How to plant sharp plants

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In addition to being very beautiful, many desert plants, like agaves, are deadly and sharp. And planting them where people might bump into them, and get hurt, is just plain stupid. Nobody visiting a garden should ever, ever, have to watch out for the razor-sharp tips of a plant!

Here in this part of The Tropical Paradise, I have planted several sharp plants, especially the agaves. Those are the plants in the back center of the photo. And I have provided some protection for my guests. It starts with making sure that the plant doesn't even come close to a walking area, and never will, even after it grows.

I have also created a "transition zone" of rocks and Haworthia. Haworthia aren't sharp, but they're an early warning. Don't even think of walking past the rock with the gecko on it. And if someone is dumb enough to step over the rock, and onto the Haworthia, they probably will kick and damage the watering system (which you can just barely see), and if they get stabbed, maybe that will teach them to stay out of the garden.

So, there you go. Plant sharp plants well away from walking areas, and reinforce the "don't walk here" with big pointy rocks. Agaves are beautiful, and should be seen from a safe distance!

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