terrariums

Proudly Polka-Dotted

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Madagascar is an island nation off the south coast of Africa with unique climates and topography.  It is probably best known for vanilla beans and lemurs, with the lemurs taking the prize for visibility ever since their cinematic star turns in The Lion King and the Madagascar movies. Polka dot plants or Hypoestes phyllostachya also … Read more

Birth of a Terrarium

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Nearly two centuries ago, Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward, an English physician and amateur botanist, made a surprising discovery.  Ward liked to study moth chrysalises, which he kept secure in sealed glass containers.  Inspection of one such container revealed that seeds embedded in a bit of dirt inside had germinated and sprouted.  He left the container unopened … Read more