Aug 04 2012
DIY Garden: Rainforest Garden ‘Apple’
Brought the girl to Hort Park for a walk this Saturday morning for some fresh air cos she has been coughing for more than a week… At the same time, do some site survey for a corporate event. (efficient, boh? 
)
While we were there, we saw this DIY Terrarium Kit. Thinking maybe some greenery on my office table could cheer me up on the days I feel like screaming, I thought, “Why not?” Plus, it has been AGES since I did some hands-on crafty stuff with my girl… this would have been a great experience. 
(Not to mention, I was told the whole eco-system is self-sustaining without the need to water again for 2-4 months! – good for lazy busy people like me. )
While the DIY Kit includes everything we need to set up at home, we decided to set up our little terrarium there in the shop instead cos there were so many different gravel and sand colours. Not to mention, it just felt more fun to set up our garden in the outdoors than back at home… and cleaner too.
Got a short brief on how to set up and subsequently care for our little ecosystem from the expert… And then we started work ourselves!
Step 1: Pour gravel up to approx 1cm in height to form the drainage layer to store excess water to prevent root rot.
Step 2: Softly flatten the gravels… but take care not to compact it too much!
Step 3: Pour in the soil (the DIY Kit soil pack already included necessary fertilizer etc)… and level it.
Step 4: Choose the plants to form the garden…
Step 5: Dig a hole in the middle and lower the plants in!
Step 6: Final few steps to beautify! Pour a thin layer of coloured sand to cover the soil…
Step 7: Scatter some gravel and add some small decorative items (e.g. corals, seashells) to beautify the whole terrarium… and then insert 2 small pieces of charcoal (used to remove toxins)…
While it looks so beautiful now…
… It is not complete without water! So…
Step 8: Spray like 20x with spray bottle…
Step 9: Close the lid and the terrarium is finally complete!
They come in various sizes too! After this one, I am tempted to buy a few more to form not just a terrarium garden… but a whole terrarium forest!
But of course we also checked out the rest of Hort Park.
Someone enjoying the aircon in the information center while I went to ask about venue rental and rates.
And somehow… even before we saw it… the girl ran off towards the playground!
The daddy said she was scared of these swaying rope structures… But the monkey proved him wrong by climbing up and across in lightning speed!
And when she got too hot and sweaty… she *begged* to be carried for the rest of the way around as the daddy gave her a eco-tour. And then it started drizzling and we had to run back to the car… and just in the nick of time too cos a HUGE DOWNPOUR started as we drove off. *PHEW*
And now, as I type this blog entry… I look at the terrarium sitting on the dining table beside me… and I feel like smiling. 
I definitely need to get another for my office now cos the daddy asked to keep this terrarium at home cos the girl had a hand in it too! *darn*
I want one tooooo!
I buy one for you for your bday!!!
Yaaay! But I want to make it on my own! Bring meeeee!
how about the 16th?
err… but warning, it’s still not approved yet… *cross fingers*
Hey I was planning to do this too! Cos my colleague has one n I m pretty intrigued by it. Been reading up on it. Maybe buying the kit sounds a lot easier. Which part of Hort park is it?
hmm looks interesting, I should get one too, I am gonna move office but the new office seems to disallow plants, but they never say cannot have mini ecosystem
SY, actually buying a ready-made one is cheaper… but we’re paying for the experience lah. it’s located on the left of the whole park where they sell gardening stuff. it’s called “the plant story”. try googling them.
bengloon, where are you moving to? yeah… this ecosystem doesn’t even need watering! no one shd complain. :p
Yuan I m planning to make one! Haha so buying this prob saves me trouble of sourcing. Hee I also like the fact that dun need to water.
Oh then go ahead.
Note though that you have to top up to use their workshop… though that gives you more choices of sand and gravel colours… plus no need for cleanup thereafter! 
Yah man! I shall check it out! Thanks!