30 Modern Terrariums to Inspire You

A cube-shaped terrarium has clean lines that lend themselves to modern design. When Jeffrey Schneider of Jeffrey's Terrariums creates his displays, the plants are sized proportionally to the vessels. "I like to think of the layouts as miniature landscapes," he says. This air plant terrarium holds Tillandsia streptophylla, filifolia, Bulbosa Guatemala, Ionantha Victoriana, Aeranthos and Funkiana, along with horn wood and river stone.

Three components of modern terrariums are simplicity, scale and minimalism, says Jeffrey Schneider of Jeffrey Terrariums, who creates terrariums of hand-blown glass. In this woodland-themed terrarium, he used pincushion moss (Leucobryum albidum), rabbit's foot fern (Phlebodium aureum), reindeer moss (Cladonia rangiferina), Selaginella kraussiana and succulents such as Peperomia prostrata. Acorns, twigs and leaves are sterilized to prevent pests and diseases.

Jeffrey Schneider is inspired by artists such as Dale Chihuly and Anish Kapoor and their work with organic shapes in creating his own hand-blown shapes for terrariums. A legume-shaped terrarium holds a variety of mosses: pincushion moss (Leucobryum albidum), peacock moss (Selaginella uncinata) and succulents such as Peperomia hirta. Plants include Acorus gramineus 'Minimus Aureus' (a perennial) and Ficus pumila 'Quercifolia' (a vining plant).

Hand-blown terrariums are organic and sculptural, says Jeffrey Schneider of Jeffrey Terrariums, based in New York. The bean-shaped terrarium he created holds Selaginella emmeliana, maidenhair fern and perennials such as Peperomia urocarpa. He used Yamaya stone for the base and placed sterilized twigs into the display.