Garden in a bottle. Growing and business. Plants in a bottle Miniature garden in a bottle

People need plants not only as a source of food and oxygen. The human psyche and his brain need to contemplate these green treasures of nature; such a spectacle not only satisfies aesthetic needs, but also has a beneficial effect on mood and well-being. Residents of big cities know this well, they treat gardens, parks, and public gardens with special warmth. Plants are also common in apartments and offices, bringing at least a little wildlife into the concrete jungle. One great way to create a green space in an urban environment is to create a miniature garden in a bottle.

A mini garden in a glass bottle is perfect solution for those plants that are sensitive to air humidity. It's no secret that many of the city dweller's green friends do not tolerate dryness that occurs during work. central heating. Fans of very humid air will feel much better if they are in a confined space, and the vessel can even be hermetically sealed! Such a community is able to exist for quite a long time, due to the balance of oxygen and hydrocarbons that arise inside. Creating a garden in a bottle with your own hands will take time and patience, but it will look unusual and stylish.

Drainage and soil are poured onto the bottom of the vessel. You will also need charcoal, which is absolutely necessary if the container is closed. Moss looks good in such gardens. Beautiful compositions are obtained if you add picturesque stones, pieces of wood, and driftwood to the plants. You can also use miniature figurines, similar to garden figures.

Step 2: choose plants

Plants with beautiful foliage are usually chosen for the composition. Flowering is not the most appropriate element for a closed container: the petals will quickly fall off and the plants will have to be removed. You can make such a garden colorful by using variegated forms. By combining dark green, yellowish, whitish, striped and speckled leaves you can achieve amazing combinations and effects. Another vector for creativity is form. In a monochromatic mass, as in a black and white photograph, the quirks of nature, which created a variety of amazing shapes, will look especially advantageous.

Corner garden desk– reality!

Plants for a garden in a bottle are selected to be small, slowly increasing their green mass, with a small root system and increased demands on air humidity. In addition, they must be quite shade-tolerant, since there is not too much light inside the vessel. First of all, these are ferns, which are simply created for a closed, moist, semi-dark space. Amazing adiantums, pteris and pelleys will feel comfortable in such conditions and will delight you for a long time with their elegant, delicate foliage.

It is also worth paying attention to selyaginella - excellent ground cover plant for a mini-kindergarten. If the container is large enough, then you can take a small-leaved begonia; such a plant will look good in the center of the composition. You can also plant some bromeliad in the bottle or decorate it with a miniature orchid. Another genus of plants characterized by slow growth, spectacular leaf shape and relative unpretentiousness is ivy.

You can often see photos of a garden in a bottle consisting of succulents. Since these desert inhabitants are not accustomed to high humidity, they require special care: the soil for them is selected very carefully, watered extremely rarely, and all dead residues are promptly removed. Such measures will help avoid rotting and fungal diseases.

Step 3: compose the composition

In order to make a garden in a bottle, almost any glass container is suitable, from an aquarium to a flask or glass. In addition you will need:

wooden sticks;
spoon with long handle;
spool of thread;
a funnel made of thick paper;
safety razor or other sharp cutting tool;
a piece of thick wire with a sponge at the end, which can be used to clean the glass.

First, drainage is poured into the bottle through a funnel, the thickness of which should be at least 3 cm, and upper layer consist of charcoal. After this, a substrate is placed on it, previously abundantly moistened with water. The composition of the substrate depends on the plants that are supposed to be planted in the bottle.
The composition of the garden should be thought out in advance, since changing objects from place to place during the work process will be quite difficult, and it can also damage delicate miniature plants. First, planting is done along the edges, then in the center; large specimens should be added to the bottle before small ones.
Plant the plants one at a time, each time digging a small hole with a spoon. Having taken the future resident of the bottle out of the pot, they carefully cut off the earthen lump so that it becomes smaller, especially since the rapid growth of green mass is undesirable. If the neck of the bottle is narrow, then the plant is brought inside, holding it between wooden sticks.
When planting is completed, the soil is compacted with a coil mounted on a stick, the glass is cleaned with a sponge and the entire composition is sprayed with water from a spray bottle. Now the bottle can be corked and placed in a bright place - the garden in a bottle is ready. It is not advisable to place it in direct sunlight - this will cause too much evaporation, high humidity and can cause the plants to rot. Some residents of a mini-garden in a bottle can actively grow and need to be pruned from time to time.

