Aloe striatula and arid bed.

I've been looking for months for an aloe striatula for months in garden centres and today finally got one. Its been planted up in the arid bed and is perfect for what was an empty spot. How has everyone else got on with this aloe and how do you look after it, if you do in winter? I'm going to leave mine unprotected.

 

Mine has done well. I wet nursed it for a couple of years before planting out though. This year it's over a metre tall, three flower spikes, it has divided at the top and made branches lower down and also has babes from the roots.





It has yet to take a hard winter in the ground though.

 

I left mine uncovered last Winter but put a fleece bag over it the Winter before when it went below -3c. This year it flowered for the first time but an Aphid attack did some damage. Snails were a problem leaving many leaves in a mess so watch out for them.
The stems can grow very leggy and may need support or they will trail across the ground and look untidy.

 

I'm not sure if I'm right, but this eventually becomes a climber with Ariel roots, I had one go that way a few years ago just before it was wiped out by the bad winter, 2009.

I do tend to give mine a little protection should we get something below minus 5C, but I tend to plant it in micro climates around the garden anyway.
Good drainage is a must, but bear in mind to grow well in those conditions it will need summer watering in most years.