For each era, there is a plant. That’s what it seems like anyway. You know what I’m talking about, how ferns were so omnipresent in the late 1970s and early ’80s that “fern bars” actually became part of the lexicon. By the end of the decade, cacti were everywhere, and in the mid-’90s, every dorm room I knew had a ficus. Now, of course, cute little succulents are everywhere, from the pages of West Elm catalogs to the wall of that hip new restaurant. Like ferns and ficuses, succulents are allegedly easy to maintain — perfect for the recent graduate who’s in a small apartment, not quite ready to commit to gardening. Of course, if you have ever owned succulents, you know THIS IS A LIE — THEY ALL DIE. Which is why, should you want some attractive greenery in stylish tiny planters on your own kitchen windowsill, you should attend this weekend’s fundraiser for the Trap Garden. The nonprofit organization, run by Rob Horton, works to create vegetable gardens at schools and in low-income communities. As a gardener, Horton can also teach you how to successfully keep succulents alive — and you’ll leave the event with hand-painted pots filled with new plants. (And if you and your friends want to get tipsy while doing so, you can BYOB.) CARI WADE GERVIN
Paint, Sip and Plant Succulents
