Fields & Asphalt

July in Linden, AB

No matter how much I love living in Vancouver, part of me will always be a country girl. I go through very regular cycles of homesickness. I miss my family, my oldest friends, the uncomplicated and less stress-filled life...but I also know that I am exactly where I need to be right now. Typically these cycles coincide with the seasons; July in Alberta is unmatched in beauty, though "winters" in Vancouver are much more tolerable than those in the prairies. I am a summer baby and I find that I so often spend my time yearning for muggy hot summer, that I forget that Spring is probably my favorite season of all, even in the city. Spring has always brought change and upheaval to my life. A year ago I unexpectedly moved to Vancouver and started my life over from scratch. I can't believe how fast that year has gone by! Deciding to move on was one of the best decisions I've ever made. Now, a year later, as Spring unfolds yet again, I feel  that rush and anticipation for what this year may bring. Spring, in my world, is the beginning of the new year; the world feels refreshed and reset, and just as eager as I am to get on with it.

I live in a particularly magical area of Vancouver, and as I was out for a morning stroll today, there was an unmistakably lightness that reminded me of home. Perhaps it was the sweetness in the air from the dewy grass and blooming trees, or just the particular warmth of the sun--I was suddenly transported back to lilac and crocus lined coulees of Linden, Alberta. I must admit that I generally find the bright colours of spring blooms like tulips and daffodils tacky (I am more of a foliage girl after all). But with the cherry and magnolia trees beginning to bloom, garish spring blooms just fade into the background. 

I just wanted to take a moment this morning to share my love of Spring with you, and I hope that as you go about your week, you too feel recharged and enjoy the simple pleasures of the season. 

Hellebore. 

FAQ's & Answers

I apologize for having not posted in a while; between a hectic life schedule and battling the flu, time has most certainly gotten away from me! But now I'm on the mend and I see that Spring has firmly arrived in Vancouver, so maybe it's worth getting out of bed. All whining aside, in this post I want to address a couple questions I regularly get asked regarding watering, replanting, and mold.

How often should I water my terrarium?

Watering schedules are dictated by three factors: plants, vessel, and location. For a more traditional terrarium containing tropicals plants, mosses, ferns, air plants, bromeliads, orchids, etc. you will want to keep humidity levels high, and the soil just moist (not soggy!). If the terrarium is more of a xeriscape (cacti, succulents, sansevaria, etc.) let it dry out between watering. Succulents are great at telling you when they need water: if they start to shrivel up and look like the skin on your elbow, it needs a drink--otherwise leave it be! If the terrarium is mostly or entirely enclosed, it is unlikely that you'll need more than the occasional spritzing of water just to help maintain the humidity. If the terrarium has more of an open top, you'll probably have to keep a closer eye on the moisture levels. As terrariums do not have drainage holes to allow excess water to run out, it is essential that you NOT OVER-WATER! If in doubt, stick your finger right into the soil; if it is dry and inch down you can water, but if it is soppy, let it dry out and keep your eye on it. The location of where you place the terrarium affects it as well. If you put even a full enclosed terrarium by a heat source, you'll probably have to water it fairly often. If it is in a bright window getting lots of indirect light, you'll probably have to water a little more regularly than you would if it were sitting on a coffee table with less light. Is is in a moist room (such as a bathroom)? You may never have to water it! You also have to take into account how dry the air is in the location in which the terrarium will go. Lots to consider! Generally, a light water once a week for tropicals is fine, and once every two-three weeks for a succulent terrarium. When you do water, make sure you water evenly, making sure that every plant gets some water to its roots. Watering unevenly can lead to plant death or mold. 

A xeriscape terrarium like this requires very little water

Does my terrarium need replanting?

