When making your own, there's a huge array of things you can add, odd artefacts that can be included, and delightful plants. But there is definitely a knack to getting things right. So to try and make things easy I've compiled a few basic tips.

Instore, we have everything you need to create terrariums, including activated charcoal, stones, rocks, glass containers, potting mix and an extensive and ever changing array of baby houseplants, cacti and succulents.

Selecting the Right Plants

When choosing the plants for your terrarium you need to consider the size, shape, and growing requirements of the plants. Plants that grow large can work for a while, and the conditions in a terrarium will slow down growth, but be prepared to replant regularly if you decide to go with one.

Choose plants that have similar growing requirements. Succulents and cacti are great in terrariums, but if planted with plants that need watering regularly you'll either have dead, dry withered plants and healthy succulents, or dead looking succulents next to healthy plants.

The makeup of your terrarium will also vary, depending on whether you plant plants requiring damp conditions or cacti and succulents.

Great plants often instore include, but aren't limited to:

Cacti & Succulents

• Pleiospilos
• Sedum
• Echeveria
• Euphorbia sp.
• Stenocactus sp.

Baby Houseplants

• Spider Plant
• Ivy
• Ficus Pumila
• Baby's Tears
• Coleus
• Tradescantia sp.

Making up your Terrarium

When putting your terrarium together, the different layers of soil, sand and rocks, can look delightful, and can be somewhat played with to create different effects. However some layers are important to make sure your terrarium functions properly as an ecosystem.

Layer 1: Sand or Stones - This ensures that plant roots don't sit in wet soil as any moisture drains down into this area.

Layer 2: Activated Charcoal - Keep the terrarium fresh. Acts to filter nutrients and material as moisture drains into the bottom, helping stop algal growth and other problems. Sphagnum moss can also help, though is more suitable for terrariums with plants that like damper conditions as it absorbs and holds moisture.

Layer 3: Potting Mix - Use Kings Potting Mix, or a mix without water storage crystals. When planting cacti and succulents very little potting mix is required, just a small amount around the roots, which means that this layer isn't always visible.