Making Terrariums – Kew Online Course

Please note that the materials required are no longer available to purchase as a kit. You will need to source the following to make the Classic Terrarium:

• Glass container with cork stopper

• LECA (clay aggregate)

• Activated charcoal

• Substrate

• Mister

You will also need:

• Plants and moss – Joe will go over some options in the next video

• Scissors

• Artists' paintbrush

• Kitchen towel

• Long-handled tweezers (optional)

• Scoop (optional)

Joe also demonstrates two more types of terrarium – the Scenic and the Vertical terrarium – as well as going through general aftercare techniques and how to take your terrarium making to the next level. If you’d like to make all three terrariums, you’ll find a list of what's required in Resources.

Your plants and moss are what will really transform your projects from a jar of dirt into a living ecosystem. It’s important to pick the right plants, and to know which are the right plants we need to know what conditions a terrarium provides.

Now that you have chosen your plants, the next thing you’ll need is the container – the vessel in which your miniature world is going to be housed. The containers Joe demonstrates with are specially made for making terrariums and are ideal for beginners. However, if you are on a budget or want to repurpose a piece of glassware, here are some pointers for selecting your own containers.

To start our first project, we will begin by adding the growing medium to the glass container. Although we are layering the components, this is not essential, and they could be combined – the whole system should be seen as one substrate layer. So this is an aesthetic rather than a practical decision.

Now for the most fun part – we’re going to add our plants. Joe talks you through dividing up larger plants and how to add them into your substrate, as well as some design considerations.

The next type of terrarium we’ll look at creates a more scenic effect compared to the more botanical classic terrarium we just made, and often includes some hardscape materials. It's important to consider the scale of your design carefully to get the right effect – the aim is to create a miniature forest or woodland scene.

There are some extra considerations for choosing the plants to go into your scenic terrarium, mostly to do with scale and the depth of the scene. Let’s take a look at some good options.

Watch Joe create a more advanced style of terrarium – the Vertical Terrarium is slightly more challenging, so it's only for the brave!

Now that your terrarium or terrariums are complete, the question is, how do you take care of them and keep them thriving? They are fundamentally low-maintenance, but there are a few things you can do to give them the best chance.

Now that we’ve introduced you to the principles of terrarium making, you may be interested in taking your living art to the next level. One thing you might like to investigate is adding tiny creatures to your ecosystems. Jo takes you through a brief look at some critters you could eventually include.