You should realize that not every succulent will be successful. You will need different amounts of sunlight throughout the year. You can check out my post about how to plant succulents. If you need a little inspiration for your own garden, or simply want to see exotic varieties of succulents, check out the San Diego Botanical Garden. After your cactus pads start to form a good root system and the roots are in the ground and covered pretty well, you'll want to cut back on watering. This problem can be avoided by following the watering recommendations.