A garden under glass

Creating a beautiful green oasis of calm at home with plants is probably every houseplant lover’s dream. But if ordinary plant growing is no longer enough for you, you can try making your own mini garden in a jar. A small ecosystem like this lives a life of its own, and if you choose the right plants for it, it needs very little care. A magical garden under glass is a great aesthetic addition to a modern interior, but it was already very popular in Victorian England, where it could be seen in practically every fine parlor. A homemade mini garden also makes an interesting handmade gift for someone.

Plant terrariums (sometimes also called florariums) look great not only on their own but also in groups, where you can play with different sizes or styles of containers. You can buy a glass container made specifically for planting, for example one made of glass panes joined by a metal frame, but an ordinary kitchen jug, a vase, an old apothecary bottle or a round fishbowl will do just as well. (Note: fish should not be kept in round bowls like these. So move them to a more suitable aquarium with a clear conscience and plant up the round bowl instead.) If you choose a container with a narrower opening, you may need long tweezers, chopsticks or another suitable tool to help you place the plants. It may also take more skill, but the end result will make up for all the trouble. You can really have fun with the finishing touches on a garden like this. You can use little shells, snail shells, twigs or pine cones; the only limit is your imagination. You can even make a garden for children, or together with them, and create a jungle for their little plastic animals. Little girls will surely also love a fairy garden with a small doll or a fairy house.

If you have just decided to try making a mini garden like this at home using our guide, think about these questions first:

• An open terrarium, an aerarium or a closed terrarium?
• A terrarium placed in the sun or in partial shade?

Naturally, the choice of suitable plants depends on these criteria. For clarity, we will now look at each type of terrarium separately. In general, though, it is better to choose plants that you will not have to repot often because of their vigorous growth, and that will not later grow so big that they take over the whole space. Unless, of course, that is exactly what you are going for. It can also look really good if you choose one plant that dominates the arrangement and hangs down or spills over the edge.

Open terrarium and aerarium for drought-tolerant plants

This type of terrarium suits drought-tolerant plants that need less water and better airflow. For a little home desert garden like this, even an ordinary terracotta or clay saucer that is glazed on the inside (so that moisture does not seep through) will do. In this particular case, you do not need to put a drainage layer at the bottom (because saucers tend to be quite low and shallow). Just keep that in mind when watering. If you choose the recommended cacti and succulents, water them only very sparingly, and put the finished mini garden in a well-lit spot, even in direct sun.

We will now show you how to make a terrarium like this, step by step:

1) If you choose a larger terrarium, be sure to put a drainage layer of small stones or expanded clay (LECA) at the bottom so that the roots of the drought-tolerant plants do not stand in water. Then cover this layer with sand to fill the gaps between the stones.

2) Next, add a layer of potting mix for the plants to grow in. Decide whether or not you want the potting mix to be visible from the front. The first option is a little easier: you can simply add a layer of potting mix across the whole surface of your container. We explain below how to keep the potting mix out of sight.

3) The next step is to clean the root ball of the chosen plant and plant it.

4) Finally, cover the surface with small stones. You can add a few pebbles, little shells, anything you like.

If you prefer the “desert” type of mini garden and have chosen a glass container in which every part is visible, make sure the potting mix does not show between the stones. So keep it only in the middle of the container. Here is how: pour a layer of gravel into the bottom of your container and cover it with sand to fill the gaps between the stones. Then pile a little potting mix into a small mound in the middle, line it with stones along the sides of the container and again fill the gaps between them with sand. Then just add more potting mix and put in your plants. Finally, decorate the surface of the arrangement with pebbles, more gravel and so on.

Suitable plants for a dry terrarium:

• all kinds of succulents and cacti
• small species of the genus Crassula (jade plants)
• species of the genus Haworthia (haworthias)
• Echeveria (echeverias)
• species of the genus Peperomia (radiator plants)
• small species of the genus Sansevieria (mother-in-law’s tongue, snake plant)
• air plants Tillandsia: you do not even have to plant these, because they live on air humidity alone. So you can simply hang them up somewhere, put them on a stand or in a bowl, or give them their own hanging aerarium, where they look absolutely perfect. See for yourself.

Closed or humid terrarium

Closed terrariums can create their own water cycle, which means they need practically no care from us and look after themselves. Still, it is a good idea to give them some fresh air and top up the water from time to time. For example, once every 2 to 3 weeks, open the lid, let it air out for at least 20 minutes, then water the plants a little or spray them with a mister and close it again. That is why plants that benefit from higher humidity and soil that stays slightly moist will thrive here. If you choose an open terrarium, you just need to remember to mist the plants and the potting mix more often.

 

How do you make a humid terrarium like this?

1) Again, we start with a drainage layer of small stones or expanded clay. Just because plants like moisture does not mean their roots should sit in water. This first drainage layer is exactly what prevents that.

2) In this layer (or on top of it), we can also add a little charcoal. It soaks up any leftover water that would otherwise stand at the bottom of the container, which reduces the risk of mold.

3) The potting mix goes on top of this layer, the plants go into it, and finally we can decorate the surface with moss, pine cones, bark, little pieces of wood and so on.

Planting is easier with dry potting mix: it does not stick to the walls of the container, and when you clean the plants with a mister at the end, you will not end up soaking the potting mix unnecessarily. Also wipe any leftover soil, dust or moss off the walls of the container so that enough light gets through the glass to the plants inside.

Place a humid terrarium where direct sunlight does not reach it. Depending on the plant species you choose, it can also do well in partial shade.

Suitable plants for a humid terrarium:

• Smaller fern species (Asplenium, Asparagus, Nephrolepis or sword fern, Adiantum or maidenhair fern)
• Hedera (ivy)
• Fittonia (nerve plant)
• Tradescantia (spiderworts, inch plants)
• Aechmea

I definitely recommend trying to make your own terrarium. They really need very little care afterward, and you can enjoy the result for many years. It is amazing to watch that tiny world in a jar. I hope you manage to create a mini garden just the way you imagine it and that it brings you lots of joy.

Alžběta Lacinová