Glass cloche terrariums are not only appealing to the eye, but they also preserve a bit of nature in your home and serve as a simple, yet beautiful, piece of art. Closed terrariums are easy to care for, as they retain much of their own moisture and provide a warm environment with a consistent level of humidity. You won’t have to water the terrariums unless you see that the walls are not misting up. Small growing plants that don’t require a lot of light work best such as succulents, ferns, moss, even orchids.

Glass cloche terrariums
Glass cloche terrariums (Lucy Akins)

What You'll Need:

  • Cloche
  • Planter saucer, small shallow dish or desired platform
  • Floral foam oasis
  • Ruler
  • Spoon
  • Floral wire pins or paper clips
  • Small plants (from a florist or nursery)
  • Moss
  • Tweezers
  • Other small decorative items (optional)

Step 1

Measure the circumference of your cloche and cut the foam oasis about 3/4 inch (2 cm) smaller. Place the foam oasis into a container full of water and allow to soak until it sinks to the bottom. Dig out a hole on the oasis large enough to fit your plant, being careful not to pierce all the way through to the bottom.

Dig a hole in the oasis.
Dig a hole in the oasis. (Lucy Akins)

Step 2

Insert your plant into the hole.

Orchid in foam oasis
Orchid in foam oasis (Lucy Akins)

Step 3

You can add various plants if you wish.

Various foliage
Various foliage (Lucy Akins)

Step 4

Using floral pins, attach enough moss around the oasis to cover it.

Attach moss.
Attach moss. (Lucy Akins)

Step 5

Gently place the cloche over the oasis. The glass may push some of the moss upward, exposing some of the foam.

Place cloche over oasis.
Place cloche over oasis. (Lucy Akins)

Step 6

Simply pull down the moss with tweezers or insert more moss to fill in the empty spaces.

Rearrange moss.
Rearrange moss. (Lucy Akins)

Step 7

You can use any platform you wish. In this case, a small saucer was used.

Place cloche on a platform to sit on.
Place cloche on a platform to sit on. (Lucy Akins)

Step 8

This particular terrarium rests on a planter saucer and features a small white pumpkin.

Cloche placed on a terracotta saucer
Cloche placed on a terracotta saucer (Lucy Akins)

Step 9

This particular terrarium was placed on a wood slice and a little toy squirrel was placed inside to add a little whimsy.

Placed on a wooden slice
Placed on a wooden slice (Lucy Akins)

Finished Terrarium

Displayed alone or in a group, these pretty arrangements allow you to add a little nature to your decor or tablescape.

Cloche terrarium
Cloche terrarium (Lucy Akins)

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