Looking here much as they would in their native South African habitat, split rock plants are true mimics, having evolved to blend in with neighboring stones to avoid predation by foraging animals. In this terrarium, fragile split rock plants are well camouflaged among river rocks and delicate-looking selenite roses—only to divulge their hiding places in spring when they erupt in showy flower.
1 BLOWN-GLASS BUBBLE BOWL (10 INCHES TALL)
8 CUPS GARNET SAND
1 SPLIT ROCK PLANT (Pleiospilos nelii) (2-INCH POT)
1 ‘ROYAL FLUSH’ SPLIT ROCK PLANT (Pleiospilos nelii ‘Royal Flush’) (2-INCH POT)
2 CUPS MEXICAN RIVER ROCKS
2 SELENITE ROSES
2 GREEN RIVER ROCKS
5 SMALL RAW PYRITE STONES
Tip
Both the ordinary form of split rock plant and ‘Royal Flush’ (a selection whose plump leaves are suffused with purple), produce dramatic, 3-inch, pale peach blooms with a white center in summer. Flowers emerge from the cleft at the center of plant. Note that flowering only occurs when plants receive adequate water in the previous months of the growing season.
1. Clean terrarium glass inside and out.
2. Pour half of the garnet sand into terrarium.
3. Tap split rock plants out of pots and position them so they sit low (they can be lifted as sand is added) and scrape top layer of soil away from root balls.
4. Covering plants with your hand so sand does not lodge within crevices, pour remaining garnet sand around plants until no soil shows.
5. Scatter Mexican river rocks over half to two-thirds of the surface area, leaving one or two bare areas with garnet sand showing.
6. Position the selenite roses—perhaps half-burying one of them.
7. Place green river rocks.
8. Drop raw pyrite stones randomly among Mexican river rocks.
Care
Split rock plants do best in bright light with protection from hot afternoon sun in spring and summer, as terrarium glass intensifies heat. Water about 1/4 cup every 1 to 2 weeks in spring through fall, and provide only slight moisture in winter. A weak solution of quarter-strength fertilizer can be added periodically in spring and fall.
What makes this terrarium magical is the majestic beauty of this southern African caudiciform plant, propeller vine (Petopentia natalensis). A caudiciform plant is one with a caudex, or swollen stem, designed to store water in times of drought. With age, the caudex gradually swells, developing a unique character.
1 ROUND PYRAMID GLASS (9 INCHES TALL)
1 PROPELLER VINE (Petopentia natalensis) 4 CUPS GARNET SAND
1 CUP MONTEREY BEACH SAND
1. Clean terrarium glass inside and out.
2. While gently holding the propeller vine by the base of the stem in one hand, squeeze sides of pot to loosen with other hand and pull plant from pot. Scrape away topmost layer of soil from root ball.
3. Settle plant’s root ball where you want it and pour most of the garnet sand into the container until root ball is covered. Lightly shake the container to settle sand.
4. Add reserved sand to conceal any remaining potting soil and give the container another gentle shake.
5. Dust a layer of yellow Monterey beach sand around edges of terrarium using your hands to direct the sand’s fall.
Care
Propeller vine does best in bright filtered light. Avoid strong light as direct sun can burn foliage due to the intensifying effects of the glass terrarium. Every 1 to 2 weeks, pour 1/2 cup of water directly around base of plant. The plant itself is equipped to survive drought so allow it to dry out between watering (though not so much that it wilts). In spring and summer, water with quarter-strength fertilizer every few weeks.
Tip
When selecting your plant subject, look for one whose foliage will not rise above top of terrarium glass. Chances are that a young plant won’t have a very well-developed caudex—just be patient! Eventually it will grow and acquire character.
As tidy and simple as can be, this piece relies on an unusual cut wine glass shape containing a single, perfect aloe plant. This design can be replicated within any kind of stemmed glassware, which almost invites a taste or sip of the beauty.
1 CUT WINE GLASS (12 INCHES TALL)
1 HAWORTHIA-LEAVED ALOE (Aloe haworthioides)
1 CUP HEMATITE SAND
1. Clean terrarium glass inside and out.
2. Remove the aloe from its pot, scrape topmost layer of potting soil from root ball, and position plant in the cut wine glass.
3. Holding your hand over the plant to keep sand off the foliage, pour hematite sand around it until root ball is entirely concealed.
