Closed terrariums are basically tropical rainforest generators. They allow us to grow all kinds of exotic plant species (and live our destination dreams) from the comfort of our own homes. Amazingly for us, there’s a large and diverse number of tropical species that thrive in sealed terrarium environments. The real challenge is finding those that
A perfectly balanced terrarium ecosystem can (in theory) last indefinitely. Something we can all aspire to. I mean, who wouldn’t want a zero maintenance plant terrarium? Though, in practice there are a variety of important elements that need to be balanced to make a truly self-sustaining terrarium. Each one plays their part in mitigating a
Open terrariums, or as I like to call them – bowls of plants. Just kidding. They may not be a terrarium in the truest sense of the word, but there’s still a place in my home for interesting collections of plants, curated in beautiful containers. Besides, open terrariums come in many forms. Most people (quite
We’re all guilty of asking the occasional embarrassing question to Google, our all-knowing internet confidant. Which makes Google Trends a fascinating place to hang out these days. If you’re unfamiliar, it essentially gives us a glimpse into people’s private internet searches and behaviors. Just what are people asking the internet right now? Well, whilst most
Honestly, ferns really are a terrarium lovers best friend. They’re almost universally suited to terrarium life. They like nothing more than a warm environment with lots of humidity and plenty to drink (much like me really). Maybe more than any other type of plant, there’s a huge variety of shapes and textures. For me, it’s
The practice of watering a terrarium seems like a simple one. Water + Terrarium = Win? But honestly, it’s one the most common questions people have about caring for terrariums, and it’s something plenty of people seem to get wrong. After all, terrarium ecosystems operate on a fine balance. Too much or too little water
These days, the art of terrariums has evolved to produce many weird and wonderful types of terrarium. I swear, the Victorians would wet themselves at the sight of what we can create now… With steady improvements in technology and techniques – along with our greater understanding of plant environments – the potential for terrariums is
There comes a time when a terrarium builder gets to grips with basic terrarium design and execution, and needs just a little… more. I remember looking at a recent tropical creation and thinking it’s good, but it’s not great. What is it that takes a perfectly lovely container of plants and turns it into a
Terrarium mould, our fuzzy mortal enemy. It’s always lurking, ready to strike. But is it actually a worry or just a nuisance? Personally, I’ve encountered mould in just about every terrarium i’ve made. There’s always a signature mould “bloom” as new terrariums settle in. So, I’m either super unlucky, a terrible terrarium maker or just
So, how’s your terrarium looking these days? I know, terrariums are notoriously low maintenance. Alas, that doesn’t give us a free pass for total neglect. They deserve a little love every now and again. Personally, I’ve seen some terrariums go months with no maintenance and no problems. Which of course, gave me a sense of
Hello, and welcome to the unoriginal world of naming different growing containers with frustratingly similar names. Today we’re talking terrariums and vivariums (plus paludariums, aquariums and more). They’re all closely related in name and in nature, so you’d be forgiven for mistaking one for another. In fact, people do it all the time. These naming
I get it, condensation in your terrariums can be super annoying. Nobody likes a Gorillas in the Mist kind of situation with our plants playing the elusive protagonists behind a shrouded glass terrarium. Fogging glass is a natural side effect of plant transpiration (we do want our plants to breathe after all) but too much