HGTV Doesn't Quite Hit the Mark

I was disappointed in this bare-bones terrarium tutorial spotted at the HGTV website.  At least they included the note about sphagnum moss and charcoal to ensure filtration levels for the soil.

But I can tell you just by looking at the above photo that neither of those plants are suited for terrarium life.  That one on the left looks like a mini parlor palm of some sort and that puppy will never take to the humid terrarium environment well.  Whatever that plant on the right is - it already looks half-wilted.

Your best bet is to stick to ferns and moisture and shade loving plants folks!

How to Make Your Own Terrarium at HGTV

Australia's Slot Canyons in National Geographic

The October issue of National Geographic had an awesome photo essay of the lush enclosed environments in Australia's so-called "slot canyons."  Oversized ferns, moss backed boulders - it looks like a land lost to time and a wealth of terrarium fodder.  Check out the slide show at NatGeo!

October 2011 Australia's Slot Canyons - National Geographic

Terrariums at Bloom IQ

Bloom IQ has a great introduction to terrarium care and creation.  The helpful sidebar on the right has some great quick tips including this one:

Small drops of condensation say you’ve got the right amount of water. Big drops indicate too much water; no drops indicate too little.

Nothing kills a terrarium faster than overwatering!

Terrarium Basics at Bloom IQ

Other-wordly Orb Terrarium

Krstyna Pojerova's UFO terrarium called "Glasshouse", as spotted at Inhabitat.

Read more of The Glasshouse Combines a Pendant Lamp with a Terrarium Full of Lush Greens Glasshouse by Krstyna Pojerova – Inhabitat

Krstyna Pojerova's http://www.glasshouse.cz/fotogalerie/

Terrarium Contest at Potted

Here's your chance to participate in a fun contest about terrariums! Potted is accepting photo submissions which we can vote on and winner gets some awesome swag from Potted. http://www.pottedstore.com

Simplicity in a Bottle

I love these repurposed wine bottle terraria housing a simple collection of mosses. The bottle-on-its-side really lends itself to making the moss look like a miniature landscape. Good luck snatching up one of these terrariums - they are back ordered on Uncommon Goods. And note the thoughtful inclusion of a chopstick tool for moss maintenance. In the miniature worlds of small terrariums a chopstick can serve as a shovel or a rake. Moss Terrarium by Katie on Uncommon Goods