4. Gently shake glass to level sand.
Care
Haworthia-leaved aloe prefers part shade to bright filtered light. Maintain the terrarium in a window that receives just dappled morning sun and stringently avoid any direct, particularly hot, afternoon sun. Water every 1 to 2 weeks by pouring 1/2 cup of water around the roots of the plant. Fertilize every few weeks with quarter-strength balanced fertilizer.
Tip
Pick up glass and hold it level when watering so the sand doesn’t shift forward.
This sweet, seemingly impromptu vignette speaks in charming volumes: a little bit doting grandma, a little bit sassy young auntie. The soft color of the garnet sand is echoed in the tips of the succulent’s leaves and in the reddish-purple sea fan. An ornate silver tray provides a counterpoint to the simplicity of the terrarium itself, while the sea fan looks like a layer of lace.
1 HANGING TEARDROP VASE (9 INCHES TALL)
JUTE TWINE (1-FOOT LENGTH, KNOTTED)
EYE-HOOK OR OTHER CEILING ATTACHMENT (IF HANGING TEARDROP)
2 CUPS PURE QUARTZ SAND
1 PULIDO’S ECHEVERIA (Echeveria pulidonis) (2- TO 4-INCH POT)
2 CUPS GARNET SAND
SILVER AND GOLD HOOP EARRINGS
COYOTE TEETH (FOUND)
OPTIONAL: DRIED REDDISH-PURPLE SEA FAN, GLASS BOTTLE, OLD SILVER TRAY
Tip
It can be difficult to arrange the hoops and teeth toward the back of the teardrop—just toss them in and enjoy how they land.
1. Clean terrarium glass inside and out.
2. Tie knotted jute twine to glass teardrop.
Whether you’re making this design to sit on a tray or to suspend from the ceiling, set it up in position before filling it so that your sand and plant are aligned. If set on its side instead of suspended, this teardrop is best placed where it will be stable and won’t roll around.
3. Add pure quartz sand and shake to rear of teardrop.
4. Tap echeveria plant out of pot and scrape away topmost surface of soil from root ball.
5. Position echeveria toward center with rosette facing toward the opening and, cupping your hand over it to direct falling sand away from plant, pour garnet sand into terrarium around base of plant and toward the front.
6. Toss silver and gold hoops and coyote teeth behind the echeveria plant.
Care
Pulido’s echeveria prefers bright light with some protection from hot, midday summer sun. In summer, water every 1 to 2 weeks or whenever soil dries out to the touch. Pour 1/2 cup of water slowly over center of plant to moisten root ball. Apply a solution of quarter-strength fertilizer occasionally during spring and summer. In winter, keep plant quite dry, watering rarely or only when soil is completely dry, every 3 or more weeks.
This terrarium beautifully captures the look of the living stone plant in its native, bone-dry, rocky environment. Almost indistinguishable from the river rocks in which it’s nestled, this tough natural mimic seems to disappear from sight among the softly rounded, cinnamon-colored stones.
1 CURVY GLASS JAR (5 INCHES TALL)
1 1/2 CUPS PURE QUARTZ SAND
1 LIVING STONE PLANT (Lithops species) (2-INCH POT)
FLAT ROCK OR PIECE OF TAPE
1/2 CUP MEXICAN RIVER ROCKS
CHOPSTICKS
1. Clean terrarium glass inside and out.
2. Pour 3/4 cup of the pure quartz sand into terrarium.
3. Tap living stone plant out of pot and carefully scrape the top layer of soil away from root ball.
4. Position the plant so it sits low (it can be lifted as sand is added).
5. Covering plant with flat rock or piece of tape so sand does not lodge within fissure, pour remaining pure quartz sand around plant’s base until no soil shows.
6. Drop Mexican river rocks around back and sides of the living stone. Use chopsticks to move the stones around as needed.
Care
Living stones are easy to care for once established, but don’t be surprised if you lose a young plant. They do best in bright light with protection from hot afternoon sun in spring and summer. Apply a small amount of water (a few tablespoons) every 2 weeks during the growing season, typically spring until early winter. Then cut back water in winter and just mistoccasionally. Quarter-strength fertilizer can be applied in spring and fall.
Living stones are sensitive to cold (temperatures below 40 degrees F) so move terrarium back from window during very cold weather. They are also vulnerable to sunburn, especially when moved quickly from shade to sun, so it’s ideal to provide a gradual transition.
