Creating a sustainable garden: Cacti rock planter

At one of our beloved client's homes, affectionately dubbed Casa Gato (thanks to its many feline residents), we had the exciting opportunity to transform a neglected area with a struggling lawn into a stunning, sustainable oasis!

We eagerly brainstormed and crafted a delightful terraced space, skilfully building elevation with rock retaining walls, and filling them with a vibrant array of low-maintenance plants: succulents!

Join us in these following photos to see process of this creation.

Work surface area, prior to our intervention

We remove lawn and start working on the 1st retainer wall

1st wall finished

We take great care in choosing the right rock for every spot, and not only that, but also it's right "side". There's a saying in Spanish; cada piedra tiene su cara.

2nd retainer wall complete

side view

The rock selected is an exciting type of limestone, beautifully carved by water erosion over time! These stones boast incredible ornamental value, with each piece uniquely captivating. Some showcase varying shades of grey adorned with enchanting miniature forests of moss, while others flaunt a warm reddish tone, offering a softer, inviting texture.

The funnest part; filling them up with life

Evening Mediterranean sun gives a warm feel to this composition

Final pic, after a night of much needed rain

Over all from start to finish it took us some 4-5 days on site to create this, mostly due to cement needing to crystallise before adding another layer of rock.

We enjoyed every step of this build, seeing this dried lawn turn in to this cactus oasis was so cool, and knowing that there's still some features we can add in the future; solar lights? Bird bath? Flagstone path?

We are looking forward on seeing how this will hold in the years to come, and can't wait to make another!