Last time, I wrote about terrariums in "Set It and Forget It" but did not include any links to additional information about terrarium or dish garden planting or maintenance. This time I do share some of my favorite links about these wonderful miniature tabletop gardens and making a terrarium or dish garden is so easy to do that I really do encourage everyone to try planting one just for the fun of it. They make great gifts, too.
I will be honest and admit that I did not try planting a terrarium of my own until last winter. Until then, I was reluctant to plant one because the books I had collected over the years made it sound intimidating and difficult and just plain fiddly -- not my kind of style at all since I am a bit clumsy (I never made it to ballet school) and not a neatnik either (let's just say I am naturally closer to the messy end of the continuum) and although I admire fine botanical achievements I am not the most patient of people as my family will be quick enough to tell you.
So please be assured that this is "doable" and even makes a great project for children if the plants are chosen wisely. And should untimely disaster occur or an unsightly situation develop within your mini garden, these quick and easy bits of Eden are tiny enough to be dumped out and restarted without much lost in time or materials.
Did I mention my main motivations for making the first one were a) I wanted to put a long-abandoned aquarium to good use and b) the household kitty cat likes to torture and munch on plants? Being a practical person, I decided to kill two birds with one stone and put the house plants I love inside a protective environment safe from marauding kitty and also safe from the dry indoor air we so often have during the winter heating season. At the same time, kitty is no longer at risk of accidental poisoning or in danger of the gardener's wrath for having upturned, stepped in, knocked over, broken, shredded, gnawed on or otherwise abused the irresistible but precious plants.
