A long time since anyone posted. I'm starting to get back into it again. Right now I'm just planting in open glassware that I have while looking for just the right taller pieces or pieces I like that have lids.
Anyone still making terrariums??
This past year the only terrariums I have made are also open glassware. I have found that the smaller flowering anthuriums do great in a large glass bowl with pebbles in the bottom and the plant pot just sitting on top of the pebbles. I have in past years created a waterfall out of cement aluminate for in an aquarium vivarium. I also have an old fashioned Sparkletts bottle in storage that I really need to do something with. It has a large hole in the side so I figure I will need to fashion a door for it. Any great ideas for plants?
A Sparkletts bottle ... now I hadn't thought about those in quite awhile! I lived in CA for decades and have also made a large terrarium in a Sparkletts bottle. The plant I used in the open glass bowl above is Partridgeberry. It blooms and has small red berries, isn't aggressive. Sometimes I like a "groundcover" plant like that in a terrarium and sometimes not. Small ferns, Pilea are great for color and texture, small Coleus, succulents, mosses are just a few I've used in the past. So many good ones. Of course, cacti if you want a "desert".
I like the idea of moss. Maybe some small ferns and a strategically placed moss covered rock. I do fairy gardens so I've used lots of "mini" plants. Most of the time I use irish moss and small succulents but the moss doesn't make it through the hot Summer. It would have a better chance inside. Here's a photo of my gnome home "mini" garden, the gnome is 2" tall.
I like partridge berry bowl! If I recall correctly that's an old New England tradition for the holiday -- I've never tried one but it sounds fun. How easy is it ? Berries and blossoms would be great.
Sparklett's bottle? I've never heard of that one.
I've been getting into terrariums lately too. I've got far too many plants, and building terrariums is not only fun, but a great way to keep the more sensitive plants happy, even if I get busy and wind up ignoring them for a while.
I've also got a dog that thinks he's vacuum cleaner and four rather "active" (read "bratty") cats, so terrariums are great for keeping them out of trouble. I started out putting my jewel orchids into small containers (pickle jars, spaghetti jars, etc). After that, hubby and other family started getting them for me as birthday/ Christmas presents, so now I have a number of larger terrrariums as well. I think it's a blast to put them together and watch them evolve.
My husband calls this the "garbage can" . I see his point, but it's been great for my episcias
I've got a small garden of episcias in various containers : This one also has a miniature sinningia, a miniature african violet (S. 'Midget Silver Fox) and a cutting from Aeschynanthus 'Black Pagoda'. I'll have to thin it out pretty soon, I'm afraid.
Some jewel orchid terrariums : (actually just canister jars from Target)
This one has my Macodes petola;
Goodyera hispida, Anoectochilus chapaensis , and a cutting from my Anoectochilus roxburghi
MIniature paphiopedilum (slipper) orchids, a microminature sinningia and a miniature AV (Senk's Arctic fox) in a cloche :
Mixed episcias and a semi-miniature trailing african violet. This one is several years old and has been re-planted and thinned out several times: The episcias love this one!
This is the episcia terrarium. Any thoughts on how I could get the rust off of the top? Otherwise, I love it.
Exhibit A : Why terrariums are useful in my house!
Exhibit B: Vacuum cleaner dog + various protective devices (terrariums) -- The ones on the left have paph orchids. On the right is the "garbage can"
This message was edited Feb 10, 2012 3:16 AM
I'm still working on this one. Any suggestions? RIght now it just has trailing AVs. Once it's set, I'll probably hang it somewhere in my study.
Vanilla bean orchid in a spaghetti jar in the bathroom
Last one : A bowl I picked up at Target. I use a clear plastic plate (also from Target) for a top -- it fits perfectly!. I use this as a "nursery" for african violet plantlets. One of these days, I'll fix it up a bit! Any ideas?
This message was edited Feb 10, 2012 3:18 AM
Domehomedee - Just got a gander at your gnome home -- it's adorable. So much neater than mine! I love the garden/grass out back -- what did you use for that?
Jan
The partridge berry is easy.
I've got to take some time to look at all the photos. Some great-looking terrariums, ya'll have.
BTW, did you know we can now upload 5 photos per post?
You have some very nice terrariums going, wiggie. Your episcias look good. :)
Sparkletts is a brand of bottled water sold in CA. It comes in those big 5 gallon bottles.
