Just Start with Terrariums
Terrariums are miniature gardens sealed or open inside glass containers, living ecosystems you can hold in your hands. The concept dates back to the 1840s, when a London doctor named Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward accidentally discovered that ferns could thrive inside a sealed glass case. What started as a Victorian curiosity has become one of the most accessible and rewarding plant hobbies around. You do not need a garden, a balcony, or even much natural light. A glass jar, some soil, a handful of moss, and a few small plants are enough to get started.
The beauty of terrariums is their flexibility. A closed terrarium creates its own water cycle, recycling moisture through condensation and requiring almost no maintenance once established. An open terrarium works better for succulents and cacti that prefer drier conditions. You can build them in mason jars, apothecary bottles, geometric glass cases, or repurposed fish bowls. The creative possibilities are nearly endless, and the basic principles are simple enough that your first build can look genuinely impressive.
Start here
Terrariums: Gardens Under Glass
Maria Colletti · 176 pages · 2015 · Easy
Themes: indoor gardens, glass containers, plant care, DIY crafts, miniature ecosystems
The single best introduction to building terrariums at home. Maria Colletti, dubbed a “terrarium savant” by Edible Manhattan and a popular workshop instructor at the New York Botanical Garden, wrote this book to take you from zero experience to confidently designing your own miniature gardens. It has earned a trusted place in the terrarium community since its publication.
Why Start Here
Many terrarium books are either too narrow, focusing on one style of build, or too vague, offering pretty photos without enough practical guidance. “Gardens Under Glass” strikes the right balance. Colletti starts with clear explanations of the science behind terrariums: how moisture cycles work in closed containers, why drainage layers matter, and which plants actually thrive in glass environments. By the time you attempt your first build, you understand the principles, not just the steps.
The book features over twenty complete terrarium designs, each with step-by-step photographs. The range is genuinely useful: you get closed tropical terrariums with ferns and moss, open desert arrangements with succulents and cacti, air plant displays, and even terrariums built around orchids. Colletti covers container selection in detail, helping you understand why certain shapes and sizes work better for specific plant combinations.
What makes this book stand out for beginners is Colletti’s workshop background. She has taught terrarium building to thousands of students in person, so she knows exactly where people get confused or make mistakes. Her plant recommendations are specific and practical. She does not just tell you to “use a fern.” She names the varieties that work best, explains why, and suggests alternatives if you cannot find her first choice.
The photography deserves special mention. Every project is shot in natural light with clear angles, so you can see exactly how each layer should look as you build. For a craft where visual cues are essential, knowing what a properly misted terrarium looks like versus an overwatered one, this visual guidance makes a real difference.
What to Expect
A beautifully photographed, workshop-tested guide to building terrariums of every style. At 176 pages, it covers the science of miniature ecosystems, plant selection for different container types, over twenty step-by-step projects, and practical care instructions. The tone is knowledgeable and encouraging, and the progressive range of projects means you can start simple and build toward more ambitious designs. This is the book you will keep coming back to as your terrarium collection grows.
Alternatives
Amy Bryant Aiello and Kate Bryant · 196 pages · 2011 · Easy
Amy Bryant Aiello and Kate Bryant bring a more creative, project-driven approach to terrarium building. Aiello owns Artemisia, a popular Portland boutique specializing in terrariums and indoor gardens, and the book draws heavily on her experience designing terrariums that double as art pieces.
Why Consider This One
Where “Gardens Under Glass” focuses on teaching the fundamentals progressively, “Terrarium Craft” is organized around fifty specific projects grouped by theme: forest, beach, desert, and fantasy. Each project comes with a full materials list, step-by-step instructions, and photographs by Kate Baldwin. If you are the kind of learner who wants to pick a project and dive in rather than read through foundational chapters first, this structure might suit you better.
The book is particularly strong on creative expression. Aiello and Bryant show you how to incorporate unexpected materials like driftwood, shells, stones, lichen, and bark into your designs. Several projects go beyond traditional planted terrariums into whimsical miniature worlds, using figurines and found objects to create scenes. This makes the book especially appealing if you want your terrariums to be conversation pieces, not just plant containers.
The opening chapter covers all the basics you need: container selection, soil and drainage, plant choices, and care instructions. It is concise but thorough enough to get a beginner started. The real value, though, is in the fifty projects themselves, which range from simple moss terrariums to elaborate multi-plant compositions.
What to Expect
A project-driven guide with fifty terrarium designs organized by theme. At 196 pages, it covers the fundamentals in a practical opening chapter and then turns you loose on a wide variety of creative builds. The photography is excellent, the instructions are clear, and the emphasis on incorporating natural materials beyond plants gives your terrariums a distinctive, handcrafted look. Best suited for builders who want creative inspiration alongside their how-to guidance.
Michelle Inciarrano and Katy Maslow · 120 pages · 2012 · Easy
Michelle Inciarrano and Katy Maslow are the founders of Twig Terrariums, a Brooklyn-based company whose work has been featured in the New York Times and Design*Sponge. Their book takes a playful, storytelling approach to terrarium building, using miniature figurines and props to create narrative scenes inside glass containers.
Why Consider This One
If the idea of building tiny worlds appeals to you more than strictly botanical arrangements, this is the terrarium book to pick up. Inciarrano and Maslow treat each terrarium as a stage set: a wedding scene, a Central Park springtime, even a miniature crime scene investigation. The plants are important, but they serve the story rather than being the sole focus.
The book covers all the practical basics, from selecting glass containers to layering soil and filtration to choosing the right moss, succulents, and other plants. The instructions are clear and the photography is charming. But the real draw is the creative philosophy: these authors want you to think of terrariums as a form of self-expression, not just a gardening project.
At 120 pages, this is the shortest of the three recommended terrarium books, which makes it a quick and inspiring read. It does not go as deep into plant science or long-term care as “Gardens Under Glass,” but it excels at sparking creative ideas and showing you what is possible when you think beyond the traditional planted terrarium.
What to Expect
A compact, playful guide that combines terrarium building with miniature world-making. At 120 pages, it covers the fundamentals of plant selection and construction, then focuses on creative projects that use figurines and found objects to tell stories. The photography is delightful and the tone is lighthearted. Best suited for creative types who want their terrariums to be whimsical conversation pieces.