Imagine an aquarium, except instead of fish and water there’s earth and plants inside. Terrariums are basically tiny eco-systems housed inside glass containers like bottles, jars or even vases.

Terrariums are a cross between a work of art and science and they’re ideal for people who love nature and plant life but live in typical urban areas with no garden or space for large plants. They’re for anyone who wants to bring the outdoors in and uplift their space. They’re also great for unwinding, de-stressing and even purifying the air in your home.

Yes. The main ones are closed and open, but nowadays they come in all shapes and sizes. Also, open and closed terrariums are very different in the way they function and the types of plants you can put in them. Generally, open terrariums are a bit like a bowl of plants and are best suited to plants that don’t like a hot and humid environment (think succulents, air plants, cacti, etc.). Closed terrariums, on the other hand, are best suited to plants that do enjoy a humid and moist environment and the options are endless.

If your terrarium is balanced with the right amount of soil, water and sunlight, and you follow the simple maintenance steps, it could last years — indefinitely even. However, we can’t guarantee longevity. What we can guarantee is that we’ll give you very clear and easy-to-follow instructions for how best to care for your terrarium and maximise its life span.

Not at all. Because of the small-scale water cycle that’s created within the terrarium, it’s mostly self-sufficient. The moisture in closed terrariums is constantly recycled, so they don’t need much care at all. It’s normal for there to be a layer of condensation on the inside of the glass container and water only needs to be added every three months. The only other thing to do is take the container lid off for around 15 minutes to air it out, at least once a month.

I sure can. Contact us with measurements/dimensions and we can give you a quote. It’s best to use a glass container as this will allow sunlight through so the plants can photosynthesise and grow.

Probably not. It depends on the plants inside, but even if they do grow, it won’t be significant. If you prefer a neater terrarium, you can always snip any tallish stems off. But if you like a lusher and wilder look you can let them grow. They won’t grow out or through the container.

This is the lazy gardener’s dream. A hydro planter is a soil-free vessel that nourishes plants through a water and nutrient solution. We have a growing selection of these beauties in our shop.