The Bean 2.0

Again, it depends on the plants. Plants such as cacti, succulents, sansevaria, moss, palms, and bromeliads don't have much of a root system so you generally don't need to worry about them getting root bound.  Succulents LOVE to grow up all close together in tight little bunches; they're like a happy little family. Don't destroy that happy little commune that they've built up! If you do though, they will probably forgive you because they're cool like that. On the other hand, some tropical plants get quite large and are quite competitive for space within a container. Ficus elastica wants to be a very large tree, diefenbachia becomes a large plant, ferns and mosses often take over... In such instances, it really is up to the person maintaining the terrarium as to whether they remove the gangling or disproportionate plants. For instance, I recently had to replant my beloved "The Bean" (long story short, it got vandalized  my heart broke), and when doing so, I found that that the diefenbachia was starting to struggle as it had simply grown too large. So I left it out, but salvaged the palm (and the turtle) for the new terrarium. If a plant has leaves that are turning yellow or a succulent that has going black and mushy (a.k.a. rotting) it may need to be replaced because it has been over-watered and is a potential threat to the rest of the terrarium. If you have leaves that are turning crusty and brown, you probably need to give the plant more water, or the terrarium is getting too much direct light and the plants are literally frying. In this case, you can probably get away with just removing the dead leaves rather than removing the whole plant.

What do I do if I see mold?

Mold is pretty much inevitable with a terrarium, so if you have it, don't worry it isn't you, it's the fact that a terrarium is a living breathing environment full of organic matter and moisture. Mold can happen for a number of reasons. Often it happens because the container is over-planted and the plants within it don't have the room they need to grow and breath. Just as often it is because there is moisture trapped somewhere and the heat produced from the photosynthesizing plants is providing a delightful environment for mold to grow. If you see mold on the ground within your terrarium do things immediately: try and remove as much as you can, and clear the area around the mold so as to let air get to it. Then, let the terrarium dry out a bit. You may be over-watering, or you may be watering unevenly. Figure that out, and keep your eye on the mold situation. If you see a molding plant, don't panic! If it is just a molding leaf, remove the leaf right away and try to get more air into your terrarium by either letting the humidity and moisture levels drop or by removing the cover (if it has one). If the entire plant has turned, remove it immediately, check the soil where it was to make sure there is no mold, and again, let the terrarium dry out and get more air. Keep a close eye on the welfare of your other plants to make sure there is no more mold. But again, don't panic if you see mold! It's not you, it's the fact that you are playing with a tiny environment of living, photosynthesizing organic matter. It happens. A little mold is nothing to worry about, just make sure it doesn't become a problem.

The NW Special

I hope that this has answered some of your questions! What I really hope is evident here is that you do not have to be a so called "green thumb" to keep a terrarium alive. It's just the rudimentary science we all learned in primary school! Plants need a degree of moisture to photosynthesize  Too much moisture + not enough oxygen = mold. Just think about how our own world works: it rains sometimes, it's dryer sometimes. If it rains too much or too hard, it floods, plant life washes away and things drown. When it is too dry, plant life is suffocated and dies. But at some point, everything tries to balance out. Find the balance!

Imagination & Inspiration Part II: A Gallery

I've been keeping quite busy making terrariums (because I have the most amazing customers in the world!), and it's probably time to share a few more things that I've been working on. 

The Drops

The Drops

Little did I know that these teardrop terrariums would be among the most coveted I've ever had the opportunity to play with! I stumbled upon them at the Flower Factory on Main Street (one of my favorite local haunts), and was immediately smitten. Literally the next day, a customer approached me about wanting a pair of teardrop terrariums--fate! Some things are just meant to be.

I chose to do all succulents, haworthia, and cacti for this customer, not just because he claims to kill everything, but because those plant selections play up the semi-nautical/oceanic feel of the terrariums themselves. I'm going through a bit of a variegated sansevaria addiction right now, and I absolutely love how it looks like bull kelp in the drops, really anchoring (sorry) an "under-the-sea" feel. The cactus in the one drop is pretty amazing too: it looks like a gnarly cancerous tumor on its own , but here it looks like a chunk of reef or a weird anemone. I also wanted to keep a very organic feel to these terrariums. Rather than finish them off with sand and stone, I used mosses, polished rock, and lichen covered sticks--it just gives it a bit more of a unique and unexpected appeal. 

Terrariums like these require a lot of sun or bright light, but they require minimal watering--if you neglect it, all will be well. This customer chose to hang them in his windows, and I cannot think of a better home for them! If succulents don't get enough light, they either stretch for it or they die. If you find yourself with a stretching succulent, you can either turn it towards more light, take cutting from it and try again, or remove the leggy beast and move on with your life. 

The Jurassic

The Jurassic

I LOVE this bubble bowl. It was almost too much fun to work with; I had a hard time parting with it! I ordered this particular bowl directly through the lovely gentlemen at Coal Harbour Floral & Green Design after seeing it in their shop. When the order came in for a large terrarium for a large round desk at a law firm downtown, this was the only terrarium that I could think of that could be so spectacular. 

