Danish Modern Small Terrarium at Popdeluxe.net

Judging by the photos these Danish Modern Small Terrariums at Popdeluxe.net look pretty neat! I can't identify all the plants but the arrangement follows a more natural look- which I personally prefer in terrariums. Regardless of the plants I do love the container- the wooden handle would look great with your Danish Modern living room set! They have a large one as well. $129.

www.popdeluxe.net

Lilly Pond at Huntington Gardens

The oldest garden on the property at the Huntington Library is the lilly ponds: a lush interconnected trail of small waterfalls, lily pads and all sorts of creatures.

If I should ever run into a large amount of money I would like to have a pond- with lots of koi fish and plants in it. I would buy a row boat and read in it, floating around on the pond all day long.

Lilly Ponds at the Huntington Library

Lightbulb Terrariums at SteamedGlass

What amazing terrariums Tim has created over at SteamedGlass on Etsy. He uses large lightbulbs to build miniature terrariums with a great steampunk flare. I particularly love the floral designs on some of the light bulbs and the clever wire hanger stands.

SteamedGlass at Etsy

Hamilton Children's Garden at Quail Botanical Gardens

I,for one, cannot wait to check out the new Hamilton Children's Garden at Quail Botanical Gardens in Encinitas, CA. Most of it is a giant treehouse and it is full of exhibits and demonstration activities. There is also a butterfly garden!

I can't wait to check it out.

Hamilton Children's Gardens at Quail Botanical Gardens

Q and A: Mermaid Themed Terrarium

Ocean-themed dish garden with succulents.

Thanks to reader Ryan for this great discussion starter:

Question:

"I'm going to try to make a Little Mermaid themed moss/fern terrarium for a friend of mine and I saw one that you made which had a fern that I thought might give a good impression of a bed of kelp....I was wondering what your impression of that sort of idea might be. Do you think that type of fern might get too bushy and full, does it start to grow horizontal rather than vertical, because I like the look of just a few fronds sticking straight up. Also, if you might be able to tell me what that fern is called so I might go about trying to get some."



Answer:
I think a mermaid-themed terrarium would be great fun to put together. I included a photo of a succulent dish garden at the top of this post as a starting point. If you'd like to make an easy-care gift for your friend and ensure it will stay nice and healthy for a while I would suggest doing a dish garden with succulents! Succulents look a lot like sea anemones and they absolutely thrive in an open-top dish garden with some sandy soil.

I know what you're thinking now- "Lauren- I wanted a terrarium- duh." Absolutely. An ocean-themed terrarium would be great fun as well! Of all the plants I use in my small terrariums I think your best bet will be selaginella or Spike Moss. It thrives in terrariums but is not invasive, it is hardy and beautiful- and looks a little like coral! You can find Spike Moss at places like Home Depot fairly often- just look for it in the small containers in the houseplant section of the nursery.

If you would like more vertical growth to emulate kelp I would suggest visiting your local aquarium store or aquarium section of a pet store. They have lots of plants that look like kelp for around $4. If you don't mind the fern-look my standby for vertical growth is Boston fern ( I think?). I recommend digging up a baby frond with a bulb at the end to plant in your terrarium. These ferns grow predominantly in Santa Barbara and I can normally find some bulbs when I need them.

Don't forget some beach glass or small sea shells for decorative elements. Some beach rocks with holes would be fun too! Get creative but remember to rinse your container and deco items with a bleach-water combo and to let them fully dry before you begin and to quarantine your plants in a plastic bag for a week or so. Taking these two steps will ensure your terrarium won't be full of mold when you give it to your friend!

Early Aboriginal Painting

I recently read an essay by Joseph Campbell describing the significance of Navaho sand painting in healing and other liminal moments in tribe member's lives. When the Dalai Lama visited UCSB a few Tibetan monks also created a sand mandala for the University. These art "works" mean so much more to cultures that devised them in an era before image saturation. Before photography or contemporary figurative painting when one person dared to attempt an image or symbol of a human it was akin to sacred magic. Also looking upon the images was said to have intense ramifications for the viewer.

With all of this in mind how lucky I was to visit the Fowler Museum at UCLA to see the Early Aboriginal Icons of the Papunya exhibit. These images were true "Icons" in the most religious sense of the word, the symbols contained within are the most powerful and secret images for a culture that existed alone on a continent for thousands and thousands of years. At the entrance to the exhibit a sign warned patrons that the images are considered so holy by the indigenous peoples that viewing the paintings could have adverse psychological and emotional effects on viewers not initiated to their power.

Consider yourself warned... they are stunning.

http://www.iconsofthedesert.com/

Wine Bottle Terrarium

While in LA I had the chance to check up on the wine bottle terrarium with sword fern and moss that I gave my sister a while back.

The fern is sprouting lots of new fronds through runners and the soil looks good and healthy. A few of the older fronds are dying but decomposing well into the system- next time I will try to bring some tools to clean it up while I am down there.

Wine Bottle Terrarium for Alyssa

Q & A: What to do when a plant dies in a terrarium?

What to do when a plant dies in a terrarium...

Plants may start to die in a terrarium for any number of reasons- improper growing conditions, fungus and rot or even of lack of room for additional growth. When foliage starts to turn brown or appear slimy it's probably time to make a decision.

Using any number of tools or bamboo sticks you can try to push down the plant or offending leaves into the soil. If the plant does not appear to be diseased and the foliage is small enough this normally does not pose a problem to the tiny ecosystem. It will eventually break down and mix in to the layers in the terrarium.

If it is large, more woody or clearly diseased it is probably best to remove the entire plant. Try to clip any large pieces with scissors if possible. With a bamboo stick gently loosen any roots still holding strong to the soil to limit disruption to the rest of the arrangement. Then use a string lasso or a bamboo stick fitted with a rake apparatus at the end to fish the plant out of the bottle. This may be a tight fit if your terrarium container has a narrow neck but with a little tug it can normally come clear. You can always rinse any dirt on the neck of the container with some distilled water or knock it off once it is dry.

Solutions for an overwatered terrarium

"Help! My terrarium is soaked! What do I do?"

Terrariums can easily become over watered and damp conditions can lead to rotting, molding and worse. Signs of over watering include: water pooling up in the gravel layer, condensation forming on all sides of terrarium and not dissipating and rotting foliage.

Here are some quick and easy solutions for an over watered terrarium:

- Use an electric hair drier to blow warm air into the terrarium. If the terrarium has a narrow opening a funnel might be helpful.

- Tear a thin strip of paper towel and dangle it onto the terrarium soil surface, leaving a tail hanging out of the terrarium. The paper will act as a wick and absorb some of the water. Make sure you pull it out before it falls apart!

- If your terrarium has a removable lid - take it off for a while!

And as always- maintaining a correct water level is always easier than trying to remove water from your terrarium. When in doubt- don't water.

A well established terrarium rarely needs more than a spritz of distilled water every few weeks. Try to water only when there is zero condensation on the sides of the terrarium.

Adding Sulfur to Moss Terrariums

Moss thrives in acidic soil and some terrarium websites suggest adding sulfur to terrarium soil to raise acidity levels. I have tried this in a few of my newer terrariums but have yet to see any difference in the growth patterns. I also sprinkled a few chunks of sulfur into the grandaddy wine jug terrarium and yet again have noticed no difference.

Has anyone tried this before and observed any positive or negative effects?