In the Garden: Give the gift of a glass garden
Create a unique homemade gift that is sure to generate a smile upon opening and throughout the coming years. Terrarium popularity is trending due to the many benefits these tiny ecosystems provide. A small glass garden is not only a beautiful design element for the home or office but also a gift that supports sustainability and well-being for the creator and recipient.
Consider repurposing clear glass vessels, cloches, mason jars or similar items into a one-of-a-kind terrarium. This self-contained growing system is a low maintenance way for the recipient to be a successful gardener, no matter what their gardening experience.
Just turn the container upside down and place it on a shallow planting tray. Glue a decorative doorknob or handle on the top for easy access. Or leave it upright and cover it with a clear glass plate or leave it open when growing succulents or air plants inside.
Select a variety of plants of different heights, textures, and colors to create an attractive terrarium garden. Many garden centers now sell small specimens perfect for these mini gardens.
Fill the container with moss, rocks, twigs and ferns if you want to create a more natural garden under glass. Or opt for the more traditional terrarium filled with tropical plants that thrive in high humidity and moist soil in a closed terrarium. Low growing tropical plants such as baby’s tears, creeping fig, moss, and ivies make excellent groundcovers. Small specimens of dracaenas, crotons, and palms make nice upright features. Fill in the middle ground with ferns, nerve plants, polka dot plants and more.
Use a cacti and succulent potting mix and leave the top off the terrarium for drought tolerant cacti and succulents. These plants prefer the lower humidity and drier soil that open terrariums and this potting mix provide. You can find a variety of colorful succulents with interesting shapes and textures to create an attractive display.
Air plants make excellent options for reluctant gardeners. A small glass orb or vase with an opening on top makes an excellent container for these plants. No soil needed. Just let the recipient know to display it in a bright location out of direct sunlight and mist regularly or soak the plant once a week in tepid water for about thirty minutes.
Once you have the container selected and plants purchased, you are ready to begin assembling your terrarium. Consider starting with a layer of stones, twigs, sea glass or sand at the bottom for added color and interest. Some gardeners include a layer of charcoal to help absorb any odor.
Consider covering the stone layer with black landscape fabric to prevent the potting mix from filtering through and covering up the decorative items on the bottom. Cover this with a layer of well-drained potting mix for tropical plants, and a cacti and succulent mix for the drought tolerant plants. Add contours to the soil level if space allows for added interest.
Once assembled terrariums are relatively easy to manage. Simply moisten the soil and cover.
Provide care instructions and suggest they place their terrarium in a bright location away from direct light. A closed system will only need watering a couple times a year and the open succulent terrariums should only be watered when the soil is dry and just enough to moisten the roots but not waterlog the soil.
Start now gathering or purchasing all you need to create these living holiday gifts. You’ll enjoy creating the gifts as much as the recipients will enjoy receiving them. And you might just have to make an extra one for yourself.
Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including the Midwest Gardener’s Handbook, 2nd Edition and Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” streaming courses and the nationally syndicated Melinda’s Garden Moment TV & radio program. Myers is a columnist and contributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine. Her website is MelindaMyers.com.
