Display plants in a whimsical way with this beautiful, long-lasting terrarium.
Tools and Materials
- Large glass container with lid
- Gravel
- Horticultural charcoal
- Orchid bark
- Potting soil
- Plants and moss
- Rocks, pinecones, seedpods, driftwood, butterflies for embellishing
- Long tweezers
- Skewer
- Wine cork
- Spray bottle filled with water
- Battery-powered LED string lights
- Metal/glass epoxy
- Transparent tape
- Sheets of bark cut into 1-by-3/4-inch "shingles"
- Hot-glue gun and hot-glue sticks
- Glitter
Terrarium How-To
1. Add a layer of gravel to bottom of large glass container.
2. Mix together 1 part horticultural charcoal with 3 parts orchid bark; layer about 1 inch of mixture on top of gravel. Add a thin layer of soil on top of the mixture.
3. Create the "landscape" with clumps of moss, miniature orchids, ferns, etc. Embellish with rocks, pinecones, seedpods, driftwood, butterflies, etc. Use long tweezers to arrange items, and a skewer with a cork stuck to the end to gently tamp soil and plants in place.
4. Generously spray terrarium contents with water.
5. Attach battery pack for floral lights to underside of lid with metal/glass epoxy. Arrange string of floral lights in a spiral pattern within underside of lid, attaching with transparent tape.
6. Use hot glue to attach bark "shingles" onto top of lid. Sprinkle contents of terrarium with glitter. Place lid on terrarium.
Resources
Large glass container is available from Crate and Barrel. Naked-wire LED floral light strings may be found at Jamali Garden Supply. White-gold glitter is from Martha Stewart Crafts. All other tools and supplies are available at most garden centers and craft-supply stores.
Plants used on the show:
- Cushion moss (leucobryum)
- Hair cap moss (polytrichum)
- Reindeer moss (cladonia rangiferina)
- Irish moss (sagina subulata)
- Fern moss (selaginella)
- Club moss (selaginella krausiana)
- Autumn fern (dryoptersis erythrosora)
- Mini phalaenopsis orchids
- Baby's tears (soleirolia soleirolii)
I made a variation of this with my Girl Scouts. I found open glass bowls at the thrift store, bought simple plants for the girls to plant, put in glittered stones, butterflies and pixie glitter all over. We made the terrarium tools and used them to help us put together the fairy land. I'd say good project for 6 years and up.
Hello! I love the attention to detail in this tutorial! If you are interested, I make whimsical wire bird nests that can be the perfect accessory for any terrarium!! please check out my store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/EchoesOfRain?ref=si_shop
I agree with anniequinn...I no longer am able to get the Hallmark channel and miss the show tremendously...I would love to be able to view the videos on IPad as well.
Is this a small biosphere and can this be a science fair?
How often do you have to water the plants? And how much?
Too bad, the videos aren't compatible with iPad. I'd love to be able to see martha's videos on mine. Especially since I don't get the Hallmark channel and will no longer be able to enjoy the show.
What tiny plants can be grown in these other than moss???
cindyoneal, Jamali Garden has the string lights here: http://www.jamaligarden.com/apps/catalog/product.asp?pID=22897
I found the Reindeer moss at a near by Pottery barn store. It smells REALLY good...it's beautifully luscious.
Hi, Where did you find the different types of moss? Thank you,
This is a great project to do with children. It's so easy, and you can find the glass jars with lids at Michael's or other craft stores. You can really make it any way you want and spend as little or as much as you wish. The last one I made lasted three years with very little maintenance.
Very interesting project. I am going to try one during the Easter Holidays. I am guessing that the cover should not be tight fitting, right?
Very interesting project. I am going to try one during the Easter Holidays. I am guessing that the cover should not be tight fitting, right?
The lights can be found by clicking Candles Lighting, then Lights. They are the second item on the first line.
checked jamali garden suppl,y lights not found, please give another source
My sister has a terrarium that my mother made in the early 1970's in a big
Amaden Wine Jug and it is still going strong. She has to "hoe" it out every
once in a while.