It’s a Small World

May 13, 2016

Build Your Own Terrarium

From Pinterest and Martha Stewart to local garden centers and Vogue, terrariums — decorative containers that hold a condensed version of a live garden — are one of the hot trends in indoor-outdoor decor, even though they got their start back in the mid-1800s.

These diminutive plant worlds, as perfect on a desk as they are on a shaded patio, are becoming even more popular locally with the addition of a fun DIY element at the unique Terrarium Bar at Darling Botanical Co. in Traverse City.

ALL ABOUT THE PROCESS

Several years ago, Darling Botanical owner Megan Kellogg was looking for a little something extra in addition to selling plants, so she agreed to participate in a local arts and crafts market project.

She built a wide range of terrariums to sell at the market and also set up a table where people could build their own terrarium. The table, or Terrarium Bar, was such a big hit that she decided to make it an ongoing part of her business.

Derek Woodruff is Darling Botanical’s floral manager and oversees many Terrarium Bar events, in addition to his work with floral arranging and special events.

“Everybody is really excited for the process,” he explained, “the idea that you’re the one making your own teeny, tiny little world.”

FLOWER POWER

Guests can use the Terrarium Bar as walk-ins without an appointment (from one person to a group) or can book Darling Botanical after-hours for a party or special event. The rental fee allows you to bring your own snacks and beverages and Darling Botanical helps set a fun mood by providing your choice of Pandora or Sonos music channels.

“We’ve had Terrarium Bar birthday parties, wedding parties and one particular group of girlfriends did a Flower Power Happy Hour, in which they also learned flower arranging,” Woodruff explained.

For both daytime Terrarium Bar guests and after-hours bookings, Darling Botanical attendants walk everyone through the process of building a terrarium from start to finish, including a care card for guests to take home to remind them how to care for their specific terrarium of plants.

STEP BY STEP

“The first step is to choose a container for your terrarium,” Woodruff said. “You can bring your own in or buy one here; we have so many styles to choose from, including glass, ceramic and wooden boxes, of all shapes and sizes.”

Entry-level terrarium building is very reasonably priced; the typical small terrarium, including a store-bought container and plants, starts at under $20.

“But you can also go crazy and get a large, hand-blown glass container and all kinds of plants for hundreds of dollars,” Woodruff said.

The container dictates what type of terrarium you’ll build.

“For instance, if it’s a glass terrarium with a lid, it will be humid, so you’re best using tropical ferns and plants,” Woodruff explained. “While a container without a lid can take just about anything, people usually fill those with succulents, stones and dried objects.”

Terrariums are assembled carefully under staff guidance to ensure the containers, plants and other decorative objects will work well together.

PLANT ART

Darling Botanical has an extensive variety of plants to choose from, so your terrarium is only limited by your ideas.

“A couple of the most popular plants are echeveria, which is a succulent with a lot of wide leaves that look like petals or rosettes,” Woodruff said. “You can get that one in pink and purple, as well as pale green, but there are so many different plants! We pretty much have everything, even air plants like tillanDsia, which people are fascinated by because they don’t need dirt and are very low-maintenance,” Woodruff said.

Woodruff has tillanDsia in a wall system in his home and is as sold on the terrarium idea as the many people heading to Darling Botanical and terrarium bars across the country to craft something alive and uniquely their own.

“Once they’re planted, and completed, a terrarium is just such a wonderful thing to have,” Woodruff said. “They actually become like a little piece of art.”

To build your own terrarium at the Terrarium Bar, visit Darling Botanical in the Warehouse Marketplace, 144 Hall Street, Suite 102, in Traverse City or online at darlingbotanical. com. Call ahead for hours or to book an afterhours party or special event, (231) 421-8440.