As far as the backyard garden at casa de radmegan goes, most of my vegetables have ceased production for the season. The pitchers on my carnivorous plants are browning. My sweet little alien-like conophytums and lithops were covered up last week to protect against too much rain. On the whole, my garden has closed up shop for the winter.
Here’s what you will need for your very own table-top water garden:
– Plastic pots shorter than the height of your glass vessel
– Mosquito fish (optional)
– Pure water
Place the taro in your plastic pot and add soil. Pack the soil down snugly and cover with rocks and pebbles. Rinse off any loose soil from the exterior of the plastic pot. Make sure your bowl/vase/container is clean and free of cracks. Take a handful of charcoal and line the base of the vessel to help against odors. Cover with aquarium pebbles. Fill the vessel with the most pure water you can get your hands on; rain water, reverse osmosis water, or distilled. Place the potted taro into the vessel. Some loose soil may escape the pot- just scoop it off the top of the water, and add more rocks to the potted plant if needed. Pull off any dead roots from the floating water plants, and give them a good rinse before adding to the bowl. If you plan on taking the water garden outside, and then bringing it back inside later, mosquito fish are a good idea. Nobody wants mosquitoes hatching in their living room!
I picked up my water plants at OSH for under two dollars each, but there are LOTS of options online if you want to try something more advanced.
Before taking on a water garden, I’d suggest perusing a few books. I find so much inspiration from gardening books in general, but this one from Better Homes and Gardens does a good job of telling you what level each garden is, and how long it will take to complete.
One last note on water gardens- many water plants can be extremely invasive and destructive when introduced to natural bodies of water, so if you find yourself needing to dispose of any extra plants, please throw them in your compost heap, or trash bin and do NOT put them in streams, rivers or lakes.
Thanks for reading, and have fun making your own tabletop water gardens!
And, because a couple of people have asked, this is similar to the charcoal I use:
I love the cup that you have it in! It looks like it belongs in the kitchen! I love it!
That is so cool! I think I might just try my black thumbs at this.
Thanks for sharing! ^_^
Good idea for choosing the cup for gardening and specially when the cup is transparent.Nice pictures and i love this.Amazing
This is so very cool! I feel the Zen from here just looking at it. Can’t wait to try this. Thanks! (Brand new to your blog btw, Hi!)
This is adorable! I wish I could make one, but I KNOW my cats would destroy/eat/knock it over. It has happened before:(
That cup looks like it needs a little fishy in it!
The water garden is super awesome and when I have time, I gonna copy…
@ Jess Thank you!! I bought the oversized glass coffee cup (at Michaels) for a fish (RIP fishy…) I’d named Joe… get it? Cuppa Joe?!
@ Absolutely Small- Thank you! I firmly believe that any black thumb can be converted. I believe in you
@Simon- Thank you so much
Thanks for the comment.
@Cassandra- Oooh I’m so glad this made you feel zen
Yay- and welcome to the blog! I’m happy you’re here!
@Andrearodgers- I’m cat-less (sadly!) so yea, I’m sure a curious kitty would have a field day with a tabletop garden- especially if there were fish in it. Oy!
@Hellyag- That cup WILL have a fishy in it soon! Come on down to LA anytime and we can make one together while watching FOTC dvds. Yes? Yes! <3
Thanks everyone for the feedback and comments! Internet high-five to you all.
xo
radmegan
The clear cup can probably be found at a garage sale. It is part of a “wedding shower service set”. (plate and cup together)
Hi, I saw this in a tumblr post & just LOVE this idea! I love plants so much my house looks like a jungle & I often grow plants in water to re-root them in soil but never thought of having a water garden. Thanks for sharing!
This is fantastic!! I currently have my taro plant and floating pond plants in a bucket in my garage, hoping to overwinter them. But this makes me want to try this inside the house. With one or two goldfish, it would be so cute. Wonder if the kitten would leave it alone?
Excellent idea, I think I am going to try it
Hi Nadir! Thanks for the comment! My house also looks like a jungle- you sound like my kind of people!! Good luck with your water garden. I’d love to hear how it turns out
Busy with Kids, yes! Bring those plants inside. Goldfish would only make this ten times cuter. As for the kitties, do you have a bookshelf or hard-to-access spot that they might not notice? I’d suggest earthquake putty under the vessel, and a container with high walls so little paws can’t reach
Al, thank you for the comment! I hop you do try it
Thanks for reading!
xo
radmegan
Love this! Your wee water garden looks adorable in that cup!
I just wanted to stop by and let you know that I linked to this post today from the Home & Garden channel at Craft Gossip.
Your feature will appear in the main Craft Gossip RSS feed, on the main home page and can be found directly here
http://homeandgarden.craftgossip.com/indoor-water-garden/
If you would like a “featured by” button, you can grab one here!
http://homeandgarden.craftgossip.com/grab-a-craft-gossip-button/
Thanks Carly! And thanks for the follow as well
Amanda! Wow yay! I’m honored, and will put up a featured by button today
Thanks so much!