Is it possible to grow plants in a bottle? As much as possible! Of course, you need to have some experience in growing plants, and you also need a lot of patience. But rest assured, your efforts will not be in vain, because you can grow not just plants in a bottle, but also create various landscape compositions.

In order to grow plants in a bottle you need to choose the appropriate dishes. It is better if it has a wide neck. This will make it much easier further care for plants. You can take an aquarium or even a jug with a lid. If there is no aquarium, then you can use glass bottles, and flasks of various configurations.

In addition, when creating your own garden in a bottle, you need to know that this vessel can no longer be placed in direct sunlight, otherwise the walls of the bottle or aquarium will play the role of a lens, and burns will appear on the plants, which can lead to the death of the entire plant.

To grow in a bottle, take young plants that tolerate pruning well, for example, dwarf ficus, chlorophytum, arrowroot, hyposthes, fittonia, asplenium and even fast-growing indoor tradescantia.

Place a drainage layer on the bottom of the vessel, consisting of fine expanded clay mixed with charcoal. Don't neglect charcoal. If you suddenly water a little more than you should, the charcoal will prevent the development of greenery. The drainage layer also depends on the height of the vessel, but it must be at least five centimeters. In a tall vessel, drainage may be higher.

After the drainage layer is made, you can begin the earthen mixture. The choice of soil mixture depends on the requirements of the plant you are going to plant. Earth mixture pour a layer of about ten centimeters into the bottle.

Remove plants prepared for planting in a glass container from their pots and shake off some of them old land from the roots and plant them carefully in the bottle using bamboo or wooden sticks and wire to support the plants. Start planting plants from the walls of the bottle, gradually moving towards the center. There is no need to plant too many plants. We must remember that they will all grow up, and each plant should have its own feeding area. A stronger plant can become an aggressor in a confined space and choke out a weaker plant.

Once all the desired plants have been planted, cover the surface of the soil in the bottle with moss and water carefully. The water should flow gently down the sides of the bottle. Leave the bottle open at first so that the plants can breathe and the moisture can evaporate. When pruning fast-growing plants, try not to leave a single leaf in the bottle, otherwise it will humid environment they will begin to rot and become a source of infection.

At correct landing, and proper care like this flower composition of plants in a bottle will feel great for several years. David Latimer's garden in a bottle continues to grow for more than forty years!

Growing tropical plants at home can sometimes be a difficult task. Many “exotics” require high humidity air, warmth and absence of drafts. It was this feature of delicate ferns, which were incredibly popular in Europe in the 19th century, that forced the British to look for ways to artificially recreate the climate of the humid tropics. And a solution was found! It turned out to be Ward's box, which is a box with walls made of sheet glass connected by metal strips. sunlight penetrated Ward's box perfectly, which could not be said about air, the access of which was limited. Due to the fact that the water in the closed vessel did not evaporate outside, but settled on the walls and plants, constant high humidity formed inside. This allowed the enterprising English to grow many varieties in their homes. exotic plants: ferns, orchids, bromeliads, etc.

The invention of Ward's box turned out to be so successful that it is not forgotten even now. Modern florists, wanting to grow whimsical tropical plants, place them in transparent vessels - florariums. This composition is called a “garden in a bottle,” although the container used is not necessarily an ordinary bottle. Is it possible to make a garden in a bottle with your own hands? Yes, it’s easy - just arm yourself with a suitable vessel and select plants for the composition.

When searching for a suitable vessel, you can give free rein to your imagination. Any container that is large enough, with a tapering neck and a widening bottom, will do. This could be a large bottle of wine or chemical liquids, a round aquarium, or a jar for bulk products. For plants that prefer maximum humidity, you should select a container that can be hermetically sealed.