I kept to tropicals and tillandsias for this terrarium because it is pretty enclosed, and will therefore should maintain a higher humidity and require less watering. This style of terrarium simply requires bright indirect light, and someone to check on it once and a while to ensure that the soil is moist. I would think it would be okay with a bit of water once every other week at most, but a nice spritz once or twice a week. The important thing is to not let the soil and moss become soggy or there will be mold. If you find mold, pull it and any infected plants out right away and let it dry out a bit. It is less heartbreaking to replace one plant than to have to replant an entire jungle! 

In case you're wondering, in this terrarium I used: diefenbachia, dracena, creeping fig, pothos, tillandsias, begonias, ferns, and a tropical type of stetcretia. 

The Bromance: The Pinnacle

The Bromance

The Bromance: Part III

The Bromance is really a trio of terrariums that I did up for a law office in downtown, so I wanted to make them full of drama but easy to take care of. The pinnacle of trio is a vase that I had my eyes on for some time, and was more than thrilled when I finally had the opportunity to play with it. Even though they were not all headed to one particular office, I wanted to do them up as a series so I played curves of the glass and repeated elements within the three. Each plays with different mixes and varieties of bromeliads, tillandsias, ferns, pothos; unique or notable elements would be the fantastic bromeliad guzmania, the ficus elastica, and the trunking dracena. I also threw in some trailing pilea, some begonias, and some nerve plant for colour. 

Close up of The Bromance: The Pinnacle

Again, these are mixtures of exclusively tropical plants that like to be kept moist and in bright indirect light. The one with the orange and white bromeliad may require less watering (maybe once a week)than the other two as it is more enclosed, but again, it's something you should casually keep your eye on. Generally I recommend that customers spritz their terrariums once or twice a week to keep the humidity up, but also to keep the plants looking their freshest. This is especially true of maintaining anything with maidenhair ferns--those little buggers really don't like to be dry at all, and will die very suddenly if they aren't kept in a humid environment!   

The Bromance: Part II

Close up of The Bromance: Part II

Work & Play

I am fortunate to have not one, but two jobs that I really enjoy. I suppose I work too much, but at least I have two jobs that keep me happy and growing; JJ Bean serves my coffee addiction and 

Southlands 

has brought so many amazing people into my life, while Southlands Nursery fuels my imagination and creativity. I get most of my plants and supplies from the Nursery, and although I may be somewhat partial, I honestly believe that Southlands is the best local Nursery in the Vancouver area. I regularly visited Southlands long before I even moved into Vancouver; Southlands stocks most of the hard-to-find and exotic plants that I had been looking for, and it always provided a lovely experience walking the grounds and dreaming of what could be. I have learned so much about gardening in the year that I've been working at the Nursery. In fact, I strongly believe that had I not started working at the Nursery, I would never have made a single terrarium! But fortunately for me, the guys at the Nursery encourage me to indulge my gardening creativity, regardless of how ridiculous it may seem (I live in "zonal denial," meaning I garden like I live in the warmer climes--things die, I cry, and I try it again). 

Southlands

Sunday mornings at Southlands are probably when I feel most inspired. The Nursery is at its quietest then and when the sun is shining as it was today, it is probably one of the most beautiful and tranquil places in the entire city. Even though the gardening season is only just really beginning, the shop feels rejuvenated and refreshed. I mean, on mornings like today, when the air is fresh and crisp and the plants seemingly luminous, it is hard to remember any of life's stresses. Before I started today, I managed to snap some pictures of the Nursery; it was positively 

radiant! Two days of deluge can really make one appreciate the sunny moments! Enjoy, and be inspired! 

Tillandsia Table! My obsession!

Phaleonopsis' and Pitcher Plants

Orchids and bromeliads

Clivias, dracenas, and tropicals

My favourite view in the whole store 

Achemea

Bromeliad 

Loving the tropical tones to this clivia!

Bromeliad guzmanias and beautiful ochre Vietri

Tillandsias

Phaleonopsis var. 

