10 Terrarium Designs to Try

The popularity of terrariums stems from their versatility. They have the ability to be curated into any type of design style and purpose, whether as an accent piece or a focal point, says Alexander McLachlin, owner of Nightshade, based in Ontario. He sees terrariums moving toward more thoughtful, artistic design, and he's even seen some with a single pad of moss or a sapling growing from a lichen-covered stick. The shape of the container can be as much a point of focus as the environment inside, he says, "geometry is also such a powerful visual statement".

"We love to incorporate plants in our projects, and a terrarium is the perfect way to house smaller plants so they don't look lost or they can add uniqueness to a larger plant like an orchid," says Berkeley Minkhorst, a designer with House of Nomad, based in Charlotte, N.C. She says her firm also loves to use geometric shapes in their room designs, so a multisided terrarium helps reinforce those shapes.

Both the vessel and the plants are sculptural items when it comes to terrariums. Mini double spike orchids are spotlighted underneath a dome terrarium, along with moss and tropical plants.

This Halloween terrarium isn't a scary sight, thanks to asparagus fern, friendship plant (Pilea involucrata), dried eucalyptus and dried caspia. Choosing a holiday theme is a key way to incorporate a fairy garden into a terrarium, recommends Blumen Gardens, a nursery and garden center in Illinois. Then choose plants that go together with your chosen scale and theme.