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Everyone loves plants. Some people are fond of tropical species, others are fans of meadow grasses, and others prefer conifers. But, most importantly, I really want these pets to be around all year round. It turns out there is a way out. We create a florarium or a small home mini-greenhouse, and the winter climate is no longer an obstacle to growing a tropical garden in an apartment.
Exotic plants in such a plant terrarium will delight the eye regardless of climatic conditions.
The florarium has a great external resemblance to an aquarium. It is also placed inside a glass container, but there is no water or fish in it. Florariums appeared as mini-projects of winter gardens. As soon as such a piece of furniture settles in your home, the place for rest and relaxation is already ready! With its help you will always be able to surprise your guests. In addition, there is an opportunity to move away from traditional flower pots. Plants in a mini-garden can bring such peace and tranquility that everyone will want to create a similar florarium with their own hands.
Why is this so attractive? Once you list the advantages of a tiny plant terrarium, the question will immediately disappear:
- Even recycled household materials are suitable for creating an original garden;
- the technology for making a florarium is so simple that children can easily make it;
- low cost during operation (watering no more than 3 times a year);
- the uniqueness of each florarium;
- compactness is an ideal property for owners of small window sills and apartments;
- the ability to use in shaded areas, which will add greenery to various areas of the room.
What materials can a florarium be made from? Let's consider the possible options that contain step-by-step instructions for creating such a garden.
Choosing space for a mini-garden
Most often, such plant mini-terrariums are placed in a container made of glass or thick plastic.
Some designers use wooden containers, as well as those combined from various materials. A florarium differs from a terrarium by the presence of a narrowed entrance hole. It can be located either on top or on the side of the container. To make some projects more original, it is covered with a lid of an unusual shape. At home, you can get by with a container for growing plants, a regular glass bottle or jar.
A wine bottle, any bowl with a narrowed hole, or even a laboratory flask will do (this is for adding creativity to the office space).
The container you choose should keep the humidity and temperature levels as stable as possible. This is the main purpose of the florarium.
If it is possible to provide an independent source of light and heat, then you will be able to grow the most exotic and whimsical plants.
But when you have created a mini-garden in a glass, open jar, vase or bowl, you need:
- monitor the temperature;
- regularly spray the plants;
- water them in a timely manner;
- protect from drafts (this point depends on the type of plant).
It is also important to remember that the plants you planted grow slowly, but they still grow. As soon as this happens, you can transplant them into flower containers. After this, the florarium will be ready for new residents. How to make a florarium with your own hands? To do this, you need to perform several steps. First, choose a suitable place for the florarium.
Where to place the florarium
For such an exotic item, we choose a place that is visible and always in the spotlight. The mini-terrarium needs to be oriented so that all the plants are in the most advantageous position. Then from anywhere in the room they will be clearly visible.
Be sure to provide artificial lighting for the florarium. Firstly, this will add originality to the composition, and secondly, it will allow you not to be tied to a window or other source of natural light. Artificial lighting looks very attractive and allows you to vary the degree of illumination, direction and shade.
Of all the types of florarium designs, the most advantageous is circular. With this solution, you have access to the plants from all sides and can observe their development. This option will also allow you to control the status of each of them. Try to take into account the size of the room. A florarium that is too bulky will look like a display case and will create a feeling of clumsiness.
Place a tiny garden of plants on the wall using containers, on shelves, tables or a window.
The composition looks great among beautiful vases. For children, you can combine a florarium with a living corner, where plants and animals will complement each other. And now we begin to create our own unique mini-garden. Let's look at a step-by-step plan for creating a florarium for beginners.
Creative Tips for Beginners
There are quite a lot of varieties of plant mini-terrarium designs. Specialists offer ready-made forms and also advise on their placement. But independent creativity is much more interesting and colorful, because each florarium is unique.
It is performed with different access to plants - frontal or vertical. The list of mandatory technical equipment includes:
- Additional lighting or illumination. Tinting the glass will soften the bright light and add an original shade to the interior contents of the florarium.
- Hygrometer, thermometer. Controlling humidity and temperature is a mandatory procedure. For tropical plants, the required parameters must be observed. They are different from what we are used to, so you will have to constantly monitor them!
- Ventilation. For a florarium it is necessary to create cleanliness, freshness and air movement.
After preparing all the necessary technical equipment, we move on to choosing plants. Plants for the florarium are selected so that they match in size, color, texture, and requirements for conditions.
The most common inhabitants of mini-gardens are:
- Moss and fern. Sphagnum is most often used from mosses, and from ferns they choose species that grow slowly - polyrow, asplenium, pteris.
- Orchids, Saintpaulias, cyclamens.
- Cacti and succulents.
- Ivy.
Of course, the list is very short, but for beginning craftsmen it is not the quantity that is important, but the right combination of plants. Currently, florariums made from succulents are becoming very popular.
They look very impressive and are suitable for creating a “drought-resistant” composition.
We have decided on the types of plants, now we begin to design the bottom of the florarium. It is good to put a plastic grill on it. In this case, the plants do not have to be in water all the time. You can replace the grate with a layer of expanded clay or sand. Here they act as natural drainage.
There should always be water at the bottom. It can be in a special tray or at the bottom of the container. This condition must be met to create increased humidity. If you purchased plants that usually grow in swampy places, you will need a constant layer of water up to 20 cm thick. Drought-resistant plants will not require this condition.
We move on to filling the florarium with plants. First of all, you need to prepare a substrate for the type of plant that you will plant. This is another reason why they select the same type of “tenants” for a mini-garden. In addition to the substrate, additional design of the florarium will be required. Our plants need to be positioned correctly.
Ordinary shelves and ladders look too traditional. It is better to diversify the interior of the florarium with elements of “wild” nature.These can be original-shaped driftwood, stumps, or tree branches. Before placing them in a container, they should be treated against increased exposure to moisture. Here we can suggest, as an option, to wrap the tree in layers of sphagnum.
Light-loving plants are planted at the top of the florarium, shade-tolerant plants are planted lower. Orchids create special beauty. A wonderful background for them is ivies, ferns, tradescantia, asparagus. Do not use large-leaved or fast-growing plants.
Having completed all the steps, you can admire your work and do not forget about caring for the florarium. The florarium maintenance guide is based on the selected plants, but you will have to spray the leaves, clean the display case, shape and trim the shoots in any case.
Plants should be sprayed with purified water and diseased or overgrown plants should be removed in a timely manner. If you follow these simple rules, your florarium will be beautiful for a very long time.