Beautiful lemon toned mini Phaleonopsis 

"Adam's Needle" Yucca 

Sexiest plant in house right now! Yucca aleoifola "Pupura"

Hellebore

Tropical tones to this hellebore

Love the deep purple velvet tone to this hellebore. 

A Thomas Hobbs cymbidium hybrid! Smells like cinnamon. Love!

Where & How

Dawn, in a world that I created.

I often get asked where and how I make my terrariums. I would love to say that I have  a little greenhouse or planting room in my house, but alas, I have neither; I am merely a twenty-something living in Vancouver, and such luxuries are far outside my price range. Instead, my creative space is either the kitchen floor or counter, or sometimes my roommate's desk whilst he is away (sorry Tyler!). Such humble circumstances are favourable to my process, however, as they yield such genuine and happy results. There is something so wonderful about sitting in the midst of a bunch of lush tropical plants, picking and choosing which best compliment each other and their future owner--it all reminds me of playing in the sandbox when I was a kid. You really are creating your own little world! I guess I'm developing a serious God complex.

A dynamic mix for a dynamic customer.

There is a lot of time and thought put into each terrarium I do up: shopping for the glass; picking up rocks, soil, and moss; plant selection (the hardest part!); and finally, constructing the terrarium. The actual construction process may take me a few days. When making an order for a customer, I typically will gather all the plants I think I want to use together and arrange them next to their future vessel. I then experiment with arrangements, adding and subtracting until I think I've reached a decision. Then I take a break and let the idea rest in my head, and when I feel settled, I plant it all up. The basic recipe: rocks for drainage, charcoal for sweetness, soil for survival, plants for substance, moss for moisture (or sand and rock if I'm making a xeriscape), rocks and sticks for aesthetic. The actual planting process can be tricky. Tropical plants are generally easy to plant--they just want soil and space. Succulents can break fairly easy (but the broken bit can usually be planted themselves), and they look best when crowded together, so it is kind of like making a puzzle. And cacti? Well if you get cacti in your terrarium, know that I must like you because it takes DAYS to get all those little hairs and thorns out of your fingers, even if you're wearing gloves! But I love cacti, so it's totally worth it! 

Lush tropical greens for my own terrarium

I always try to keep my customer in mind, and I do my best to interpret part of their personality in the terrarium. Take for instance the Calzone (pictured in my previous post): it was made for my boss at JJ Bean. She is a feisty  eccentric young lady with a tough side, but so full of love and definitely worth knowing. Translated into plants, I instantly thought of succulents, cacti, and sanseveria. She also claims to kill plants, and that group of plants happily takes care of itself. As another example, I'm working on a terrarium now for a woman who is probably one of the most positive people I've ever met, so I'm using yellows and pinks. 


The whole process, from order to completion, takes a couple of days depending on the size of the order. I strive to be timely in my production, but I also don't want to rush myself to create a terrarium that has no heart. It is my sincerest hope that my customers enjoy my creations as much as I do!

A lush Moroccan-themed terrarium.

A stately and brilliant terrarium for a law office.

Imagination & Inspiration Part I: A Gallery

I love making each and every terrarium that leaves my house. What began as a bit of a hobby has somehow turned into a bit of a side-business that keeps me fairly busy and out of trouble. I thought I'd put a few pictures up of some of the arrangements I've done so far, along with a bit of an description of the plants themselves. As much as I'd love the opportunity to make a terrarium for everyone, I also want to encourage people to try their hand it. I want to encourage creativity and imagination; I want to inspire others to get the same thrill out of gardening as I do.

The Bean

The Bean 

Oh the Bean, the terrarium that started it all. I made this terrarium for the coffee shop I work at (JJ Bean, best coffee in VanCity!). Our condiment stand was looking a little forlorn  so I thought I'd liven it up with a terrarium. It turned out great and has been great advertising for me; everyone loves it! It's a simple arrangement of tropicals, succulents, and tillandsias, but it has this fantastic island-like feel to it. Maybe it is the mix of palms and diefenbachia, or maybe it is the way the succulents and tillandsias add a dreamy aquatic feel to the vessel... Either way, it turned out great. This style of terrarium requires little watering as it is semi-enclosed; you don't want to keep it too moist or you'll have rotting succulents and mould. It likes a bright home, though it's worth the risk in a place of average brightness. The only risk is that succulents might suffer, but it is always worth experimenting with light tolerances of succulents: sometimes they can be similarly happy in moderate brightness as they are in the greenhouse. The probably won't flower, but even if they do die, the do so gracefully over a long period of time. 

