We arrived in Mexico City before dawn, well before our guesthouse was ready for us. Wandering the empty streets and plazas of Coyoacán, I could sense lushness even in the dark.
When the sun rose and our room was ready, we went to bed, exhausted from the journey. Around midday, I rose to open the curtains and behold the guesthouse courtyard in the daylight.
Atop the wall dividing the property from the street were large pots and a repurposed bathtub, all teeming with gigantic cacti and succulents.
A monumental green canopy formed the backdrop of this whimsical container garden. Unfamiliar birdcalls filled the air. I had woken up in a different ecosystem, and it was exciting.

Colossal Cacti
During our week in Mexico City, I saw a lot of cool plants. The coolest ones were cacti. Though we have plenty in California, in the Bay Area’s cool climate they don’t achieve the height, variety, and overall majesty of the ones in Mexico.
I’m not a cactus expert, but I believe most of the cacti we saw belonged to the genus cereus, recognizable by their tall, upright, ribbed structures.


Lush streets and parks
It was late November, and the city was getting ready for Christmas. Along the grandiose Paseo de la Reforma, city workers were planting out rows of poinsettias that stretched for miles. These plants are native to Mexico and grow in the ground like bushes.

On a particularly verdant street in Coyoacán, just a couple blocks from our guesthouse, low cobblestone walls encircled massive trees that towered over the houses. Cars politely navigated around them.

Of all the remarkable parks we saw throughout Mexico City, my favorite was in our neighborhood, the Viveros of Coyoacán. Not only a public park but an active nursery for many of the city’s trees and plants, we found ourselves strolling through this botanical sanctuary almost every day.

An ancient site in the city
We failed to visit Teotihuacan, but we found a much less crowded ancient pyramid within city limits at the archeological site of Cuicuilco. Featuring monumental ruins of historical significance, the grounds also have a lot of cool plants! Plus, we practically had it all to ourselves.



Charming containers
Similar to what I’ve observed in Italy, I found a level of care and creativity in the container gardens of Mexico City that most U.S. cities sadly lack.
Obviously, the bathtub full of cacti at our guesthouse made a strong first impression. Throughout the neighborhoods we traversed, in the streets, balconies, and windowsills, residents and proprietors created charming displays using simple elements.


My cacti deserve better
Whenever I travel, I love to bring gardening inspiration back to my balcony. After our trip to Mexico City, I realized I wasn’t doing justice to my cacti and succulents. While these plants have very minimal needs, they don’t deserve total neglect.
I bought a mature prickly pear at a plant sale for cheap a couple of years ago, and it was languishing in a too-big planter in a too-shady corner. It was underplanted with succulent cuttings that weren’t doing well either.
The strong, geometric forms of cacti, agave, and aloe are so striking; I decided to follow the example of the sidewalk cacti of Coyoacán and let them each star in their own gravel-mulched pot.

One quick tip: while most plants like to be watered in as soon as they are planted or re-potted, it’s best to leave cacti and succulents dry for a few days to let their roots callous over before giving them a good drink.
Our week in Mexico City last fall felt like a dream, but one that has stayed with us. We can’t wait to return and explore other cities and regions in Mexico (and meet more cool plants!). Until then, I’ll attend to the modest needs of my balcony’s new cactus corner.
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