Creating a Terrarium

Living in a apartment doesn't allow me the luxury of planting trees on terra firma or creating stunning landscaped gardens that other homeowners have. But thanks to a balcony that gets kissed by the morning sun - and visits everyday by cute little sunbirds that announce their arrival with loud chirps - I get to indulge in some high-rise gardening with rather satisfactory results.

Recently, I have been intrigued by terrariums, especially those enclosed in pretty glass containers. From elaborate plantscapes to simple designs, setting up one of these self-sustaining eco-systems can be a lot of fun. The result will liven up any coffee table or office desk.

Here's are two very simple mini terrariums that I've created:

An open terrarium with cactus

Red and green frittonia growing in a glass bottle
    

Quick How To

Step 1: Choose your glass containers and plants. If you're making an enclosed terrarium, make sure the plants are small enough to fit entirely in the container when covered, with some room to grow.

Step 2: Line the base of the container with the following in this same order.

1. A layer of small pebbles
2. Sphagnum moss, available at gardening supply shops - I bought mine from Far East Flora
3. Soil

The pebbles create a form of draining so that the plant roots do not trap too much moisture, which may result in rot. Sphagnum moss is useful in maintaining the layer of soil above it and not seeping down gradually into the pebbles.

Step 3: Gently arrange your plants inside the container and packing the soil firmly around them. Popular plants for terrariums include frittonia (nerve plants) and other non-succulents.

Step 4 (optional): Top up visible soil surfaces with coloured sand or pebbles. To add interest, you may include little figurines or rocks to create a nice little landscape with a story to tell.

Caring for Your Terrarium

• Do not have the urge to overwater the plants. Enclosed terrariums usually do not require watering for weeks. But do play by ear. You may give your plants a drink whenever the soil appears to be parched.
• Remove leaves that have whithered quickly.
• Trim overgrown leaves or repot plants that have outgrown the containers.