The AK2

The AK2

This was my first experiment with an orchid. Normally orchids intimidate me, but not so in this case. I think one of my favorite things about this arrangement is the way the foliage of the orchid plays coy, almost like it is bashfully covering itself. The palm adds more of a lush tropical feel, and the variegated foliage of the other tropicals just adds so much colour to the vase. And of course, the little rubra on a lichen and moss covered stick to compliment the colours of the phaleanopsis. I added some blooming acacia sticks and curly willow for structure; these are purely aesthetic as they eventually dry out and can be removed,but the planting can be enjoyed for much longer. This style of terrarium average watering (don't let the orchid dry out, but don't keep it too wet either) requires a bright home. 

The Calzone

The Calzone

I L.O.V.E. this xericscape-style terrarium. It looks like a reef, which is ironic because none of these plants like water very much. A little cacti, sansevieria, haworthia, tillandsia medusae, kalanchoe, echevaria, and various other succulents make up this arrangement. This style of planting takes so little care (maybe a 1/4 of water every two weeks, depending on how dry the environment is) that it is perfect for the office, or people who kill plants.This style of terrarium requires a bright home.

Air & Water: Simple Tillandsia Care

Tillandsias, commonly known as "air plants," are probably my most favorite of all plants. They are in the bromeliad family (as are pineapples!), and are epiphytes, which means in their native environment they grow on other plants and without soil. In fact, tillandsias take all they need to survive from the air around them! A tillandsia will survive sitting on a counter top or bookshelf or in a terrarium. All they need is bright indirect light and a wee bit of humidity, and they're good to go.

My wall art: a collection of tillandsias.

Air plants originate from the warmer climes reaching from Florida to Chile. There are thousands of varieties, ranging in size and shape from a mere centimeter in diameter to over a foot. Spanish moss, that beautiful stuff that drapes from nearly every in Florida swamps, is a variety of tillandsia that is measured in feet! In Canada, even in Vancouver, tillandsias are easy to keep alive and enjoy, but they sometimes do take a little bit of attention. From my own experience, tillandsias do best in terrariums as such environments provide them with the tropical humidity and warmth they are accustomed to. When kept outside a terrarium, it takes a little more effort to keep your tillandsia fresh. Generally, a healthy tillandsia should be flexible and feel a bit like grass, soft to the touch. Why it dries out it gets very stiff and turns brown.They require regular spritzing, a couple of times a week, maybe a bit more if you keep your house on the dryer side. Once a month or so, it is good practice to fully submerge your tillandsias, get them nice and soaked, and let them fully dry before spraying them again. If you're putting them in moss, make sure that they air plant and moss are fully dry before respraying. It's a sad story, but I have seen the end of a few in my collection because they have rotted out from the bottom or inside. What happens is water collects at the base of the foliage and never gets to dry, which ultimately leads to a dead tillandsia. About once a month I add a tiny bit of fertilizer to my spray bottle, jut to give my tillandsias a bit of a boost. During the summer, tillandsias can be very content outside, provided they are in bright, not direct, sunlight. If you're lucky, you may even get them to flower! But as a general rule, I encourage people to purchase them for their shape and appeal, and if they flower, well that is just a pleasant surprise (especially in Canada)!

Presently I have a collection of a dozen or so tillandsias, but I am always adding to it. Southlands Nursery in Vancouver consistently has the best selection of air plants, and being that I work there, it is rare that I don't bring a new one home with me ever week. My problem now is that my managers have picked up on my addiction to tillandsias, so when we get a fresh shipment in they let me price everything and cherry pick my the very best ones. My favorite purchase is probably the xerographica; it's size is a statement in and of itself, but its structure is what I love most. The little rubras are a fun splash of colour, and I love how they look like little pineapples. The butzii has this amazing flecked pattern on it, and the structure to it make me think of the ocean. I put a little tillandsia in almost every terrarium I do up not only as a kind of signature, but because their shapes and colours add the other-worldly feel in such a unique way. I hope this little tillandsia tutorial has inspired you and has answered any questions you have about taking care of one!

Butzii

Brachycaulos v. multiflora

Ionantha v. Rubra cluster

Xerographica