In this case, the narrower the neck, the more humid the microclimate can be achieved. However, the neck should allow for procedures to care for the internal contents - loosen the soil, remove dead plants or their rotten parts. Inside a non-sealed florarium (aquarium or bottle without a cork), the humidity will be lower due to constant ventilation.

IN open florariums It’s easier to grow plants - constant ventilation reduces the chances of rotting

Choosing plants for a garden in a bottle

When looking for plants for a mini-garden, you should give preference to small species that are not prone to growth. Otherwise, within a few months the large size will outgrow the capacity and will have to be either trimmed or replaced with a new one.

Since the garden in a bottle serves as a decoration, it is undesirable to fill it halfway soil mixture. The soil should occupy no more than ¼ of the volume of the bottle, or better yet, even less. Therefore, florarium plants should have a small surface root system, which does not require much soil.

Moisture-loving violets with a small root system - a good choice for garden in a bottle

In a glass greenhouse, regardless of whether it is completely closed or not, the air humidity is increased. This means that only moisture-loving plants that are accustomed to tropical downpours or marshy soils can thrive in it. Obviously, growing desert cacti in a bottle garden would be reckless - the likelihood of them rotting is too high.

The easiest way to cultivate decorative foliage plants in a sealed bottle. Flowering species It is worth growing in a container with an open neck or a round aquarium without a lid, promptly removing faded flowers so that they do not begin to rot. Among these flowering plants Orchids and Saintpaulias have already become traditional for a garden in a bottle. Fittonias, ferns, ivies, chlorophytums, pelleys, royal begonias, bromeliads, some dracaenas and dwarf ficuses, mosses, etc. are also suitable for “green” compositions.

Making a mini-greenhouse under glass

Step 1. Prepare the substrate for planting

At the bottom of the selected container we place a layer of drainage 1-2 cm thick. This can be expanded clay, small pebbles or crushed stone. Then add soil substrate mixed with charcoal (you can use Activated carbon) in a layer of 5-10 cm. Coal is necessary as a disinfectant and antiseptic that prevents root rotting. As for the substrate, it should be light and breathable. No clay and heavy soils! The roots of plants in a bottle garden must “breathe”.

Step 2. Planting the plants

Using a teaspoon, fork or spatula, make indentations in the substrate and carefully plant the plants. If the neck of the bottle is too narrow, then it is most convenient to use large medical tweezers to place the plants.

You can place several between plants unusual stones, ornate driftwood, garden figurines suitable for composition. Such an imitation of a natural landscape will make a mini garden in a bottle a full-fledged alternative to a real garden.

Step 4. Caring for a garden in a bottle

After the plants are planted, it is time for the first watering. Carefully spill the soil - in this case it is important to take precautions so that excess water does not stagnate for a long time in the drainage layer.

Sealed bottle garden close with a lid or stopper. After some time, condensation may form on the walls of the vessel - this means that waterlogging has occurred. Drops on the walls should be wiped off and the lid of the vessel should be opened for a while. Once the condensation is removed, the bottle garden requires virtually no special care. Sometimes (in summer - about once a week) you will have to open the lid and spray the plants. At the same time, the humid climate will remain.

If the bottle garden does not close, then it will have to be watered more often. In any case, with the right composition of slowly growing plants, the garden in a bottle will retain its decorative properties for a long time with virtually no effort on your part. Of course, florarium plants will not be as unpretentious as artificial plastic flowers from bottles for the garden. However, you can afford to go away for a week without fear that the plants will die without watering.

Bottle Garden Options

We have selected for you several examples of how you can design a garden in a bottle (photo) - we hope they will inspire you to create your own mini-greenhouse.

The florarium in a glass teapot can be ventilated at any time - just open the lid

Composition in a glass - impeccable taste

Several small bottle gardens are an alternative to flower bouquets on the serving table

Florariums in living room design

Many people want to grow real tropical crops at home, but often this is simply impossible. Almost all plants in this group are demanding of care, they do not need drafts, they need the highest possible humidity. Because of this feature, the British, back in the 19th century, began to look for a way to recreate such conditions, because they really wanted to grow amazing plants. The solution to this problem was a glass box, more like an aquarium with a lid. Light passed into it perfectly, but access to air was closed.

