About Living Art
A lifelong obsession with plants
My relationship with plants started early. As a child, I was already germinating seeds, experimenting in the garden, and spending as much time outdoors as possible. That curiosity never faded, it only grew deeper.
Over the years, I’ve experimented with almost every plant system I could get my hands on. From air plants and orchids to a full citrus collection ranging from pomelos to limes, bonsai trees, aquascaping, hydroponics, and aquascapes combined with bonsai and orchids above the waterline. Ferns have always held a special place in my heart, especially staghorn ferns, along with bromeliads and our ever-growing coffee plant collection.
Today, I have a medium-sized garden in Pretoria, but every single space is used. Indoors, outdoors, shelves, corners — if there is light, there is probably a plant. There is never such a thing as “enough”.
Discovering terrariums
About eight years ago, I built my first terrariums. I made three identical containers and deliberately experimented with different ratios of drainage area to growing space. I wanted to understand how little intervention a system truly needs if it is built correctly.
Those terrariums are still sealed today. They have never needed maintenance. They continue to grow, recycle, and balance themselves, quietly doing what nature does best.
That moment changed how I looked at plants. Terrariums weren’t just decorative objects; they were complete, functioning ecosystems in glass.
When something shifted
When people visited our home, they would always admire my plants. But there was a familiar hesitation, the belief that they would “just kill it” if they tried owning the same species themselves.
The terrariums were different.
For the first time, people didn’t just admire, they asked...
Would I make one for them? Could I create something similar for their home?
That question kept coming back.
How Living Art came to be
One day, I made a terrarium as a birthday gift. As I finished it, my husband looked at it and said:
“Why don’t you make this a proper tiny business? If so many of our friends and family want this, other people will too.”
And he was right.
What followed was a quiet but decisive step forward. I ordered materials in bulk for the first time. I created a collection of small ecosystems. I built a website. And Living Art came into being.
What Living Art means to me
Living Art is not about mass production or trends. It is not at all a business that can easily scale either.
It is about patience. Observation. Balance. Something special.
Each terrarium is built by hand, guided by years of experimentation and an understanding of how plants live together. No two pieces are ever the same. Each one is designed to grow slowly, change naturally, and settle into its own rhythm over time.
These are not just plants in glass.
They are living systems, quiet, self-sustaining worlds meant to bring calm, curiosity, and a deeper connection to nature into people’s homes.
I can’t wait to see where they end up.
What Lives Inside Our Terrariums
Living Art terrariums are carefully composed ecosystems, not random collections of plants.
Every species is selected for how it grows, how it responds to humidity and light, and how it lives alongside others over time. The goal is always the same: stability, harmony, and quiet beauty that lasts.
Orchids
Orchids are a defining element in many Living Art terrariums. Chosen for their elegance and structure, they thrive in environments with balanced humidity and airflow.
I work primarily with orchid species that adapt well to terrarium life, allowing them to grow naturally without constant intervention. Their slow growth and sculptural forms add a sense of calm and refinement to each ecosystem.
Tropical Plants
Tropical plants form the foundation of many Living Art terrariums. These species are chosen for their ability to thrive in humid, stable environments and to grow steadily without overtaking the space.
Plants such as the nerve plant (Fittonia) are valued for their resilience and subtle patterns, bringing life and colour to the ecosystem while remaining easy to live with over time.
Mosses
Moss plays a vital role in terrariums — both visually and functionally.
It helps regulate moisture, supports the natural water cycle, and creates a soft, grounded landscape that ties the entire ecosystem together.
Over time, moss settles in, spreads gently, and becomes one of the most rewarding elements to observe.
Ferns
Ferns have always been a personal favourite. From delicate miniature species to rarer varieties, they bring a sense of age and quiet permanence to a terrarium.
Ferns thrive in the stable humidity of these ecosystems and grow in a way that feels natural and unforced, slowly filling space without dominating it.
Miniature Bromeliads
Tiny bromeliads add structure and interest without disrupting balance. Their growth habits and water-holding forms make them well suited to carefully designed terrarium environments.
Used sparingly, they become subtle focal points rather than centre-stage showpieces.
Special & Unusual Plants
Some Living Art terrariums include distinctive species chosen for their structure and natural adaptations.
Plants such as Hydnophytum papuanum are valued for their sculptural forms and their ability to thrive in balanced, humid ecosystems. These plants are selected not for rarity alone, but for how naturally they integrate and age over time.
Begonias
Begonias are chosen for their rich textures, patterned leaves, and quiet presence within a terrarium.
Selected varieties thrive in humid, stable environments and grow at a steady pace, adding depth and visual interest without overwhelming the ecosystem.
Clover
Clover is used as a gentle ground layer in some Living Art terrariums.
Its soft growth and natural spreading habit help create a calm, meadow-like feel while contributing to the overall balance and cohesion of the living system.
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