little pretties

i love flowers and plants. i have always wanted to grow a really fantastic garden. i blame my unrealistic expectations on THE SECRET GARDEN. i saw the movie when i was little, and ever since i have had some kind of obsession with gardens. however, my thumb is far from green.

there are 5 things that are really standing in the way of growing my dream garden...

1. i don't enjoy dirt
2. i really hate bugs and especially spiders
3. i really hate spiders
4. i live in an apartment with no yard
5. i really hate spiders

so, for now, i am working on my house plant skills. i love terrariums. i think they are so charming. i planted a few about 2 years ago and i love them. they are so resilient and easy to care for. they even survived the move. i have also been working on my orchid skills, which are one of my favs, but a little tricky. finicky buggers. i love to have them all around the house. they are so happy. i keep them in the kitchen, bathrooms, front rooms hallways etc.

anyway, i just planted a few new terrariums and planters. this is how and this is my apartment garden...

5 step terrariums

1. contain {apothecary jar, aquarium, vase etc. almost anything will work}

2. rocks {first thing to go in the jar is rocks. small pebbles work best. it lays the foundation for the mini Eco system and provides a drainage system when watering}

3. dirt. {add some soil. i also like to add moss. it makes it pretty and holds moisture like a sponge to keep your plants hydrated}

4. plants {choose and add plant(s) i always ask the employees at the nursery what kind of plants work best. they know what they are talking about. i planted succulents in this one}

5. accessorize {i like to add a few stones or sticks to add a little something extra. i collected some rocks and sticks from a near by beach. i love to add little pieces of local nature to my home. it's so much more interesting and fun to see things you have found rather than purchased.}

i have found that each terrarium requires different amounts of water and sun. if covered, they are pretty easy to keep healthy. water sparingly and give them a good dose of sun once or twice a week. when heated by the sun, you should see the water gather at the top and rain back down to your plant babies. so simple, so pretty.

i love grouping plants and materials together that don't necessarily go together. orchids, cactus, succulents living in planters made of glass, copper, and porcelain. along with wooden candle sticks. nothing matches, but they all work together to make a lovely little kitchen garden.

happy growing!