Hi,
i like this idea so much! Can i share your project(by referring you of course) in a turkish aquarium forum?
Yes please do biberdolmasi! I’d be honored! (Some of my favorite people are Turkish and I’ve ALWAYS wanted to learn the language!!)
Thank you for the comment
xoxo
I LOVE this! What a great idea. I have the same concern about kitties wreaking havoc on it, but I’m still going to give it a shot. I just had a couple of questions, how do you keep it from getting super scummy? Also, what kind of charcoal do you use, and where can you get it? I also linked this page and your Tillandsia Terrariums page on my blog, I hope that’s okay. These are both wonderful projects. Thanks for the inspiration!
Looks really nice. How often to have to clean out the water? Is it a lot of work to maintain?
@therobotsattack Thank you!! I wish I had kitty paws to worry about, but we only have fish- and I don’t have to worry about them sneaking out of their bowls and into this to wreak havoc 😉 At the end of the post above, I’ve added a link to a garden-quality charcoal very similar to what I used in this water garden. I found my charcoal at my local nursery, and would guess that most would carry something similar, but when in doubt… grab the one above- it’s a large bag so you should have it forever!
Thank you for the link. I appreciate it!! 
So glad you liked both posts! Also- see my response to James (below) re: scummy water 
@James, I’ve never cleaned out my water. I’ve had to add water when it started to evaporate, but it hasn’t gotten scummy or cloudy at all. In fact, it’s been sitting in the same spot as pictured above for months, and the only difference is that the taro is a little taller now, and theres a bit more of the decorative moss
Thanks for your comments guys!
xo
radmegan
The reason it stays clean is because the plants are keeping the water well-balanced like in nature. I have a koi pond that I have never had to feed or clean for thirteen years.
Ooops, sorry about the charcoal question. I totally missed that. That’s amazing it’s stayed so clear, I was picturing it getting really scummy fast.
No no! Don’t be sorry! I just added the link for you
Good luck!
I love this idea. Now, if only I could figure out how to keep something like this away from the cats…
Radmegan…Love your post and I’m definitely going to create my own kitchen water garden. I see above you mentioned that you bought the oversized coffee cup at “Michaels”. Could you be more specific? I’ve been searching and searching for the same thing and have had absolutely no luck.
Thanks for the awesome post!
CMHug
Amazing! I cannot wait to make one by myself and put it on my desk! Thanks for the detailed instruction.
Awesome idea, it’s looks so cool! Thanks for posting this great info. I’ll try it in nearest future.
superb!
I stopped by my local consignment shop the other day and happened to glimpse a bunch of glass punch cups, and thought, “That would be perfect for that little water garden I’ve been staring at online for weeks!” Thanks for the idea!
Thesenmaking of, yea… I wish I had a solution for you!
CMHug- I bought my glass coffee cup several years ago at the Michaels in Ventura, CA- I really wish they sold it online! I can’t find it ANYWHERE else, and it doesn’t seem like they keep it in stock all the time
Zhilin Zhang- thank you so much!! I’d love to see photos of yours!
Knit Lover- thank you so much
Kaushik- thanks!!
akwater- Ahh thank you! I’m so pleased that you found a glass container you like! Please send me photos when you have completed your water garden- I would LOVE to see it!
xoxo
radmegan
It’s a pretty bad idea to keep live fish in something like this; fish create a high volume of waste which will cause the nitrates, nitrites and ammonia in the tiny body of water to spike to insane levels, and if it doesn’t kill the inhabitents it should be considered extremely cruel to force any living thing to live in such a toxic environment.
It’s best if planning to keep live fish to ensure they have adequate space and water quality for their particular species including PH and high levels of biological filtration.
Though mosquitofish are very hardy and capable of surviving in deplorable conditions it is by no means acceptble to cause undo harm for the sake of a conversation piece.
so freakin cool! love it! my kids will too!
Just too cute! I love the mini water plants and the moss/rocks on the table.
how many ounces is the cup ?
and how many ounces is the pot?
Thank you 8)
It’s probably a gallon or so… Thanks
This is a fantastic idea!
I do not intend to be rude in any way (especially since I very much like your idea in general), but could you please delete the part about the mosquito fish before someone actually puts some in their water garden. Not any kind of fish should be kept under those conditions, as Ren mentioned before. Thank you.
Thanks for your comment.
I never kept fish in my bowl, only suggested it as an option. That would require more maintenance/upkeep than I have time for- as you and Ren stated.
this is awesome! i’m gonna try it!!!! thank you! cheers from village pond and garden in toronto, canada! we do water gardens for a living and i’ve never seen something like this – so cool! thank you!
This is awesome! And…perhaps, not too hard?
