Posts by Alexander Whaley

I’ve lost more plants to the wrong pot than to pests. I’d bring home a healthy herb or houseplant, tuck it into a pretty container, and watch it sulk, rot, or stall for months. If you’ve had a...

I used to think any “shade plant” would love a sealed glass jar. Then I watched two gorgeous ferns crisp at the edges while a third melted into mush. The difference wasn’t luck — it was...

I learned the hard way that “looks cute together” inside glass often equals disaster. I paired lush ferns with tiny succulents in a sealed jar and watched a weeks-long turf war end in rot, leggy...

I built my first carnivorous terrarium on a coffee table with a desk lamp and an old fish tank. The plants looked fantastic for two weeks, then stalled because I treated them like regular...

I’ve built enough closed terrariums to learn which plants actually stay tidy and thrive once the lid goes on. If you’ve watched leaves melt or mold bloom inside your glass, you’re not alone —...

I’ve built desert terrariums for busy friends who forget to water for weeks and only own a teaspoon and a spray bottle. The right plants shrugged at the missed care and stayed compact in jam jars...