Tip
This terrarium is most striking when the living stone plant and rocks are closely matched, as they might be in nature. Living stones are found in shades of cream, gray, brown, and olive green, often with patterns of dark lattice, dots, and lines, which help obscure plants from predators. Search out rocks that help camouflage your living stone plant.
Nested within a simple cut glass vessel, this serene composition of a solitary succulent emerging from apricot sand, glistening amber pebbles, and bleached bone-colored stone evokes the spare, pristine purity of an arid desertscape. The small pieces of carnelian agate sprinkled in front bring out the peachy tones of the sparkly vanadinite.
1 CUT GLASS CONTAINER (8 INCHES TALL)
1 FAIRY WASHBOARD PLANT (Haworthia limifolia) (4-INCH POT)
4 CUPS PURE QUARTZ SAND
1 CUP MONTEREY BEACH SAND
2 SELENITE ROSES
1 VANADINITE ON BARITE STONE
1/2 CUP WHITE PEBBLES
1/2 CUP MONTEREY BEACH PEBBLES
1 HANDFUL SMALL CARNELIAN AGATE
Tip
In general, a vessel with a wide opening is an extra-suitable environment for a succulent or cactus because it provides good air circulation and less concentrated heat than a narrow or lidded glass container.
1. Clean terrarium glass inside and out.
2. Add 4 cups of pure quartz sand.
3. Grasp the haworthia by its foliage and squeeze the pot to remove the root ball.
4. Scrape top layer of soil away from the haworthia root ball. Hold succulent with root ball intact so it sits a bit lower than you want it (it can always be lifted after sand is added).
5. Covering the haworthia with your hand so sand does not lodge within leaves, pour Monterey beach sand all around it, covering plant’s base with sand until no soil shows.
6. Place the selenite roses and piece of vanadinite on barite.
7. Pour white pebbles around margins of container and add Monterey beach pebbles, blending a bit with the sand.
8. Sprinkle a few carnelian agates in front of the vanadinite on barite.
Care
Haworthias prefer bright light—in full sun, they can develop an attractive reddish cast. To keep green, position where it will receive a half-day of direct light or a full day of bright, indirect light. (Take care to pull away from a blasting, full-sun window in summer, as the concentrated heat in a terrarium can burn haworthia foliage.) Place in full sun in winter. Water haworthia about every 1 to 2 weeks by slowly pouring 1/2 cup of water directly on top of the plant so that water sinks into the root ball. Watch succulents for signs of shriveling or browning tips and increase watering if necessary.
A beautiful aged-brass stand in the Art Nouveau–style cradles a curved glass bowl: a dashing setting for a flame-shaped aloe plant. Raw pyrite—from the Greek word meaning “fire”—resembles glowing embers at the base of the aloe torch.
1 GLASS BOWL (6 × 5 INCHES)
1 VINTAGE BRASS STAND (10 INCHES TALL)
5 CUPS MONTEREY BEACH SAND
1 BOWIE’S ALOE (Aloe bowiea) (2-INCH POT)
9 SMALL RAW PYRITE STONES
OPTIONAL ALTAR:
3 PIECES OF SOFTWOOD, SUCH AS FIR (DIPTYCH PIECES, 24 × 12 INCHES; BASE 6 INCHES DEEP AND 12 INCHES WIDE)
12 MEDIUM RAW PYRITE STONES FOR BASE OF ALTAR
1. Clean terrarium glass inside and out.
2. Grasp plant by base of foliage and squeeze pot to remove root ball.
3. Scrape top layer of soil away from root ball.
4. Hold plant with root ball intact so it sits low (it can be lifted as sand is added).
5. Covering plant with your hand so sand does not lodge within leaves, pour Monterey beach sand all around plant’s base until no soil shows.
6. Situate small raw pyrite stones around the base of the plant.
Care
Bowie’s aloe prefers bright light; just pull terrarium away from window on hot summer days, as terrarium glass intensifies heat. In winter, keep plant on the dry side, watering every 2 to 3 weeks. In summer, water plant every 1 to 2 weeks or whenever soil dries out to the touch. Pour 1/2 to 3/4 cup of water slowly over the roots of the plant. Fertilize occasionally with a solution of quarter-strength fertilizer during spring and summer. This glass base is fairly small so beware of overwatering plant, as roots could rot.
