Well, most of the snow melted in yesterday’s rain, but more ice and snow are predicted for Sunday and again next week. I’m beginning to understand why northern gardeners go stir crazy in winter.
However, as Cindy From My Corner of Katy (near Houston), wrote, “One step closer to spring, sweet Jesus.”
Isn’t that what we’re all thinking on this sixth day of February? January is gone, and twenty-two more days of February, all gray and foggy, loom ahead, but onward and upward we march.
Instead of more obsessing on the weather, let’s talk instead of terrariums. You read me right. Terrariums. Doesn’t the word just take you back to the 1970s, elephant bells, and macrame? Well, my friends, terrariums have grown out of their pimply teenage phase and moved on to a beautiful indoor elegance. Tovah Martin, author of many books, including Tasha Tudor’s Garden
“A terrarium makes nature accessible to everybody,” she said.
She has over 100 plants in her home, nineteen of them terrariums. She had more, but she sold some. She said that for those gardeners who have “a brown thumb indoors” terrariums require little care and reap large benefits. Glass enclosures keep the temperature and humidity more constant, making it less likely you’ll kill the plants inside from neglect. Just don’t water them too often or too much. Also, choose plants which like humidity. Tropicals fit the bill, as do many shade plants, but stay away from desert lovers. They will succumb to too much moisture.
In part II of my interview, I’ll share more about Tovah’s thoughts on garden stewardship (her topic for her Oklahoma City presentation), but today, I wanted to highlight terrariums. Before reading her book, I used to tease my friend, Elizabeth, of Gardening While Intoxicated and Garden Rant, about her indoor plant menagerie and her terrarium. This winter, I’m an enthusiastic convert.
Faced with more snowfall, I just had to get my hands into warm soil, and I wanted to create something beautiful. I found small plants at the nursery and placed them within their glass containers just as I would in the garden. Different heights, different textures. I added pebbles and a bird nest to complete the scene in the one at top, along with Sagina subulata ‘Aurea’, chartreuse green Irish moss. I love this little plant, but the summer always incinerates it in my outdoor garden even in the shade. We’ll see if it will thrive under the moderating effect of glass.
Then, there’s the African violet covered by a cloche making it a focal point on a buffet or table. As Tovah said, “It’s about intimacy with nature . . . in sparkling glass, and all of the sudden it has value.”
“Little bits of treasure. Encased in glass making them a phenomenal work of art.”
A fish tank with a screen lid will work just fine, but there are lots of other items out there. You can have a glass enclosure, a Plexiglas enclosure, plexi with wood components, glass with wood, etc..
OK, I don’t want to rain on this terrarium parade, but they are easy to plant but its hard to find the equilibrium level of moisture for success.This is epecially so with a glass container with a narrow opening. Too much warer leads too a foggy mess of condensation and too dry puts your investment at risk. So I’ll just lust at Tovah’s images and wish everyone else good luck.
True, Patrick. You make a good point. Many of mine don’t have lids, and with the lidded ones, I sometimes leave the lid off a day or two after watering. Or, if I notice a lot of condensation in the lid. Thanks for bringing this up.
They are beautiful and if they can survive my indoor gardeners brown thumb..they will be so worth the initial expense. Now must locate some containers! Keep warm. gail
Dee, that first terrarium speaks to my heart … the bird’s nest was the perfect addition to it! Thanks for the link love and you KNOW you have my sympathy about the winter weather. I’m so ready for it to be over but that storm you’re expecting in a day or so is predicted to make it down here too.
Dee- Love those terrariums. My parents had a giant floor-sized one when I was really little and I always found it fascinating. Yours all look so inviting. I have 3 cloches, but I hae nests & other non-plant items in them, but I really need to go buy a small plant to put inside a few of them. You’ve inspired me!
Haven’t done a terrarium in years but got inspired last fall when a friend with a restaurant gave me 4-1 gallon jars with lids–no cost, recycled and easy to work with.
I like the common Vermont natives. Bunchberry, rock ferns and Partridge berry with a piece of moss to get started. These are all over our property and do well in the environment of a terrarium. I love the red berries that draw focus and make little kids issue “look Mommy’s” as adults raise “How did you do that’s?”
George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
Hi George, with all of your woodland plants, i can see why you would choose those. Thanks for stopping by. I think a fern would look lovely in my next one.~~Dee
Dee,
A British blog-friend posted a nice meditation on snowdrops this week — did you order yours from an on-line supplier? If so, I’d be grateful if you can share your source…without going to a lot of trouble.
Here’s Viv’s meditation if you’re interested
http://zenandtheartoftightropewalking.wordpress.com/2010/02/04/imbolccandlemas-meditation/
Janell
Hi Janell, thanks for that lovely meditation on them. I planted snowdrops last year, and I bought them from Old House Gardens, Here is a lovely article about them in the NYT. Southern gardens tend to have better luck with Galanthus elwesii than the traditional English snowdrop. Our hotter summers, you know. Elizabeth Lawrence talks a lot about this in her books. Here’s a selection in her book, A Southern Garden. I hope this helps.
I did some rearranging after Christmas and I have an empty spot. Now I know what to put in it:) Guess I will be heading to town sometime soon.
Ah, Melody, once you’re finished making yours, you’ll need to send us a link to see it.~~Dee
Your snowdrop … hope of spring! Love the terrarium post, Dee … again dhe rage! Every garden center here is offering classes … love it! Yes, everything old is new again. I make them in the 70s and am itching to create one again. Now yes, where can I find baby tears ….
Hi Joey, can’t wait to see what you create.~~Dee
Very nice Dee. You make me want to make one. I haven’t a Terrarium, but you have inspired me to.
H.
Helen, I’m so glad you were inspired. I hope you make one.~~Dee
I like what she said about “intimacy with nature”. And I like your terrariums – very pretty! I did have a few in the 70’s including one that was in an old aquarium complete with lighting! It was kind of like a jungle in there. But I prefer the style that’s out now. Much more simple and beautiful.
You gotta love love the cloche! When you’re done eating all the cookies that were under it you can toss it on your house plants! I have about ten in my house… it’s getting a little out of control. 🙂
I didn’t have any cookies. Where were the cookies? Dang, I missed them. Yes, small gardening does get out of control. Love it.~~Dee
Those are beautiful, Dee. I have a large terrarium on a stand that I’ve yet to fill with plants. I am inspired to plant it. I think I’ll get Martin’s book, first.
I hope you get it from your friends for your birthday. Fingers crossed. Now, get that terrarium planted my friend and tell us all about it.~~Dee
Hi Dee, I love your new terrariums. I have one. It has an earth star in it and some moss I dug out of the garden. The Earth Star has been in there for several years. It is about to outgrow its container. I don’t know what I will do with it because I haven’t been able to keep one alive other than in this container. I have another container that I have meant to pot up for some time but haven’t. Maybe I can go poke around and find some sort of small plants to put in it. I would love to read Tovah’s new book. Better yet get to hear her speak.
Hi Lisa, I know, get a bigger container? That’s what I would do. I’m thrilled you have an Earth Star alive and well.~~Dee
Very inspiring! I think it’s wonderful that more people are getting plants into their lives through the various forms of miniature gardening. I need to go look for my glass containers now – yours look wonderful!!
Hi Janit, thanks for stopping by. I love your site. Such fun things to put into miniature gardens.~~Dee
Your terrariums are great! I need to get some more containers to terrariumize my plants. (I’m one of those gardeners to which Tovah referred.) I read her terrarium book and have been inspired by it.
MMD, I am also an indoor brown thumb. Thanks for the sweet words, and I love your new word, “terrariumize.” 🙂 ~~Dee