Terrarium

A closed terrarium's transparent walls allow heat and light to enter, creating a very favorable environment for plant growth.

Heat entering the sealed container allows the creation of a small water cycle due to evaporating moisture from the soil and plants.

The water vapor then condenses onto the walls of the container, eventually falling back onto the plants and soil below.

[2] Ward hired carpenters to build his Wardian cases to export native British plants to Sydney, Australia.

[3] Wardian cases were used for many decades by Kew Gardens to ship plants around the British Empire and were also used during European colonization of Africa to bring African goods, like spices and coffee, back to Europe.

[5] Closed terrarium benefit from specific soil mixes to ensure ideal growing conditions and reduce risk of microbial damage; a common medium used is peat-lite: a mixture of peat moss, vermiculite, and perlite.

[5] The mixture should be sterile to minimize risk of introducing potentially harmful microbes to the terrarium.