Succulents In the Ripley Garden

Of all the gardens scattered around the Mall, the Smithsonian's Mary Livingston Ripley Garden is my favorite. Red brick paths punctuated by a cast iron fountain curve through a sliver of space between the Hirshhorn and the Arts & Industries building. What was originally slated to become a parking lot is now a quiet haven for birds, butterflies and people. A new feature this year has been the wall of succulents. This living collage of textures and colors has grown and filled in as the summer progressed. It's an idea that could be replicated in a space as small as a balcony or a tiny townhouse garden.