Thanks to the evaporation of moisture in a confined space, the “aquarium with a lid” always maintained the same humidity. This method made it possible for the demanding British to grow most exotic crops at home.

Such a box not only turned out to be a great invention, it even migrated into our century. However, it has been slightly improved. Florists today plant exotic plants in transparent closed containers called florariums. Another name for this amazing art is garden in a bottle. But as practice shows, not only a bottle can be a container.

You may think that such unusual miniature compositions are bought in a special store, and that it is impossible to make them yourself... This is a real misconception! To make a florarium with your own hands, you need to stock up on the necessary vessel and suitable exotic plants.

What container is suitable for creating a florarium?

Here you can use your imagination. Suitable for this purpose different capacity, the main thing is that it should be rather large, with a wide bottom and a narrow throat. She can use a bottle from alcoholic drinks, various vessels, an aquarium or a cereal jar. If exotic plants prefer maximum humidity, then opt for a vessel with a hermetically sealed seal.

The smaller the throat, the greater the humidity. But do not overdo it, since the neck should completely allow you to care for the crops in the florarium. Inside a non-sealed container, ventilation will be regular, so the humidity in it is low.

How to choose the right plants for a bottle garden

Buy only those plants that do not grow. Otherwise, you will have to transplant the crops to another florarium, and you will lose time and additional money.

Do not forget that this container with plants plays a decorative function, which means it does not need to be covered heavily with soil. It should only be at the bottom, even 1/5 of the container is a lot. It is for this reason that plants in a florarium should not have a wide root system.

Only moisture-loving crops will feel comfortable, because there will always be high humidity in a glass container. This means that plants must love moisture and marshy soil. It’s not even worth mentioning that growing cacti in an airtight container is the wrong thing to do, the plant will simply die.

It is best to cultivate decorative foliage plants. It is better to grow crops that bloom in containers with an open neck, since it is simply necessary to remove faded flowers. These include: Saintpaulias and orchids. Other compositions in the mini-garden can be made from dracaena, dwarf ficus, royal begonia or pellea.

How to make a florarium with your own hands

1. Preparation of high-quality fertile soil. At the bottom of the bottle we place 2 centimeters of drainage (expanded clay, small pebbles, crushed stone). After this, soil substrate + activated or charcoal is poured (about 8 centimeters). Coal acts as a disinfectant; it prevents the appearance of rot on the root system. Separately, the soil substrate should be highlighted; it should not contain clay or heavy soils. Only light and breathable soil is allowed. A garden in a bottle must breathe, only then will it grow and prosper.

2. Planting. Using a small cutlery, we make a depression in the substrate and carefully plant an exotic crop in it. If you cannot do this because the neck is very narrow, then use tweezers.

3. Garden decoration in a bottle. You can use a couple of unusual driftwood, stones, or any miniature figures for the garden. This similarity will make a garden in a bottle a complete replacement for a living garden.

4. Care of the florarium. The first watering is carried out immediately after planting exotic crops. The soil must be watered very carefully, since the water should not stagnate for a long time. Water is poured along the walls of the container.

Do not forget that sealed bottles should be closed with a stopper; after a while, condensation may appear on the walls of the vessel. It indicates that waterlogging has occurred. These drops should be wiped off with a dry cloth and the lid should be opened for a short time. Once you get rid of the condensation - special care There is no need to carry out gardening in a bottle. IN summer time every year, once every 10 days, open the lid and spray the plant. By observing all these conditions, you will notice that the humid climate continues.

If drops appear on the walls of the vessel again, it needs to be ventilated.

For example, you chose not closed, but outdoor garden in a bottle - then you will have to water it much more often.

It doesn’t matter which container you choose, if you choose the right slow-growing plants, they will retain their decorative value for a long time. Naturally, a garden in a bottle is not as unpretentious as simple artificial flowers, however, you can easily leave them unattended even for a week! And not every gardener can afford this.