Tip
Build a simple altar for this terrarium by cutting the wood backing with a jigsaw in a lancet shape, split down the middle. To achieve the look of a diptych, flip one of the two pieces of wood to show a different grain. The base is made from a separate piece of wood, glued to the back. Attach to the wall with low-profile picture hanging hardware. Leave it rustic, apply gold leaf, or paint it. If you desire, place medium-sized raw pyrite stones around the base of the altar—or leave the space free for something else.
Simple but striking, this design has a dark edge—just a hint of cloak-and-dagger—thanks to the inky underside of the peperomia plant’s leaves and the glistening black sand. Against the dark hematite, the quartz sand looks like an unexpected dusting of snow on a volcano.
1 PYRAMID GLASS (11 X 5 INCHES)
1 COSTA RICAN PEPEROMIA (Peperomia costaricensis) 5 CUPS HEMATITE SAND
1 CUP PURE QUARTZ SAND
1. Clean terrarium glass inside and out.
2. Gently holding the peperomia plant by the base of the stem in one hand, squeeze sides of pot to loosen with the other hand, and pull plant from pot.
3. Scrape away topmost layer of soil from root ball and settle plant’s root ball where you want it.
4. Holding your hand over the plant to protect it, pour most of the hematite sand into container until root ball is covered and gently shake to settle the sand. Add reserved sand to conceal any remaining potting soil and give the container another gentle shake.
5. Dust a layer of quartz sand on top of hematite sand around edges of terrarium using your hands to direct sand’s fall and keep sand from landing on plant.
Care
Bright, indirect or dappled, partial sun is ideal for the peperomia. Too little light and the leaves will lose the purple tint and turn green; too much and the leaves will bleach and burn. Peperomia plants also appreciate humidity but need to dry out between watering. Slowly pour approximately 1/2 cup of water directly on base of plant every 1 to 2 weeks, depending on how much light and warmth the plant receives.
Tip
Before watering check soil with fingers to be sure it isn’t still damp. If you can’t find a Costa Rican peperomia, any other peperomia with small, smooth leaves will do. Peperomias with crinkled leaves will produce a very different look—which you might like!
Sweet, clean, and simple, this trio of slender bubbly glasses holds a handsomely contrasting collection of tough little succulent plants that vary from one another just enough to command attention. Vive la différence!
3 TAPERED GLASSES (6 AND 7 INCHES TALL)
6 CUPS PURE QUARTZ SAND
1 ‘TOM THUMB’ CRASSULA (2-INCH POT)
1 SILVER SQUILL (Ledebouria socialis) (2-INCH POT)
1 RAINBOW BUSH (Portulacaria afra ‘Variegata’) (2-INCH POT)
1/2 CUP WHITE PEBBLES
1 SMALL DECORATIVE BIRD
1. Clean terrarium glass inside and out.
2. Add about 1 cup of pure quartz sand to each container. (Add varying levels of sand to each if making these as a grouping.)
3. Tap the plants out of their pots and scrape away topmost surface of soil. You may need to manipulate the root ball—or snip off edges if root balls are too wide to fit.
4. Place one plant in each glass and pour approximately 1 cup of pure quartz sand around each plant. Be sure to hold your hand over the plants to protect them from the sand. Plant the silver squill high, with part of the bulb exposed. To do this, brush away all visible soil from the top half of bulb before planting so that no soil clings to the bulb above the pebbles.
5. Add white pebbles to the top of each glass.
6. Set the decorative bird into the glass that contains the rainbow bush.
Care
All three plants are adaptable to varying light levels ranging from light shade to bright light. Ideally, position plants where they will receive a half-day of direct light or a full day of bright, indirect light. (Take care to pull away from blasting, full-sun windows in summer.) Water every 1 to 2 weeks by slowly pouring 1/2 cup of water directly over plant so that water sinks into the root ball. Watch for signs of shriveling or browning tips and increase watering if necessary. Apply a balanced quarter-strength fertilizer monthly during spring and summer.
Tip
The narrow bases and slender profiles of these glasses makes them perfect additions to a windowsill—particularly one you look at closely every day, such as in front of the kitchen sink!
Two clear glass test tubes—perfect for incubating live organisms—offer two small succulents a better life through science. Fill them in with sedimentary layers of materials from the Earth’s crust and watch the plants grow.
