Making a Bottle Garden

Have a pretty bottle that you just cannot bring yourself to throw away? Want to make a window ledge or sunny corner come to life? Then try a ‘bottle garden.’

A bottle garden is an arrangement of plants that need only water and so can be easily grown in bottles. Variety is the key to making this miniature house garden attractive. Among the many plants that will grow in water are: geraniums, peperomia, ivy, wax begonia, hibiscus, coleus and impatiens. And as for containers, the variety is endless. Jars, vases, aquariums, beverage bottles, all lend themselves to imaginative use.

After thoroughly cleaning the containers, fill each with fresh water. Next, cut the stem of each plant just below the lowest node (the point where the bottom leaf originates). Remove any damaged foliage from the stem and also remove any foliage that would be below the water level. As you place the plants in the containers, be sure to arrange them loosely.

One of the joys of a bottle garden is the minimal care required. When you see that the water level has gone down you can pour in more water. In many climates it will be necessary to change the water once a month to prevent algae from growing.

Lowly bottles, leaves and vines can combine to put color and zest into a room. They can also serve as a refreshing reminder of the Creator of “all green plants,” the “fresh growth” of the earth.​—Gen. 1:30, 11-12, The New English Bible.