ചില്ല് കുപ്പിക്കുള്ളിലെ കുഞ്ഞ് ഭൂമി | Terrarium Guide #ഡിയർ
History of Terrariums:
1. Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward in the year 1842 developed of the first terrarium.
2. Ward was a botanist. He had huge interests in observing the behaviour of an insect chrysalis transform into an insect so he placed it, along with some mould in a wide-mouthed glass bottle.
3. Ward used to keep a close eye on this bottle daily. He noted how the moisture used to rise towards the top of this bottle during the day and then circulate down the mould and soil in the evening. This happened due to the sun or heat.
4. Mr. Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward was taken by surprise when a seedling fern and a sprout of grass grew inside the bottle. He has been trying to grow the same thing in his garden but was unsuccessful.
5. It was then he realised that the local factors of pollution were playing with the growth of the same fern but inside this little bottle they were away from toxins and that’s why they grew there.
6. He then placed this glass container outside the window to continue his studies. He did many experiments because he wanted to know about the health of the plants kept inside glass containers where there will be no outside intervention or watering.
7. These small glass containers were known as Wardian Cases for a very long time. In fact, this term is still in use.
8. The general perception about plants was that plants require constant exposure to air, water, or light and cannot live inside enclosed places. But Ward broke this concept and thus helped many people who were on a sea voyage where freshwater supplies were limited.
9. George Loddiges - the owner of the Loddiges and Sons Nursery in Hackney supported this experiment of Ward because he understood that this sealed glass container presentation of plants had a commercial future.
10. Ward then employed special carpenters to build his Wardian Cases. And by the year 1833, they sent two Wardian cases of plants to Australia. The ship then returned after a year with a load of flourishing Australian specimens. As per Ward, “These plants were placed upon deck and were not once watered during the whole voyage, yet on their arrival at the docks they were in the most healthy and vigorous condition.”
11. After this successful trip, the plants from Australia were sent to London using the same method. That voyage was also successful.
12. This successful ecological transports encouraged a general interest among the population. It was noticed that the middle-class homes rushed to add a Wardian case to their drawing-room as a decorative object that appealed Eden in the face of England’s dawning industrial revolution.
13. During the Victorian Era and principally in England, the terrariums or “Wardian Cases” became very famous. But again over the course of time, this practice saw a decline. In today’s world, it seems like they made a comeback.
14. The Wardian Cases were quite renowned during the Victorian England. Those cases used to have a series of sheets of glasses framed together with metal.
#Terrarium Plants
#Miniature Tropical Plants
Nerve Plant (Fittonia)
Baby Tears (Soleirolia soleirolii)
Peperomia (Peperomia prostrata)
Pilea (Pilea glauca)
Polka Dot Plant (Hypoestes phyllostachya)
Mini African Violet (Saintpaulia)
Club Moss (Selaginella)
String of Turtles (Peperomia prostrata)
#Miniature Ferns
Button Fern (Pellaea rotundifolia)
Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum)
Lemon Button Fern (Nephrolepis cordifolia 'Duffii')
Dwarf Tree Fern (Blechnum gibbum)
Creeping Fig Fern (Pellaea)
Heart Fern (Hemionitis arifolia)
Silver Brake Fern (Pteris ensiformis)