I am new to plants (haha) but I love this idea. I am totally going to try it!
I have to make myself get back to work when I pull up pinterest! I love this idea! There are some very creative people in this world. Thanks for the idea and all the helpful hints and directions.
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/4117933/?catalogId=97&cm_ven=Shopping&cm_cat=Froogle&cm_pla=default&cm_ite=default&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=4117933
Heres a link to a clear mug that looks like picture
do you think a beta would be able to survive in here the same way as the mosquito fish if you got a big enough container?
If you put a beta fish in a bowl without a lid, they jump out. Trust me, I know from experience.
Anyways, this is SO cute! It totally fits the theme of my room so I think I may have to try this. 😉
No fish can live in one of these. Unless you get one that can hold 3 gallons or more. Bettas need heaters and filtration like any fish.
I usually float some flowers in the vase, but this is much better, thanks. I’d like to try it.
Useful information. Lucky me I discovered your site accidentally, and I’m shocked why this twist of fate did not came about earlier! I bookmarked it.
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Just FYI, I saw this on Pinterest, and I bought a whole set of clear glass cups a few months ago at Bed, bath and beyond. They’re a chain, so probably most places have one or at least nearby.
This is a great idea! Always looking for ways to add more greenery to my home!
Also a thought… I found a TON of glass teacups at a thrift store near here!
I think this would be perfect on my desk at work! No cats to worry about either. 😀
Hi Megan
I love your water garden — it’s stunning. May I use one of your photos on my indoor water garden page on my website beginner-indoor-gardening.com?
Kind regards
Peter
I just find from pinterest. Awesome idea!! I love
That is so unique! Thanks for sharing that with us:)
Beautiful! What a great idea. I love water gardens but really don`t want to commit to one in my yard. A small table-top version is the perfect solution!
This is so awesome!!! Love the whole concept beautiful.
I love your water plants and the cute glass cup. I’m going to try this. I love plants. So many times I tried to grow plants indoors, but they die on me. They grow better outdoors in the Summer. Thanks for sharing.
Love this post I shared it on blogger. Thanks for sharing.
so so many positive comments! And what beautiful ‘green’ art! but the question above … do you need to change the water?
This post & picture were stolen by another blogger. You can find them here:
http://merlinsmistress.blogspot.com/2013/03/indoor-water-gardens.html
you could ask your landlord if he would mind if you built something of the sort in the yard. you may be surprised…
I have collected bits of nature for years. Now I know what to do with them what a great idea
I’m thinking that I’m loving this way more than the traditional Terrarium garden. 😀
Thanks for sharing all the details!
XO
+1 fan! Love it! (from pinterest)
Very cute! I think I will make a couple! But do NOT PUT A FISH in there. That is a big NO. The minimum requirement for any fish is about 3 gallons. Putting a fish in there would be a death sentence, as plants do not actually clean the water enough to make it safe. No, not even betta or goldfish can live in it. Please dont put anything living in these except plants.
How do you stop the water going green mine are fluro green and slimy.
What a cute idea for a centerpiece on a table! I would love to have something like this for my own place- it is just so cute and eclectic. What would be even cooler if it had a water feature to it. That would really make it be an eye catcher!
Burp…oh my bad…enjoying a sardine and cucumber sandwich. Anyways, love this idea and it makes a great gift. I made a bigger one similar to this using my above ground fish pond outside. Makes me wanna dive right in there with those little fellas especially on a hotter than seven layers of hades day like today!
Dear Megan
I love this garden! What I can’t figure out from the instructions is why one needs a transparent plastic pot inside the glass vessel? Why not put everything directly into the glass vessel?
Thank you!
Annika
Hi there! I really appreciate this post! I have been looking around everywhere for a tutorial on how to make this. Anyway, I was wondering if your Taro is a specific dwarf species because I cant seem to find any small taro plants to use for this project. Also, do you still have this going? And if you do, did you get any murkiness? Thanks!!
I am looking for a fun and cool looking table top water fountain. It is always nice to be able to hear the trickling of water over rocks and other objects. That would be such a relaxing thing to hear as I sit and eat breakfast by myself.
Such a lovely idea! I’m definitely making this water garden this weekend. After my successful project about a small herb garden in the kitchen, this is a great option to bring some green color in my living room too. Thank you for sharing!
Love the idea, Megan! I run a water feature business and am thinking of holding a class for our customers to build one of these teacup ponds and educate them on aquatic ecosystems and the role plants play in maintaining water quality.
Fish pond is a simple way to bring more life into the yard. Garden looks great with wear and it reduces stress.
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This is so beautiful! The possibilities are endless with this, I think. When I grew dwarf coconuts, lots of people were using coconuts with small shoots in a similar glass bowl/cup indoors for a garden decoration indoors – I loved that idea too.
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This is such a fun idea. I can’t wait to start working on this.
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