Tom, The very spikey one was sold as O. engelmanii, and it has large pads when compared to humifusa. The other one has even larger pads, but fewer spikes. It was labeled simlply as Opuntia species. I haven't been able to identify it yet. This year (right now in fact) it has several fairly large ripe fruits. The O. humifusa does get all shriveled and even a purplish color in coldest weather, but come next spring it bounces back and grows like a weed. I've had that one for over 40 years, but when I had the yard relandscaped, large mats of it got trashed. I did manage to save a few clumps, and they spread quickly. It was not unusual to have 500+ blooms on the original clump, as it was over 10' in diameter. The soil under the stones is average, and I didn't amend it. There is weed cloth under the stones. I didn't amend because I formed slight mounds for drainage, and also the front of the house is in blazing sun all year and also has full air circulation so it dries out well. Most of the plants you see are in the third year, but the ice plants are about 10 years old and were replanted when that area was constructed. The Yucca is about 15 years old.

Similar experience, chrisware! I run a farmers' and artisans' market and contacted the local branch of the cactus and succulent society to see if they could come to my market to promote the group and talk to folks about cold hardy ground cover and succulents. Have heard nothing back and it's been weeks. I also spearheaded a farm to school project at my daughter's school last year (they now have container gardens) and have been wondering how to approach them about making a green roof with sedums when they move to their new site (2015). I'd LOVE to share not just plants (although that would be awesome) but ideas. I've only just begun to tap into the word of cold hardy succulents and I'm quickly falling in love. There are so many lawns around here (especially steeply sloping) that would greatly be enhanced (not to mention effectively making those places mostly maintenance free) by succulent ground cover. Anyway -- lots to think on. Definitely up for this.

The Pleiospilos does not belong with the others. It needs a deep pot to accommodate the long roots, and it tends to be more active from late summer into wintertime and thus needs to be watered and given as much sun as possible during that time. It will not look good long-term if grown otherwise, instead you will have a plant that just "survives". It should flower every year when healthy. My plants bloom during the winter or very early spring. After flowering, watering is reduced significantly until late summer when more frequent watering resumes. During the spring and summer new bodies grow as they utilize the moisture from the old leaves. If they are watered too much during this time, the old leaves will not resorb and the plant will not have its characteristic appearance. Pleiospilos bolusii superficially is similar to P. nelii except that it is much more likely to be a summer grower and is more compatible with the sedums, although I still would not plant them together. The bolusii flower has a wonderful coconut fragrance unlike anything I have ever smelled, it is worth growing just to experience the scent.

If you can get there when the plants first arrive, Home Depot or Lowes can have some surprisingly good deals on succulents. Occasionally, they will even get in relatively rare stuff. I have happened upon stuff that I just couldn't believe I was seeing on some visits. I have also seen a number of posts in the Cacti and Succulent Forum about neat things people have discovered there. It's a "Russian Roulette game" but still worth the shot (pun intended). The downfall is that the plants are usually killed by poor care within about a month at these places and you never know what, if anything, you will find. The stores don't seem to be able to take care of them at all. Sorry I don't know of any nurseries or specialty stores in your area that sell succulents. You might also consider mail order. There are many awesome online succulents sellers. Check Garden Watchdog for a detailed list of rated suppliers.