I love the glass ball you are going to hang ... I've seen Cryptanthus (Earth Stars) in those and worked nicely.
Lots of good ideas here.
Oh wow, I love the hanging glass ball with the AV in it. I also love the idea of using Cryptanthus, I have some of those in pots and I think they would look great hanging in glass! I'm glad to hear that Sparkletts is just a California thing and that I'm not just ancient for remembering how popular they were as terrariums in the 60's.
And Jan, the grass behind the gnome home is irish moss. It fries in the Summer, but it looks nice for most of the year.
@Cville_Gardener : Cryptanthus ... Never thought of that. I bet it would work well with the trailing violet --a nice shape and (I think) slow-growing. Thank you for the idea.
@Domehomedee : My thought is that the AV will eventually cascade out of the hanging ball. I'm hoping that'll look nice and not just be a tangled mess I've always found trailers a bit difficult -- it's hard to know what to do to train
them. There's a Japanese method, but it takes a very long time and I've just never taken the time to do it. But they sure can be beautiful when they're blooming, so this is worth a try.
Irish moss -- it looks a bit different than the kind I have, which looks/acts like a small scale groundcover in one of my beds. Too bad it fries.
Yes, that gnome home is great! I love succulents so that one really appeals to me too. What is the pot?
Forgot to say that you might try a little fine grit sandpaper to remove that rust.
I made this with a Tilandsia. ha. Not TOOO hard, hehe. Love it tho.
Oh sorry, wrong picture, no Tillandsia it it in that picture.
I have enjoyed catching up on the thread. So many gorgeous ideas and plants!!!!!
Oh, that's really sweet with the moss and figurine. I love that. Tillandsias are one of my faves as well so I'd really like to see the picture of that one too.
I know it's a little late but the pot the Gnome home is in is something I made out of hardware cloth and a cement aluminate. The stuff is really weird, you can paint it on the hardware cloth and it dries hard as rock. I used a cement colorant to make the color variations and since I couldn't get it to go on smooth I just went ahead and textured it in stripes. I really like the pot . . . I should make one for myself as I gave that one to my sister for Christmas.
It's never too late for good information like that, Dome. What is the name of the product?
Yes, do tell! It sounds interesting.
OK, I took a picture with two big Tillandsias. I just bought a bunch of new Tillandsias. One of these is old and one is new with red leaves.
Sally, that is really wonderful. The whole thing is just delightful! ♥
The only thing I can think of is a aquarium. They can be a 10 gal. one or the much bigger ones. Most can have the top on i think, or you can make a top for it. Maybe just a plain glass pane cut to fit the top of the tank.
I have been thinking of making my own. Some with peaked tops.
I wonder how much interest there would be in making and selling them?
I can add stained glass to them too, especially for the top. Alternating clear and colored panes for looks?
Any thoughts on this idea?
DesertRose you are reviving an old thread. The idea of a peaked aquarium roof is a nice one. But if you can cut glass you can easily create something really nice with just aquarium silicone sealant. Next time you're in the hardware store, or for that matter you can probably check it out online, look into it. That's all they use to put aquariums together with and a terrarium has much less stress put on it, not having all that water in it you know. You could make the roof "lift off" so you wouldn't have to fuss with a hinged opening. Oh now I will be looking for a small aquarium to make one with, LOL,
That sounds like a terrific idea, DesertRose. I sometimes get frustrated with "small" gardens but like the idea of a 5 or 10 gallon fish tank conversion with a lift-off lid. The idea of a stained glass top sounds lovely. I bet they would sell although a lot of people tend to look at things like that and think "I could make that myself". lol. It depends on the price, of course. If you make one, please be sure to post a picture here.
I think they would sell if you can find the right place to sell them. Especially if you can do it for a good price. I'm always looking at those cute house shaped tabletop conservatories, but they are so expensive. A ten gallon tank can be cheap, and there are lots of used ones out there too.
Thanks for rejuvenating this thread! There's lots of inspirational pics. I'm still experimenting with mini terrariums, but have a 30-gal and 40-gal aquariums that I'm considering creating miniature villages in. I don't have lights or covers for them yet though.
Bev, love the mini's. Inspires me to redo my frog's aquarium. I need a new light fixture too.
I like those too, Bev. You did a great job. Where do you display your aquariums?