A: Birch tree bark is white due to the presence of a compound called betulin, which reflects sunlight. This unique characteristic helps the tree regulate its temperature and prevents it from overheating, especially in regions with intense summer heat.
A: Birch bark serves multiple protective functions:
A: The white bark of birch trees isn’t just for looks—it’s an important survival adaptation. The white color reflects UV rays and reduces the risk of the tree drying out in hot conditions. Additionally, it helps the tree survive in cooler climates by blending in with the winter landscape, providing camouflage from herbivores.
A: An English garden style is characterized by a natural, informal approach to landscaping. Unlike highly manicured gardens, an English-style garden embraces a more relaxed atmosphere, featuring a mix of colorful flowers, evergreen shrubs, and traditional elements like garden rooms, flower beds, and water features. The design often incorporates cottage-style elements, with lush flowering plants and winding paths, creating a sanctuary-like garden feel. It’s not about strict order but about creating a harmonious blend of textures and colors throughout the garden space.
A: A cottage garden design is perfect for creating an inviting, cozy backyard garden. To start, plant an abundance of flowers, including roses, delphiniums, and poppies, along with herbs like thyme and chamomile. Consider adding cottage-style features such as a rustic brick or stone pavers pathway, wooden benches, and climbing vines like wisteria or honeysuckle. Cottage garden ideas often incorporate a mix of flowering plants that are easy to grow and maintain. The key is to embrace a natural look, where plants spill over into each other, creating a soft, romantic vibe.
A: Yes, combining elements of a formal garden with the relaxed nature of an English garden is possible and can result in a stunning fusion. Hardscaping and formal hedging can instill a sense of order in an otherwise informal garden. For example, flower borders with structured hedges can guide the eye, while flowering plants like lilacs or peonies soften the look. By blending structured paths or formal flowerbeds with more organic planting, you can create an English garden that feels balanced yet natural.
A: Creating a garden that lasts throughout the seasons requires thoughtful planning. Choose a variety of evergreens such as boxwood and holly to ensure that your garden retains structure in the winter. Combine flowering plants that bloom at different times of the year, such as spring tulips, summer roses, and autumn asters, to keep color and interest year-round. Incorporating garden rooms with different focal points, such as a water feature or cozy seating area, will make your English garden appealing no matter the season.
Feng Shui plants are not only decorative elements; they hold significant energy in Feng Shui practices. They are believed to bring positive energy, improve the flow of vital energy (Chi), and enhance good fortune. Different plants are associated with specific feng shui principles that help in creating a harmonious and balanced environment. These plants promote good energy, wealth, and prosperity while improving the overall atmosphere in your home or office.
Indoor plants can significantly improve feng shui by promoting a healthy flow of positive energy throughout your home. They help to purify the air, reduce negative energy, and create a calming environment. Strategically placing plants for good feng shui in your living spaces can enhance the overall harmony and balance, making your home a more inviting space.
For the bedroom, the best feng shui plants include the rubber plant and pothos plants. These plants are known to promote restful sleep and create a serene atmosphere. Avoid spiky plants in the bedroom as they can create a sense of unease and disrupt the flow of positive energy.
Yes, lucky bamboo is highly regarded in feng shui as a lucky plant that can attract wealth and prosperity. According to feng shui experts, the number of stalks in your lucky bamboo arrangement can influence the type of energy it brings; for example, three stalks represent happiness, while five stalks attract wealth.
If you’ve ever thought about creating your own little green world inside a glass container, you're not alone! Terrariums are having a moment—and for good reason. They're like mini ecosystems that bring a burst of nature into your home, and they’re surprisingly easy to care for. In this post, we’re diving into some of the best terrarium plants to make your indoor garden thrive.
Spike moss is one of those plants that will immediately make you think of a mini rainforest. Its vibrant green, fern texture gives it a lush, almost magical vibe that’s perfect for closed terrariums. I love how its compact size means it can thrive in the tiniest of spaces, like a little glass globe or a small glass jar. It loves high humidity, which makes it ideal for a low maintenance, self-sustaining environment. Honestly, if you’re a fan of easy-care plants but still want that “wow” factor, spike moss is your friend. It’s a forgiving little plant that doesn’t demand much attention, making it great for both beginner and seasoned gardeners.
If you want a plant that adds a lush, soft touch to your terrarium, baby tears should be on your list. This little creeping plant forms a dense mat of tiny, rounded green leaves that look like the softest carpet you could walk on—if only it was big enough! Baby tears, a miniature plant. thrive in humid environments, so they’re a perfect choice for closed terrariums. It's one of those plants that’s truly satisfying to watch grow, and I promise you’ll love how vibrant and full it looks in your setup.
Creeping fig is one of the easiest and most rewarding plants to grow in open terrariums. This vine is perfect for creating a cascading effect—its heart-shaped leaves grow rapidly and can easily spill over the edges of a container. It's great if you love plants that bring a touch of nature into your home. It's low-maintenance, but the more light and space it gets, the better it grows. If you want a plant that can handle being tucked into corners or hanging down over the sides of your terrarium, creeping fig will not disappoint.
