If botanist Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward was alive today, he would have been awestruck, seeing his accidental discovery, the terrarium, being such a hit with plant-lovers and gardening enthusiasts alike. I am sure Jaya Bharathi Sunder's interesting terrariums would have pleased Nathaniel. Being an architect, Jaya Bharathi makes use of his architectural acumen to make his terrariums a visual delight for his customers.
However, unlike Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward, Jaya Bharathi’s tryst with ‘terrarium building’ was no accident. Being an expert in aquascaping (the craft of arranging aquatic plants, as well as rocks, stones, cavework, or driftwood, in an aesthetically pleasing manner within an aquarium), it was his thirst for learning more and creating more aesthetically appealing mini-landscapes that led him to exploring the art of making terrariums. "I used to follow hashtags related to aquascaping on Instagram. I got inspired by the posts of terrariums that I found online and decided to start making them by trial and error," says the 27-year-old.
Starting from scratch, he made his first terrarium by using moss. "I use several plants like succulents, indoor miniature plants and a few varieties of grass. For mimicking natural sceneries, I use moss. Moss really helps me design it the way I visualise it," he explains.
But when there are many people who create terrariums and even sell them using online and offline sources, what makes him stand out? "None of my designs are repetitive. I customise the terrarium according to the customer's wish. And moss gives me the liberty to try out any designs. Having an architectural background helps me incorporate new and innovative ideas that many customers have never seen before," shares the architect.
When he told me about customising orders, I was curious to know his working regime. "To complete one terrarium, I take three days. Designing takes only five hours. The rest of the time is for acclimatising the plants to a suitable temperature," he says. His terrariums are available in three different shapes of glass containers– a fishbowl, closed bell jar and a geometric pyramid. These models are available as both closed and open terrariums.
I never knew that terrariums could be customised using so many options according to one’s needs. All I knew was terrariums are beautiful, as simple as that. And I’m glad that Jaya Bharathi has proven me wrong! "Terrariums add aesthetic value to and generate positive vibes in any room. They are also easy to maintain," Jaya Bharathi concludes.
