the different stores. We have garden centres outdoors too. But what's a kangaroo rat, is it a marsupial?

Actually, son just explained, they sound weird. Do they count as vermin or just wildlife? Funny about the deer, indeed. A few years ago, a bull actually broke into a china shop down the country, I'll see if I can find anything online about it.

Marguerite- Thanks for the info on County Mayo. A bunch of friends and family want to do an adventure trip and Ireland made the top 5! County Mayo and County Kerry would be a must as some of them are from there and haven't been home in a few years.

Do succulents survive well in most of Ireland? I've always understood that it's so "green" and lush because it's a very moist atmosphere.

Kangaroo rats- most definitely considered a vermin. I googled it and found out surprisingly, that it's quite common in North America. I've only seen 2 in my life, including that one from the other day.

Bull In a China Shop- That beats any story that I have!! lol. I have something similar..but, not as good as that one. A bull that got loose was running down streets in Queens, New York.

here's a link from the "Daily News" newspaper.

http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/raging-bull-loose-queens-10-block-stampede-ends-hail-police-bullets-article-1.838523

Thanks for the link, Neil..You have an Irish name yourself, but you know that, I suppose :) Kerry is at the foot of Ireland - the Kingdom. They run their own little state ;)