Viral TikTok star and Chelsea Gold medal winner Ben Newell (aka @worcesterterrariums ), who has had worldwide success sharing terrarium hints and tips to his 3.4 million followers since giving up his day job as a postman, says it’s difficult to know where to start because there are so many good plants out there. Newell, whose TikTok terrarium videos frequently go viral, has now written Hello Tiny World, a beautifully crafted guide to how to grow plants in terrariums, offering different ideas on everything from containers, soil conditions and watering hints, to plants which may be suitable.
Here, he suggests five easy terrarium plants for beginners. 1. Fittonia albivenis Known as the nerve plant, it’s native to South America but is widely available in garden centres here.
“It’s got this striking veining on the leaf and comes in many different colours. My preference is the green ones because they tend to fit with a more naturalistic terrarium.” Top tip: Plant them via root cuttings because it allows the plant to stay smaller while developing a root system.
Snip above a leaf node and push the cutting into the soil. You can use tiny parts of the plant which often fit with the scale of a small terrarium. 2.
Nephrolepis exaltata ‘Marisa’ Also known as the Boston fern, this small bushy fern is easy to care for, preferring warmth and humidity. “You can divide it which is really helpful because you can get numerous plants from one. Prune it once it gets established by .