Growing tropical plants at home can sometimes be a difficult task. Many “exotics” require high air humidity, warmth and the absence of drafts. It was this feature of delicate ferns, which were incredibly popular in Europe in the 19th century, that forced the British to look for ways to artificially recreate the climate of the humid tropics. And a solution was found! It turned out to be Ward's box, which is a box with walls made of sheet glass connected by metal strips. Sunlight penetrated Ward's box perfectly, which could not be said about air, the access of which was limited. Due to the fact that the water in the closed vessel did not evaporate outside, but settled on the walls and plants, constant high humidity formed inside. This allowed enterprising Englishmen to grow many exotic plants in their homes: ferns, orchids, bromeliads, etc.

The invention of Ward's box turned out to be so successful that it is not forgotten even now. Modern florists, wanting to grow whimsical tropical plants, place them in transparent vessels - florariums. This composition is called a “garden in a bottle,” although the container used is not necessarily an ordinary bottle. Is it possible to make a garden in a bottle with your own hands? Yes, it’s easy - just arm yourself with a suitable vessel and select plants for the composition.

Choosing a bottle for a mini-kindergarten.

In this case, the narrower the neck, the more humid the microclimate can be achieved. However, the neck should allow you to carry out procedures for caring for the internal contents - loosening the soil, removing dead plants or their rotten parts. Inside a non-sealed florarium (aquarium or bottle without a cork), the humidity will be lower due to constant ventilation.

It is easier to grow plants in open florariums - constant ventilation reduces the chances of rotting

Choosing plants for the garden in a bottle.

Since the garden in a bottle serves as a decoration, it is not advisable to fill it halfway with soil mixture. The soil should occupy no more than ¼ of the volume of the bottle, or better yet, even less. Therefore, florarium plants should have a small superficial root system that does not require a lot of soil.

Moisture-loving violets with a small root system are a good choice for a bottle garden

The easiest way to cultivate decorative foliage plants in a sealed bottle. Flowering species should be grown in a container with an open neck or a round aquarium without a lid, promptly removing faded flowers so that they do not begin to rot. Among such flowering plants for a garden in a bottle, orchids and Saintpaulias have already become traditional. Fittonias, ferns, ivies, chlorophytums, pelleys, royal begonias, bromeliads, some dracaenas and dwarf ficuses, mosses, etc. are also suitable for “green” compositions.

We are making a mini-greenhouse under glass.

Step 1. Prepare the substrate for planting

At the bottom of the selected container we place a layer of drainage 1-2 cm thick. This can be expanded clay, small pebbles or crushed stone. Then we pour the soil substrate mixed with charcoal (activated carbon can be used) in a layer of 5-10 cm. Coal is needed as a disinfectant and antiseptic that prevents root rotting. As for the substrate, it should be light and breathable. No clay or heavy soils! The roots of plants in a bottle garden must “breathe”.

Step 2. Planting the plants

Between the plants you can place several unusual stones, ornate driftwood, or garden figurines suitable for the composition. Such an imitation of a natural landscape will make a mini garden in a bottle a full-fledged alternative to a real garden.

Step 4. Caring for a garden in a bottle

Cover the sealed bottle garden with a lid or stopper. After some time, condensation may form on the walls of the vessel - this means that waterlogging has occurred. Drops on the walls should be wiped off and the lid of the vessel should be opened for a while. Once the condensation is removed, the bottle garden requires virtually no special care. Sometimes (in summer - about once a week) you will have to open the lid and spray the plants. At the same time, the humid climate will remain.

Bottle garden options.

The florarium in a glass teapot can be ventilated at any time - just open the lid

Composition in a glass - impeccable taste

Several small bottle gardens are an alternative to flower bouquets on the serving table

Florariums in living room design

Graceful miniature gardens. Smaller in size than a matchbox. Can be used as a keychain or pendant.

Real mini-greenhouses in specially made glass houses. Doing something like this with your own hands will most likely be problematic.

It turns out that you can find many uses for a regular light bulb, not just as a light source. One of them: turn it into an unusual florarium. To do this, you will need the largest incandescent lamp and low-growing plants, such as: moss, reindeer moss, different kinds lichens, as well as all kinds of succulents.

We use jars for bulk products for purposes other than their intended purpose. They make excellent florariums.