I have had this small terrarium sitting on my desk at work for about five years. I am not near any windows, so the only light it receives is artificial, from above. (yuck)

The maidenhair fern growing inside is the sole inhabitant. There isn’t room for anything else, except for a couple of pebbles and a miniature sheep – the small white thing perched on a stone. The entire terrarium is only about eight inches wide.

When I go in to the office, I take off the lid for a few hours to let it breathe. If it needs a bit of a drink, I give it a little water and pop the glass back on. Over the years, moss has grown on the soil, making the little scene even more attractive.

If I can’t get in for a few weeks to water it, as long as the lid is on, everything is fine. I do have a base of gravel at the bottom for drainage, and a layer of charcoal under the soil.

Here’s another shot, which gives you a better idea of what the fern looks like. (Pardon the sheep, which had toppled over.)

Terrariums have been trendy in recent years, but I’ve always been into them. When I was a little girl, I would create them in large jars. Please don’t succulents in terrariums – exactly the wrong habitats for plants that like things dry. Stick with small plants like ferns that will enjoy all that humidity.