2 TEST TUBES (8 X 1 1/2 INCHES)
1 CUP CRUSHED LAVA ROCK
1/4 CUP MONTEREY BEACH PEBBLES
1 HANDFUL SMALL BLACK RIVER ROCKS
2 SPRIGS CREAM REINDEER MOSS
1 SUNRISE PLANT (Anacampseros telephiastrum ‘Variegata’) (2- TO 4-INCH POT, WITH POTTING MIX)
1 CUP MONTEREY BEACH SAND
1 JADE PLANT (Crassula ovata) IN BLOOM (2- TO 4-INCH POT, WITH POTTING MIX)
JUTE TWINE FOR SUSPENDING TEST TUBES
EYE-HOOK OR OTHER CEILING ATTACHMENT
1. Clean terrarium glass inside and out.
2. Add the following materials to the first test tube, tamping down firmly after each addition: crushed lava rock, a thin layer of Monterey beach pebbles, a handful of small black river rocks, and a sprig of cream reindeer moss. Then, unpot the sunrise plant, scraping away the topmost surface of soil, and add the plant with potting mix. Finish by sprinkling a layer of Monterey beach pebbles over the top surface.
3. For the second test tube, add most of the Monterey beach sand and then a sprig of cream reindeer moss. Tamp down after each addition. Unpot the jade plant, scraping away the topmost surface of soil, and add the plant with potting mix. Finish by sprinkling a layer of Monterey beach sand on top.
4. Wrap jute twine a few times underneath test tube rims. Knot to secure it and suspend from secure eye-hooks.
Care
The sunrise plant and jade plant both prefer bright light—just protect terrarium from direct sun during the hottest summer months. Water every 1 to 2 weeks in summer; every 2 to 3 weeks in winter. Fertilize occasionally in spring and summer with quarter-strength balanced fertilizer.
Tip
It is important to tamp the materials after each addition so that the layers are crisp and tightly packed. You can use the blunt end of a wood stake or anything you have around with a flat end.
It’s fine—and often desirable—if the tubes don’t hang exactly level.
Clean, simple, and totally self-contained—as perfect a sight as a star in the night sky. Baseball plant (Euphorbia obesa) often exhibits beautiful patterning and ribbing which makes it a worthy subject of contemplation. Luckily, every inch of this divine succulent can be admired up close through the chunky, clear, glass square.
1 SHORT PYRAMID GLASS (5 INCHES TALL)
5 CUPS MONTEREY BEACH SAND
1 BASEBALL PLANT (Euphorbia obesa) (2- OR 4-INCH POT)
PASTRY BRUSH OR PAINTBRUSH
3 CUPS PURE QUARTZ SAND
1. Clean terrarium glass inside and out.
2. Pour 1 cup of Monterey beach sand into terrarium, forming a hill toward the center.
3. Tap the baseball plant out of pot, scrape away topmost surface of soil, and position plant toward center on “hill.”
4. Cupping your hand over it to protect it from the sand, pour 3 more cups of Monterey beach sand into the terrarium around plant.
5. Use a brush to push sand up a bit toward center, following the arc of the glass container’s base.
6. Add 1 cup of pure quartz sand—pour around the edges of the glass first, then move in to the center once you have covered the edges.
7. With the remaining Monterey beach sand, create another layer, pouring it first around the edges.
8. Use the remaining pure quartz sand to fill in around the plant.
9. Contour the top layer with the brush.
Care
Baseball plant thrives in bright, indirect light, or a half to full day of sun; just pull terrarium away from window on hot summer days, as terrarium glass intensifies heat. In winter, keep plant on the dry side, watering every 2 to 3 weeks. In summer, water plant every 1 to 2 weeks or whenever soil dries out to the touch. To water, pour 1/2 cup of water slowly on top of plant so water drips down sides onto roots. Apply a weak solution of quarter-strength fertilizer every other watering during spring and summer.
Euphorbias emit a white sap that can be toxic or poisonous. After handling euphorbias, always wash your hands thoroughly and avoid touching your eyes.
Tip
Baseball plant can feel top-heavy when unpotting, as if the top could separate from the delicate roots. Hold plant securely by top so the roots aren’t damaged while transplanting and be sure plant sits securely in sand and doesn’t wiggle once planted.
