 A Wardian Case TerrariumImage by keightdee via Flickr |
The ultimate container garden - the terrarium - is easy to build, thrives on neglect, and can be a beautiful, living addition to your home or office. A closed glass terrarium can also be a source of wonder for children as they watch a miniature ecosystem grow and flourish.
Children love to put things in jars. From bugs to snakes, from pennies to plants. To a child, being able to view a living world, made with her own hands, instills wonder and encourages the kind of curiosity that scientists or botanists are born from. To be able to design and build that world and to make it something beautiful, is an even bigger plus. Terrariums are easy to create,
some rocks and moss and soil, a few plants and a spray bottle of water, a glass jar with a tight cap and there you have it...a closed glass terrarium. Well, it takes more than that, but you get the picture. Terrariums come in all shapes and sizes, from tiny as a postage stamp, to as large as the Biosphere 2, an experiment with people living inside a terrarium.
Wonder and Science Packed in a Jar
As a young child I remember my Mom taking us to the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory in St. Paul, Minnesota. It was spectacular. Hot, humid, full of color and loads of green, all covered in glass and complete with frogs and birds. I was young, but it set my feet on the path to a great love of science. I did not realize it then, but the domed glass buildings were just glorified terrariums, one in which we were able to enter and leave, but not harm. For just a short time, we, were creatures of the terrarium. How very exciting.
After returning home I begged my mom of one of her mayo jars, ran out to the pond in the back, and gathered up various plants and critters. I had grandiose designs to make a terrarium where frogs could live, that I could keep in my room. I wanted a glass room with a small pond, some bugs, moss and little wildflowers, and some pretty rocks. Such are the dreams of children. My first attempt failed. Everything dried up after I left it in the sun (plants need light you know). However the turnout, the thrill of creating a living world that I could observe over time, never left me.
The History of Terrariums
The terrarium was discovered quite by accident in the early 1800s. A scientist by the name of Nathanial Ward, had placed a chrysalis for observation in a closed glass jar. He observed that the moisture in the jar was recycled daily within that environment. While his observation continued on the chrysalis, a seedling began to grow. This amazed him, and placing the jar outside, it continued to grow and flourish for four years. He published an article in a botanical magazine about his observations. He followed this with a book about the subject. Terrariums quickly became a popular way to transport live plants on long journeys and thus became popular as show pieces in Victorian England. His glass cases - beautiful as well as functional - became known as Wardian Cases.
Assembling the Parts for the Terrarium
So you want to build a terrarium. As in any project or build, it is essential that you know your steps in advance and that you have all the parts assembled.
- A glass container with a tight fitting cover,
- Rocks for the bottom - consider aquarium rock,
- Activated charcoal - for soil conditioning,
- Terrarium soil - premixed or mix your own,
- Plants, moss, rocks,
- Decorations if you want - a pirate ship, a miniature deer....even a Smurf figurine would work.
There are a lot of good DIY articles, some with great pictures or videos, that will give you instructions and guidance. If you will be adding animals such as frogs or other creatures (a vivarium), you will need to know their requirements also, especially in the type of environment that you are creating. In some cases you may not be able to completely seal or cover the container.
Design Considerations of your Terrarium
As you assemble the parts, you should plan how it will be viewed - will it be located near a wall, or will it be a central piece in a room. It is a very good idea to have a design in mind, afterall, a terrarium is just a container garden. It will be observed by you and any visitors. It needs to have some light source and may require specific types of soil. It has water needs. Know these before you begin. Do the research.This will determine if you build your plant kingdom with taller plants against one side, or if you build it with a hill in the center. The same type of design considerations apply as that of an outside container garden on your patio, alive with color and designed with a specific style. An excellent article on building, design, and maintenance of a terrarium is online at: The Garden Helper and I highly reccommend reading it through before you start on your terrarium project.
Turning a Black Thumb to Green
Often, in my discussions with friends about gardening and houseplants, I hear the phrase "I can't grow anything, I have a black thumb.", Well this could be a garden that a 'black thumb' could create and be proud of. Give it a try - you might even get hooked. I know that I am.
With spring roaring through and summer on it's way, there are gardens to get in and house maintenance to attend to. Sunny days are filled with chores and are times for visiting with family and friends. I have many projects started and many more that are waiting to be started, but a terrarium in a beautiful wire and glass case has always been in the back of my mind, for a great rainy day adventure.
Image via WikipediaPeace
Marlene Hobart
Dragn Rock Farm
An additional site that contains a plethora of information on terrariums and how to make them is at:
ReplyDeletehttp://extension.missouri.edu/publications/DisplayPub.aspx?P=g6520
This site also contains a very nice list of the plants that are recommended for closed terrariums.