you can see the orchid still in its pot. i wasn't too careful about concealing the rim. I also dug up moss growing outside and placed them on empty areas of soil. i mist them every three days, but because they grew in full sun previously, we'll see if they will last indoors.
Here is another arrangement that i planted at the same time as the orchid in glass bowl. the peace lily I used was too big so i divided it and placed half of it into this smaller 8" glass bowl (dollar store). that was a year ago, the plant has quadrupled in size. one thing to remember about these arrangements is not to fertilize since there is no water runoff. the plants seen to get everything they need from the unfertilized soil/peat moss.
the Angelina sedum was added just a couple days ago. these were dug up from outside in full sun.
the Amazon lily flowers look like daffodils, the leaves look like those of the peace lily. I planted it two weeks ago in an indoor pot (no drainage holes). i have a two inch layer of pebbles on the bottom, but i have to be very careful with watering. the lady that sold it to me says this plant prefers being outside in the shade. so i do have to carry this (heavy) pot outdoors every once in awhile, on the covered patio. The browned leaf was a victim of too much afternoon sun while it was outdoors. A couple of droopy flower stalks were propped up by weaving them around the leaves.
ive had this arrangement on my breakfast table for the last year. It hasn't changed much except for the orchids, which i replace every two to three months.
you need:
1. 10 -12" glass bowl, mine is from Target, ~$6. I like glass so i can see the moisture level.
2. the bottom is a one inch layer of hydroton, for drainage. expanded shale can also be used. these keep the soil from sitting in water and have an absorbent outer layer that wicks water upward.
3. next is a layer of potting soil, i used Pro-mix. any professional peat based soil mix is fine, but it needs to wick well so there are no dry spots after watering. I like miracle gro potting mix also.
4. Add plants!
your orchid stays in its pot, so place that in first. i used two mini phalaenopsis in three inch pots.
add a layer of soil to anchor the position of the orchids.
add other plants directly into the glass bowl and top off with soil.
the soil should not reach more than 1/2" below the rim of the bowl. you don't want water running off onto your nice table.
5. i water the orchids, until the Hydroton layer is full of water. in a couple of hours the entire bowl of soil is evenly moist and there is no more water standing at the bottom.
* I once had a 4" regular sized phalaenopsis in the bowl. the pot was too high, so i cut off the bottom and stuck the pot in the soil, concealing the rim with moss
*orchids grown in bark lasts much longer than ones grown in sphagnum moss.
*for the first month i added dilute organic fertilizer but the plants did not like it. since the water doesn't run off, i don't think the plants even need it. I've used no fertilizer whatsoever for the past year, yet the plants have grown and filled in well.
*these are growing near a north and west facing window. the bright afternoon sun is too much, so the blinds stay closed. yet the north window doors not provide enough light to get the orchids to rebloom. i just take them out once they are faded and give then to my mom. she gets bright indirect light which allows them to rebloom within a few months.
