It never ceases to amaze me that in our wonderfully, well-watered area of Costa Rica, I sometimes need to remember to address readers on the Guanacaste coast who struggle to keep things alive while I struggle to keep mine from drowning.

You see, Metric Man loves cacti.

Sigh. Cacti are fussy plants. They like dry sunny weather and they hate wet feet. That means that anywhere I put them, the dirt has to be dug out and that tiny red gravel has to be brought in and mixed well with just enough soil. I can never figure out what “just enough” is.

Then it has to be mounded or bermed for just the right drainage. Down on the Guanacaste coast, you don’t have those worries. If you want cactus and succulents, you just plant away. But what are you going to plant? I am so glad you asked.

Naturally, you will want a nice tall plant at the back of the garden, so I would head for the Nopalea cochinelllifera, which can reach up to 4 meters. You can trim it back or take cuttings to start and give to friends. Cacti are very easy to propagate. The Nopalea is a branching tree-like cactus with red flowers that are followed by edible fruit.

In front of the tall Nopalea you can plant another great Costa Rica cactus, the Nopalea guatemalensis, which also flowers but in a lovely yellow. This is a lower cactus, about 1.5 meters, and has a trailing or sprawling habit that makes it a good cover on bare spots.

The Crown of Thorns is spectacular in any cactus garden and, like most cacti, takes little maintenance. The plant reaches about a meter in height. Although flowers were originally red, new varieties have been produced in other colors, including pink and yellow. Watch out for those thorns! The Crown has some of the worst thorns I have ever seen or been punctured by.

Then there is Portulaca or moss rose, a perfect creeping plant for the very edge of the garden. Beautiful repeat color, plump leaves, and easy to grow, Portulaca is a boon for your garden.

As for me, I will struggle with too much water.

Plant of the week. The Yellow Peanut Cactus is a version of the Peanut Cactus, which is an albino form of the Echinopsis chamaecereus. Any purely albino cactus can only be kept alive as a grafted plant.

It needs a well-draining potting mix. Water thoroughly and let the soil dry at least halfway down the pot before watering again. In winter, decrease or withhold water. The plant will look shriveled and stems can take on a reddish tinge, but it will plump up again and return to its normal color.

In areas with hot, it grows in areas that get partial shade. In areas with a bit of cool temperate climates, it grows in full sun.