Buying and caring for a bottle garden: everything you need to know

A bottle garden gives your plants a unique look. This beautiful miniature garden in a glass bottle or vase will complement any interior. At The Green Bottle Garden,you'll find bottle gardens handcrafted by experienced botanists. They're made of sustainable, eco-friendly glass and make a unique gift for plant lovers.

Find out how a bottle garden works, how to care for one, and why they're such a great addition to your home or workplace.

What is a bottle garden ?

A bottle garden is a miniature landscape of plants in a glass bottle or vase. The bottle can be completely closed, in which case it's an ecosystem, or have an opening, in which case it's called a terrarium. In the Netherlands, we often call both a bottle garden and a closed one, whether it's an open or closed one. Generally, we call it a terrarium.

Terrariums open bottle garden
The Green Bottle Garden terrariums have an opening at the back or top. This ensures optimal air circulation and prevents excess moisture buildup, keeping the plants healthy. This simplifies care and prevents mold. This open structure allows the plants to breathe and maintain their natural growth cycle.

Closed bottle garden ecosystems
The Green Bottle Garden's ecosystems are completely sealed with a cork. Before the cork is placed on the glass, excess water evaporates, ensuring the plants receive just the right amount of moisture. This creates a self-sustaining ecosystem: water evaporates, condenses on the glass, and drips back into the soil, while the plants convert CO₂ into oxygen. Read more about closed ecosystems in our blog about ecosystems.

Bottle garden care: how does it work?

While the plants in a bottle garden are generally easy to care for, there are a few important things to keep in mind. With the right care and a few clever tips, your mini garden will blend in seamlessly!

Care tips for an open bottle (terrarium):

🌿 Placement :Place your bottle garden in a spot with indirect light. Avoid direct sunlight, as this can significantly increase the temperature in the bottle and burn the plants.

🌿 Watering :Because our bottles are open, they need a little water occasionally. Check the soil and water when the top layer is substantially dry. Don't give more than half a cup of water to prevent root rot.

🌿 Humidity :Because the plant terrarium is open, air circulation remains optimal and there is less chance of excessive condensation.

🌿 Temperature: Every plant has its own ideal temperature. Therefore, always check what your plant needs. Most tropical plants in a bottle garden thrive at a stable temperature between 18 and 24°C. Avoid locations with drafts or extreme temperature fluctuations, such as near a heater or open window.

🌿 Dead Leaves :Remove dead leaves occasionally to encourage growth.

Care tips for a closed bottle (ecosystem):

 
🌱 Placement :Place your glass bottle garden in a spot with indirect light. Avoid direct sunlight, as this can significantly increase the temperature inside the bottle and burn the plants.

🌱Watering : A closed ecosystem doesn't need any additional water! The botanists at The Green Bottle Garden have added just theright amount of water so the ecosystem is self-sustaining.

🌱 Humidity :Because the ecosystem is completely sealed, there's no air circulation. This can cause condensation, but that's completely normal and part of the ecosystem. However, it's possible to have too much condensation. Tip: If you can see through your glass bottle garden, there's enough humidity. If you can't see the plants, that's too much humidity. In that case, leave the cork off your ecosystem for a few more days.

🌱 Temperature: Every plant has its own ideal temperature. Therefore, always check your plant's needs. Most tropical plants in a closed glass vase thrive in a stable environment between 18 and 24°C. Avoid locations with drafts or extreme temperature fluctuations, such as near a heater or open window.

🌱 Dead leaves :Dead leaves nourish the ecosystem and contribute to a healthy balance. Don't like the look of them? You can carefully remove them, but this disrupts the balance. Removing a single leaf isn't harmful, but the more often you do this, the greater the chance of the ecosystem becoming unbalanced.

Which plants are suitable for creating a bottle garden?

Plants for a closed bottle garden (ecosystem)
Not all plants are suitable for a closed bottle garden. Choose varieties that thrive in a physically stable environment, such as tropical plants. Make sure they don't grow too fast, otherwise they'll get stuck in the bottle. Suitable plants include Fittonia, Calathea, Maranta, Philodendron, and Chamaedorea. These species thrive in high temperatures and grow slowly, making them perfect for a closed ecosystem. Ferns, mosses, and small tropical plants also thrive in these green mini-jungles.

Plants for an open bottle garden (terrarium)
An open terrarium offers more air circulation, allowing you to use a wider selection of plants. Keep in mind, however, that some plants grow quickly. At The Green Bottle Garden, we deliberately choose slow-growing varieties to prevent the terrarium from overfilling. Suitable plants include orchids, bromeliads, cacti, anthuriums, fittonia, calathea, maranta, and chamaedorea. These plants thrive in a terrarium and can better handle the slightly drier air of an open environment.

Which bottle gardens are there at The Green Bottle Garden?

At The Green Bottle Garden, our experienced botanists perfectly match the plants to the bottle. Our selection includes a wide variety of glass plants in various sizes, such as the Bottle Jungle , where tropical plants from South America combine to create a miniature jungle. Our bestseller: the vibrant Bottle Orchid , featuring a radiant Phalaenopsis orchid. From our newcomer ecosystem, Laura! Each piece is carefully handcrafted and ready to grace your interior.

 View our entire collection here.

The perfect gift

A bottle garden turns a plant into a stylish and original gift. Thanks to the mouth-blown glass, you're giving not just a standard gift, but a sustainable design object with meaning. Moreover, the bottle adds a festive touch that's perfect for any occasion, from a work anniversary to a birthday.