Terrariums Part 1: Introduction
Part 1 of a 3 part series
A miniature world under glass, terrariums are fascinating and remarkably easy to create and maintain! Over the next 3 posts, I will be discussing everything you need to know about designing, planting, and maintaining terrariums.
I first got into terrariums a few years ago when my colleague James starting collecting glass bell jars and specimen begonias. I must confess his enthusiasm was contagious! I now have two and have given one to my sister. Plants have been grown under glass since Victorian times. In those days they were commonly referred to as Wardian cases, named after Dr. Nathaniel Ward who first introduced society to these mini ecosystems.
It is so easy to grow terrarium plants in enclosed environments, because they need not be constantly watered or groomed. In their native habitat, plants requiring extra humidity were growing on the floor of the rainforest, in tree crevices or on rocks with a thick canopy of growth overhead. The most important things to remember about their care are to keep the containers out of direct sunlight, and to try and keep them on the cool side. Many unsuccessful growers have forgotten that the plants love humidity, but they do not like wet feet.
There are a few things to consider before planting your terrarium:
- Make sure the plants you select are the appropriate scale for the container and the other plants, otherwise it will dominate the design
- Select plants that are completely different from each other in terms of color, leaf shape and growing habit. The key is for each plant to have its own unique personality, instead of them all blending together.
- Don’t be discouraged if a plant doesn’t make it. Terrariums are a learning experience and may take a little time to gauge how much or little water is needed. Proper plant choices will minimize this issue.
Read part 2 of this series: Terrariums Part 2: Open-Top Terrariums.
For a quick how-to: Click Here
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