Echeveria about to flower

Echeveria about to flower
Originally uploaded by emagen

I am really pleased with how some of the Echeverias etc have come through the winter, some with a piece of plastic covering them, others with nothing.
The photograph shows Echeveria 'Perle von Nurnberg' just coming into flower surrounded by Sempervivums, another Echeveria and Aloes. These plants are grown in a narrow, brick-built raised bed, fairly close to the house, in very gritty, free-draining soil.
Whilst I like big, bold plants, I also find the form and symmetry of succulents very appealing. It is also amazing how such, seemingly, tender plants can survive outside in our climate.
I have an Opuntia cactus that has survived outside in a pot without protection. I'm now looking for a place to plant this out permanently in the garden but it will have to be somewhere sheltered and somewhere where its needles cannot attack people!