Benefits of Terrariums: 10 Ways They Elevate Your Life & Home

Calling all houseplant and nature enthusiasts. How would you feel about being able to raise a huge number and selection of beautiful plants, without the responsibility of constant watering and care?

Sounds good right?

Well, if a picture paints a thousand words, then a terrarium must bloom a thousand plants (figuratively speaking).

Terrariums come with many of their own unique advantages in both gardening and interior design, making them a versatile option for all homes. Plus, making your own gives you full control to enjoy the benefits to their fullest.

For those who don’t have the time, space or inclination to raise a thousand plants in their home – why not achieve the same thing, just on a smaller scale?

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1. Terrariums Look Amazing in Any Setting

Look, I may be a keen gardener, but I have no qualms admitting that the main reason I have terrariums is because I like the way they look.

I have normal house plants, too (like… a million), but there’s something really spectacular about having an entire plant ecosystem for your viewing.

2. Enjoy Gardening… Without a Garden

City slickers and desert dwellers rejoice! We have a way to grow things without a spec of land to call our own.

In fact, a tiny flat was what started this whole Terrarium Tribe thing

Granted, we’re unlikely to be able to grow ourselves any food (maybe a tiny lemon tree?), but we can still get the same satisfaction of growing something we love. Something tiny. Really, really tiny.

3. They’re Easy to Look After

Terrariums can be extremely easy to look after if the balance is right, but then, to be fair, the challenge of care is closely tied to the complexity of the build.

If you have an open terrarium, they’ll need the occasional water, and if you have a closed terrarium – they water themselves!

So you can go on holiday whenever you like and rest easy knowing your plant babies are still thriving.

4. They Can Keep Your Plants Alive All Year Round

Winter comes every year, and even the most green-fingered people of the world have houseplants die on them. But guess what? It needn’t be Winter inside your terrarium.

Your plants can enjoy an eternal summer in the glass paradise of your creation.

Shame we can’t do that for ourselves, ey?

5. Unleash Your Creativity

I have Pinterest to thank for the endless amount of cool terrarium ideas that I’ll likely never get around to doing, but I do enjoy the creative element of building a terrarium.

I’m a Virgo, so the finality of painting scares me somewhat, but terrariums are an (always redeemable) opportunity to create, explore, and put your own stamp on your home.

Check out our terrarium design tips for more inspiration!

6. Explore Their Limitless Decorative Potential

Speaking of putting a stamp on your home, terrariums have endless decorative applications.

Remember, they come in all shapes and sizes. They can be bookstops, hanging gardens, necklaces, lamps, almost anything you can think of.

And you can be sure they’ll look good because you have full creative control.

7. Grow Plants You Otherwise Couldn’t

The beauty of creating your own micro-climate is that you can grow plants that aren’t suitable for your native environment.

Always wanted a tropical garden, but live in Alaska? No worries, make yourself a tiny Amazon rainforest for your desk.

8. Purify Your Air

If you have a closed terrarium, this is less important (your plants will hoard all their clean air for themselves), but if you make an open terrarium, you can enjoy some freshly filtered air – au natural.

(The benefit is negligible, but it’s still a benefit, so it deserves a place on this list nonetheless).

9. Unwind and De-stress

Plants are scientifically proven to reduce stress and anxiety.

There probably are diminishing returns after a certain point.. but a house full of plants is never a bad thing.

10. Grow Plants in Places With Low Natural Light

When we make a terrarium, we’re making an artificial ecosystem. Why stop there?

You can add an artificial light source, too. For areas without much sunlight, like basements and lofts (or the entire UK), you can still grow all sorts of plant species with a lighting solution.

Or, many suitable species tend to be low-light terrarium plants anyway!

There are so many unique ways that terrariums improve our homes and our lives, I’m sure you have lots of your own!

Have more questions about terrariums? Take a look at our answers to frequently asked terrarium questions. Or check out some cool terrarium facts.

Or, if you’re ready to dive right into building a terrarium, check out our terrarium store here.