Glad you popped by this one, Rosemarie. I thought so too, from what you & Yale showed/told me. Should it be able to hold itself upright? More light? Why are the leaves curling back like that? Maybe I've just not left a piece alone long enough to do this?

Could someone please help me id this flower, no one at my garden centers can figure it out! I thought I could upload photo, but I don't see how....I'll do my best to describe it, from what I remember. The photo I took shows a small five pointed star shaped flower. It was not a lot bigger than my thumb nail. The tips of the petals are red, and then there is a stripe of golden yellow and toward the inside of the flower is speckled yellow, and then orange/yellow. The blossoms were on a soft grey branch like stem. I have no idea what the foliage looks like as it is not in the photo. Any ideas?? I can email a photo if that would help since I couldn't figure out how to load it. THANK YOU

second photo looks like Aloe prostrata (syn. Lomatophyllum prostratum). Last photo with your finger looks like some type of Aeonium in center and perhaps small pups of cryptanthus

'Soil specifically for succulents' (I am assuming it's bought as such, not mixed by you), may not be good enough in the long run. It usually contains too much peat and water-retentive. You may have found something different - but this is what comes out of bag most likely. It may also attract bugs, mainly annoying fungus gnats. Pebbles at the bottom will keep water below another substrate (in your case - succulent soil) - if it drains well. But if the roots reach it, they may get too much. Sitting water also stagnates and there could be an unpleasant odor. This is worst case scenario - I am just pointing out what is usually forgotten and 'complicates' care of the plants. Is there some kind of barrier between the rocks and soil? If not, soil will eventually find it's way down between the pebbles and they become really 'good-for-nothing'. Of course, it is your plant-planting. They look really good most of the times, but long term could be little different. I don't want to spend time with so many extra take 'care of things' that could be easily eliminated at the potting time. JMO. Sempervivums grow best outdoors, they are very hardy. They will grow indoors, but may not look that great. They like lots of sun and appreciate some cool weather (wintertime). Rina