The Garden of Earthly Delights

my new herb garden (l-r: jalapeno, mint, basil, rosemary)

While I still have yet to receive the beautiful pots I've been coveting, John and I decided it was time to add some life to our balcony.  Neither of us are very experienced with plants, but it was important that we start with something that would be used -- in our kitchen, that is.

So we started slow, planting a few of the necessary herbs and vegetables that we love so much:  rosemary, basil (my favorite), mint, and finally, jalapeño.  I've only ever grown basil and rosemary before, so I'm really excited to see a pepper growing in our modest little pot eventually.  We even have room to add another plant!  What would you recommend we add as a 'must-grow'?

Next up, I hope to find the right succulents to put in the right ceramic pots.  While the large home improvement + garden center stores might be suitable for picking up starter herbs and ferns (and the reed mat that helped us enclose our 6th floor balcony), I found that the succulent selection is always greatly lacking.  Even the pre-made succulent displays are cheap, with packing stones glued into place!  Definitely not what I'm looking for. 

Anyone know of a good independent succulent nursery in the Los Angeles area?  That may just be my next challenge, and I'll report back on what my investigation finds.  :)