Bottle gardens are decorative gardens encased in a glass or plastic container, usually a clear bottle. A miniature ecosystem garden of this type is an ideal way to enjoy live plants in a living space that is small or not conducive to keeping potted plants. A bottle garden can be equipped with green plants, flowers, or even vegetables.
Bottle gardening is an excellent way to introduce children to the world of living plants. Parents or teachers can help the child choose plants for the garden and aid in the assembly. Requiring little more than a consistent source of light and some water, the garden can flourish in the self-contained world of the bottle. As the plants grow, it is possible to observe the changes and learn a great deal about the natural world.
Assembling a bottle garden is a relatively easy task. Clear bottles with a wide neck work very well, as the wider opening makes it much easier to arrange the elements of the garden. Collections of small plants that will thrive within the interior of the bottle are combined with a small amount of compost and some gravel. If the living space is dark, a source of artificial illumination will also be required.
Begin by layering what will be the bottom of the bottle garden with a small amount of compost. This layer serves as the anchor for the root system in the garden. Next, arrange the plants in the compost in any manner that appeals to the eye. As a final touch, place a thin layer of gravel over the compost and around the base of the plants. The gravel will help the compost to retain water and prevent the garden from drying out.
Just about any type of plants can be included in the garden. Small sprouts for trees can be grown in the garden, then later removed for planting. A bottle tree garden made with a two to five gallon glass container will provide a great environment during those first few weeks, giving the trees a better chance to take root and thrive once planted in solid ground.
There are several bottle garden examples that tend to be popular. One design calls for using different types of cactus in the miniature landscape. Flowering plants that grow low to the ground also can create an effect that is somewhat like and English garden, just on a smaller scale. Elements such as decorative rocks, driftwood, or dried butterflies can also add visual interest to the scene.
The contents of a bottle garden can be periodically updated to incorporate colors and elements that are identified with the current season. A garden may take advantage of autumn colors once summer is over, as well as be filled with bright blooms in the springtime. The scope of design ideas is only limited by the imagination of the individual putting the garden together.