A tangle of hearts resting on a bed of crystalline quartz sand—a tiny tempest in a teardrop. As the vine grows, the petite, heart-shaped leaves spill luxuriantly out of the teardrop; clip them or let them flow forth.
1 HANGING TEARDROP VASE (9 INCHES TALL)
JUTE TWINE FOR SUSPENDING TEARDROP
EYE-HOOK OR OTHER CEILING ATTACHMENT
3 CUPS PURE QUARTZ SAND
1 STRING OF HEARTS VINE (Ceropegia woodii) (2- OR 4-INCH POT)
1. Clean terrarium glass inside and out.
2. Attach jute twine to glass and hang before filling to make sure length is correct.
3. Tilt the teardrop backward and pour in about 1 cup of pure quartz sand.
4. Tap the string of hearts vine out of pot and scrape top layer of soil away from root ball.
5. Swirl long strands of vine into an artful tangle (try rolling it in a loose circle, with a strand or two teased out so it can hang from front opening).
6. Position the tangled vine toward the center of the terrarium and hold it up in one cupped palm while pouring in most of the remaining pure quartz sand with your other hand until base of plant is completely covered.
7. Tilt teardrop upright again and give a little shake to level sand. Use reserved quartz sand to cover the plant’s base if any soil is visible.
Care
String of hearts vine prefers bright to partial light, with some protection from hot, midday summer sun. In summer, water every 1 to 2 weeks or whenever soil dries out to the touch. Pour 1/2 cup of water slowly over center of plant (root ball). Apply a solution of quarter-strength fertilizer occasionally during spring and summer. In winter, keep plant on the dry side, watering every 2 to 3 weeks or when soil is completely dry. The plant resents overwatering so be sure roots dry out between watering.
Tip
String of hearts vine develops a caudex (swollen, woody stem) over time. Under optimal conditions, this succulent vine from South Africa, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe will produce upturned, tubular, lavender to purple flowers with maroon stamens in summer and fall, particularly when roots are slightly crowded.
This terrarium’s considerable charm lies in the contrast between the dynamic, lively, larval form of the crassula plant and the neatly arranged, static formality of the carefully—even meticulously—patterned sand below.
1 TALL GLASS PYRAMID (12 INCHES TALL)
6 CUPS PURE QUARTZ SAND
1 CUP GARNET SAND
1 JADE NECKLACE PLANT (Crassula rupestris subsp. marnieriana) (2-INCH POT)
1. Clean terrarium glass inside and out.
2. Pour 4 cups of pure quartz sand into the terrarium.
3. Add a thin layer of garnet sand (1/4 cup), ensuring each side of the glass has a thin line of sand (although a little imperfection can be lovely too).
4. Continue layering 1/4 cup of pure quartz sand and 1/4 cup of garnet sand until there are three lines of garnet sand.
5. Grasp plant by base of foliage and squeeze pot to remove root ball.
6. Scrape top layer of soil away from root ball. Hold plant with root ball intact so it sits a bit lower than you want it (it can always be lifted as sand is added).
7. Covering plant with your hand so sand does not lodge within leaves, pour pure quartz sand all around plant’s base until no soil shows.
8. Scatter the remaining garnet sand on the top surface.
Care
Jade necklace plant needs bright light but make sure to protect it from the hottest afternoon sun, as the ultra narrow terrarium glass intensifies heat. In winter, keep plant a little on the dry side, watering every 2 to 3 weeks. In summer, water weekly or whenever soil dries out to the touch. Pour 1/2 cup of water slowly onto plant. Water with a solution of quarter-strength fertilizer during spring and summer.
Tip
Crassula root balls can fall apart easily, so grasp the plant’s stems and hold them together until you have secured it in the sand.
If the plant gets too dry a leaf may randomly die out along the stem. If this happens, you can cut the stem below the dried leaf and it will branch from that point.
Fine quartz sand layered with bands of nobbly white pebbles forms a solid base for a topdressing of larger cream and green river rocks and a striking, lustrous crystal point. The smooth, worn stones intensify the dramatic, undulating margins of the plant’s leaves. The pale, subtle colors seem almost to be bathed in moonlight.