African violets are the divas of the terrarium world—beautiful, vibrant, and just a bit fussy. They bring a lovely pop of color to your terrarium with their velvety leaves and small, delicate blooms that come in shades of purple, pink, and white. Although they can be a little more delicate than some other plants, their beauty is totally worth it. If you’re someone who likes having flowering plants indoors, this tropical plant is a great choice because they’ll bloom almost year-round if you treat them right
Fittonia is a stunning choice for any terrarium, with its striking veined leaves in shades of green, pink, or white. It's like nature’s version of a decorative rug—bold, vibrant, and full of life. The contrasting veins in the leaves really pop, and it’s surprisingly easy to care for. It does best in a humid, closed setup, which makes it perfect for beginners who want to experiment with dynamic, colorful foliage in small spaces.
This plant lives up to its name with speckled leaves in shades of pink, red, or white. It adds such a playful and cheerful element to your terrarium, making it perfect for anyone who enjoys bold and unique foliage. Polka dot plants are super easy to grow in both open and closed terrariums. The best part? It’s fairly low-maintenance and will grow just as happily in a small glass container as it would in a larger one.
Air plants are nature’s little marvels, growing without soil and needing minimal care. Their sculptural, almost alien-like appearance makes them a fun choice for creative gardeners. Perfect for open terrariums, they can be perched on driftwood, shells, or decorative rocks for an artistic display.
Moss is one of the easiest plants to incorporate into your terrarium, and it’s a must-have for anyone who loves that natural, woodland aesthetic. It creates such a soft, plush ground cover, and I personally love how it brings everything together in closed terrariums. It thrives in the moist, humid environment which makes it an excellent choice for closed terrariums, and it really helps create that little ecosystem vibe. It’s a low-maintenance plant that’ll stay green and vibrant with minimal effort.
The prayer plant is one of those plants that constantly surprises you. I’ve had one in my terrarium for a while, and I just adore how its dark green leaves fold up at night like it’s "praying"—it’s a cool natural phenomenon. The intricate leaf patterns are what really make this plant stand out. It’s perfect for closed terrariums because it loves the humidity and the high moisture. If you’re someone who loves dynamic plants that change with the light, the prayer plant will keep you entertained.
Pilea, or the "Chinese Money Plant," is one of those plants that makes you feel like you’re on top of your indoor gardening game, even if you’re a beginner. With its vibrant, round, coin-shaped leaves, it brings a playful, modern touch to any room. This houseplant is great if you have a corner of your home that doesn’t get a ton of natural light as they can live happily in low light conditions, though they will appreciate bright, indirect light if you can give it to them. Pilea also tends to ‘pup,’ sending off little baby plants that you can propagate and share with friends (or just enjoy for yourself!).
Peperomia is one of those plants that comes in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. From the thick, fleshy leaves of Peperomia obtusifolia to the stunning variegated patterns on Peperomia caperata, it’s a plant that can easily adapt to different aesthetics. This plant is perfect for people who might forget to water their plants for a while (no judgment here!). Plus, they’re great in small spaces like terrariums because they stay relatively compact.
Ah, begonias. These plants just never fail to impress.Their intricate, waxy leaves, paired with the colorful flowers (usually in shades of pink, red, or white), make them a must-have for any plant enthusiast. Begonias thrive in high humidity and moderate temperatures, making them perfect for closed terrariums. Plus, the wide variety of begonias means you can find one to suit any aesthetic—whether you love the fancy, ruffled leaves of Begonia rex or the compact, easy-care Begonia semperflorens. The care is pretty simple, but I’ve noticed that keeping their leaves dry and giving them the right amount of light is key to keeping them happy.
Pothos is like the easy-going, laid-back friend of the plant world. I’m sure you've seen it in homes and offices because it’s so easy to grow and care for. If you're looking for something that will thrive even if you forget to water it for a few days, pothos is your plant. It’s one of the best plants for beginners because it tolerates a wide range of light conditions and is super forgiving when it comes to watering. Plus, its trailing vines can grow quite long and can be trained to cascade down or climb up a trellis—so if you love the look of a trailing plant in your terrarium, pothos is an ideal choice.
The Boston Fern is a classic choice for terrariums, loved for its lush, feathery fronds that bring a soft, elegant vibe to any space. The way its fronds drape and move gently with the slightest breeze gives it a dreamy, almost whimsical feel. The leaves are bright green, and they tend to get even more vibrant with the right humidity and light. What’s cool is that it does really well in a low-maintenance environment, making it ideal if you’re looking for something that doesn't require constant attention.
Quick Care Tips:
A: Succulents can thrive in open terrariums but are generally not ideal for closed terrariums. Open terrariums provide the airflow and drier environment that succulents need to prevent root rot and overhydration. Closed terrariums, with their high humidity and limited ventilation, create conditions that are too moist for most succulents to survive.
Absolutely! Using cuttings to start a terrarium is one of the best ways to grow plants in a small, contained environment. Many plants, like Pothos and Peperomia, are great for this because they root easily. You can simply snip off a healthy stem, place it in water for a while, and then add it to your terrarium once it's rooted. It’s a fun, cost-effective way to propagate your favorite houseplants, and it helps your terrarium flourish without having to buy a new plant every time!
Cacti can be a bit tricky when it comes to terrariums because they prefer dry, well-ventilated spaces, which can be tough to achieve in a closed container. While they thrive in open terrariums with lots of light and airflow, you’ll want to be mindful of humidity. Too much moisture in the air can cause them to rot. If you love the look of miniature cacti, just be sure to pick a terrarium with plenty of ventilation and avoid over-watering.
