Modern Pavers Planted with Succulents

Bold architectural plants create a spare, geometric composition at water’s edge in Malibu, where this weekend retreat was designed to be admired, not cultivated. A temperate climate and a directive from the owners who wanted a Southern California beach garden that required neither maintenance nor water led to a striking architectural palette of cactus and succulents to create a veritable art gallery of sculptural plants in this compact, modernist beach house. Plants were chosen for their bold forms and ability to thrive with minimum water consumption. Each was positioned to enhance its neighbors and create a dynamic outline of evergreen plants requiring a minimum of maintenance. Needing only an annual trim, this is a low-maintenance, sustainable, firewise and waterwise garden.