In the 1970s no fashionable interior was without a bottle garden or terrarium. Now these worlds in miniature are back and they’ve never been more popular. Use them to add a touch of retro glamour to your living space and to enjoy the fun of growing plants that thrive in a micro-climate.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
Glass bottle
Funnel
Clay pellets
Charcoal
Potting compost
Long-handled miniature trowel
Selection of plants
WHAT TO DO:
Fit the funnel to the top of the container and add a layer of clay pellets followed by a handful of charcoal. Pour in damp compost to a depth of 7cm, contouring the surface to create higher areas.
Make holes for the plants and using the trowel, lower them into place, cover the roots and firm down the soil, leaving around 3cm between plants to allow for growth. Finally pour a small amount of water down the inside of the glass.
PLANT SUGGESTIONS:
The atmosphere in a bottle garden is constantly damp, so it isn’t suitable for sempervivums or cacti, instead choose maidenhair ferns, polka-dot plants, fittonias and other rainforest natives, covering areas of bare soil with moss. Look for slow-growing plants with variegated leaves and aim to create contrasts between foliage colour and texture.
MAINTENANCE:
Place green bottle gardens closer to a window than plain bottles and use a sponge attached to a stick to clean the inside of the glass. Remove dead leaves promptly to prevent rot and replace fast-growing specimens as soon as they threaten to overtake the display.
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