1 GLASS CYLINDER (12 X 8 INCHES)
6 CUPS PURE QUARTZ SAND
PASTRY BRUSH OR PAINTBRUSH
8 CUPS WHITE PEBBLES
1 HANDFUL NATURAL LICHEN
1 SILVER CROWN PLANT (Cotyledon undulata) (2- OR 4-INCH POT)
1 LARGE QUARTZ CRYSTAL POINT
2 HANDFULS GREEN RIVER ROCKS
2 HANDFULS WHITE RIVER ROCKS
4 SMALL AND MEDIUM QUARTZ POINTS
1 SMALL CITRINE POINT
Tip
To prevent sand sifting down, tamp top layer of white pebbles firmly before adding lichen and plant—then gently add layer of sand. And avoid shaking or moving this terrarium, as sand tends to shift over time.
1. Clean terrarium glass inside and out.
2. Add 3 cups of pure quartz sand to base of container and brush sand up in a curve as high as possible on just one side.
3. To the low side, add 4 cups of white pebbles, tamping them down to settle. Pour 1 cup of pure quartz sand in a layer over white pebbles, followed by the rest of the white pebbles, still on the low side.
4. Make a small bed of lichen, leaving the center open.
5. Tap silver crown plant out of pot, nestle into lichen, and pour the remaining 2 cups of pure quartz sand around it to “plant” it.
6. Place quartz crystal, point facing up, near the plant.
7. Loosely pile green river rocks and white river rocks around edges of cylinder.
8. Position quartz and citrine points.
Care
Silver crown plant thrives in bright, indirect light or a half to full day of sun; just pull terrarium away from window on hot summer days, as terrarium glass intensifies heat. In winter, keep plant on the dry side, watering every 2 to 3 weeks. In summer, water plant every 1 to 2 weeks or whenever soil dries out to the touch. To water, pour 1/2 cup of water slowly on base of plant so water reaches roots. Apply a weak solution of quarter-strength fertilizer every other watering during spring and summer.
This large golden globe suffuses the sand and living stone plants with the warm amber glow of a shimmering hot South African afternoon. The fact that the terrarium contains water adds an intriguing layer of complexity. If living stones could dream, they would surely dream of water—so tantalizingly close yet impossible to reach.
1 BLOWN-GLASS BUBBLE BOWL (15 X 15 INCHES)
12 CUPS MONTEREY BEACH SAND
7 LIVING STONE PLANTS (Lithops species)
1 LARGE COOPER’S HAWORTHIA PLANT (Haworthia cooperi var. pilifera)
PASTRY BRUSH OR SMALL PAINTBRUSH
VINTAGE AMBER VASE ON PEDESTAL
2 SMALL PIECES OF BRACKET FUNGUS
1 HANDFUL MONTEREY BEACH PEBBLES
1 HANDFUL WHITE PEBBLES
A FEW ORNAMENTAL GRASS FLOWER STALKS IN VASE (HERE, Pennisetum orientale ‘Karley Rose’ AND AN UNIDENTIFIED ROADSIDE WEED)
Tip
Living stone roots are fragile so be very careful when you scrape the soil away from the root ball.
When planting this terrarium, you might have better luck with the haworthia if you decide which will be the window-side (sunny) and position the haworthia plants on the shady side of the bracket fungi or any outcroppings you might add. Alternatively, you might try replacing the haworthia with a petite, yet more sun-tolerant succulent with a similar look.
1. Clean terrarium glass inside and out.
2. Pour 6 cups of Monterey beach sand into terrarium, creating a slightly higher level in back.
3. Determine where vase will sit and keep a suitable amount of space clear for it.
4. Tap living stone plants out of pots and carefully scrape top layer of soil away from root balls.
5. Unpot the haworthia and separate it into individual lobes so you have 7 small plants, each with a little soil attached.
6. Position plants on sand base so they sit low (they can be lifted as sand is added) and, keeping sand out of the living stone plants’ crevices, pour remaining Monterey beach sand around plants’ bases until no soil shows.
7. Use a pastry brush or small paintbrush to contour sand and, while you’re at it, brush any sand out of plants’ foliage. Gently lift any plants that are planted too deeply (you want soil level to be just below sand).
8. Settle vase in terrarium, adjusting surrounding plants slightly if needed.
9. Place the bracket fungi and scatter handfuls of Monterey beach pebbles and white Asian pebbles.
10. Pour water into vase and arrange grass flower stalks in vase.
Care
Living stones are easy to care for once established, but don’t be surprised if you lose a young plant. They do best in bright light with protection from hot afternoon sun in spring and summer. Apply a small amount of water (a few tablespoons) every 2 weeks during the growing season, typically spring until early winter. Then cut back water in winter and just mist occasionally. Quarter-strength fertilizer can be applied in spring and fall.
