We had a wonderful time teaching our terrarium class at The Gardens on Saturday. Although Steph and I have put together numerous tutorials and how-to’s on our blog, we rarely get to interact with people as they create. It was thrilling to watch people take what they learned and dive right in to making something beautiful. We both walked away invigorated and inspired!
We began by introducing ourselves and going over the basics of creating a terrarium. Along with a detailed two-page instruction sheet (Invalid download ID.), we provided this simple image below, which you may find helpful. From there, the steps were simple: Choose a vessel, choose plants, and get digging!
Step 1: Choose a Vessel
Devon and her staff at The Gardens had set up a beautiful space to work and create. Lovely glass and clay vessels were displayed and ready for people to use. Sometimes, the container itself may be the inspirational starting point, and this was the case for many. The size and shape of the container determined the type and amount of plants and even the whole “feel” of the terrarium.
Step 2: Choose Plants
The plants were divided into succulents and non-succulents, such as ferns, moss, and a beautiful Isotoma that will bloom blue star-shaped flowers. When creating a terrarium, it’s helpful to choose plants that have similar light and humidity needs. Succulents don’t like to be wet and can tolerate a drier environment; plants like ferns and moss need higher humidity. We all agreed that although you can mix the two (it’s your terrarium, after all!), it makes it a bit more difficult to keep all the plants happy.
Step 3: Dig in the Dirt
This was the fun part! We had pebbles, activated charcoal, soil, and a variety of decorative pieces for people to use to create their terrarium. It was amazing to see people let go of their hesitancy and go for it! Some used our Terrarium Pinterest board to guide them; some took advantage of those of us there with a bit of experience; and some simply found their groove and never looked back. We all had a blast, and even Steph went home with a lovely terrarium of her own!
We’re so grateful for the opportunity we had to teach something we love! We’re reminded that it’s in people–us included–to be creative. All we need are the tools! We encourage you to take advantage of education opportunities wherever you live. If you’re local, check out our monthly calendar to see some of our favorite classes, and if your home is outside the Central Valley, we’d love to hear what you do to keep the creative juices flowin’.
Wow – this is great. What does the activated charcoal do?
Activated charcoal (or carbon) is the same stuff found in home aquariums or even our Brita filters. It’s a purifier, so in the case of a terrarium, it keeps the soil fresh and the environment naturally cleaner. You don’t need much–1 part for every 5 parts soil. I usually just do a thin layer right below the soil, or you can also mix it with your soil.
Okay, interesting. They look really nice.
Those look awesome! I’ve also heard activated charcoal makes a great room deodorizer. Something to think about if you’ve got a bunch extra lying around!
Isn’t it so fun teaching at the gardens? Such a great community. It looks like people got really creative with their projects.
Great tip about the activated charcoal. I’ll look into it! Yes, teaching was a blast. I was sorry to miss your cool leaf bowl class. The photos looked amazing!