Outdoor species

Hi,

I was planning to make an outdoor cacti garden at my place over the summer and I was just wondering if anyone had any tried and tested specie, which would survive. I am in Hobart so the winters are cool and wet but I would be building a raised bed and using frost protection during the harshest times.

What types of cacti do you recommend?

thanks

Most columnar cacti are hardy with a few exceptions. Trichocereus, Myrtillocactus, Pachycereus etc. All should tolerate a moderate to heavy frost for a short period, if your getting weather that keeps frost for the entire day they will struggle.

HN

Some mammillarias do well in the garden, most echinopsis, grusonii and ferocactus, notocactus. A good idea would be to try and source some advanced ones on eBay or at a show that have been outside in pots for a while and have adjusted to the climate. I've got several ones about fifteen years old that survived all the rains here in Melbourne a couple of years ago while a lot of my smaller nursery stock rotted. Younger nursery plants will need a lot more protection.
I'd put in a few mamms and echinopsis at least for the flowers, the more common mamms available seem to be quite hardy. They'll certainly brighten it up, and echinopsis are very difficult to kill. I don't get frost in my area but it rains about 80% of the year

opuntias are tough as well. the prolly wont go as feral as they can in warmer areas. euphorbias are more water tolerant so might be ok too