Living stones are sensitive to cold (temperatures below 40 degrees F) so move terrarium back from window during very cold weather. They are also vulnerable to sunburn, especially when moved quickly from shade to sun, so it’s ideal to provide a gradual transition.
The epitome of simplicity, this exquisitely formed echeveria with garnet-suffused leaf undersides sits atop a bed of garnet sand, like an impeccable porcelain rose. This little vessel of beauty is about as visually perfect as a terrarium can be.
1 GLASS CONTAINER (8 X 8 INCHES)
1 ‘LOLA’ ECHEVERIA (4-INCH POT)
5 CUPS GARNET SAND
1 CUP PURE QUARTZ SAND
1. Clean terrarium glass inside and out.
2. To unpot the echeveria, gently squeeze sides of pot to loosen while pulling plant from pot with other hand.
3. Scrape away topmost layer of soil from root ball.
4. Settle plant’s root ball where you want it and pour most of the garnet sand into container until root ball is covered. Gently shake the container to settle sand.
5. Add reserved garnet sand to conceal any remaining potting soil and give it another gentle shake.
6. Dust a layer of pure quartz sand around edges of terrarium using your hands to direct sand’s fall.
Care
Indoors, echeverias prefer bright light; just pull terrarium away from window on hot summer days. In winter, keep plant on the dry side to avoid rot, watering lightly every 2 to 3 weeks. In summer, drench plant weekly (or whenever soil dries out to the touch) by slowly pouring 1/2 cup of water onto the roots of the plant. Use a weak solution of quarter-strength fertilizer every other week during spring and summer.
Tip
This design depends on a perfect plant! Groom plant carefully, pulling out any damaged leaves—or leaving them if they look interestingly withered. Just be careful about poking the fleshy foliage with anything sharp, as such damage shows up permanently. Also, excessive handling leaves finger prints when you rub the powdery coating off the surface of the foliage.
This design conjures up the lost world of meso-American indigenous civilization—a village of tiny cliff dwellings, surrounded by gravel and with enormous aloes (actually, teeny-weeny echeveria plants, but who’s telling?) dotting the landscape.
2 SQUARE GLASS VASES WITH RIMS (6 INCHES AND 5 INCHES TALL)
2 DWARF ECHEVERIAS (Echeveria bella f. bella)
9 CUPS MONTEREY BEACH SAND
2 HAND-CARVED VINE BARK MEXICAN HOUSES (ONE SMALL, ONE LARGE)
5 SMALL PIECES DRIFTWOOD
1 SMALL HANDFUL MONTEREY BEACH PEBBLES
1/4 CUP PURE QUARTZ SAND
1. Clean terrarium glass inside and out.
2. Grasp echeveria plants by base of foliage, squeeze pot to remove root balls, and scrape top layer of soil away from root balls.
3. In the larger glass vase, place plants with root balls intact so they sit low (they can be lifted as sand is added), positioning them to one side so that there will be room for the smaller house. Cover plants with your hand (so sand does not lodge within leaves) and pour 6 cups of Monterey beach sand all around them until no soil shows. Position a large chunk of driftwood to one side at the back, with the small Mexican house in a cozy spot toward the other side at the back. Lay Monterey beach pebbles for a path.
4. In the smaller vase, pour 3 cups of Monterey beach sand. Set remaining pieces of driftwood at back of terrarium and place larger house in front of it, leaving some room in the front for an arc of dusted pure quartz sand.
Care
Provide bright light for the echeverias, remembering to pull terrarium away from the window on hot summer days, as terrarium glass intensifies heat. In winter, keep plants on the dry side, watering every 2 to 3 weeks. In summer, water weekly or whenever soil dries out to the touch. Pour 1/2 to 3/4 cup of water slowly over center of plants. Apply a solution of quarter-strength fertilizer occasionally during spring and summer.
Tip
It’s especially fun to build these terrariums as a pair, creating a village-like feeling. If you are particularly ambitious, you can add to the grouping—just increase the amount of materials proportionally. If Mexican bark houses are not available, try little toy houses made out of other materials. Tiny, handmade houses are interesting to find in crafts markets, both local and foreign.
