A few weeks back when I was working with the jet-setting and uber talented Laure on a now wrapped make-over show, we made some succulent plantings to use as little green bits of awesome styled up on coffee tables or credenzas or wherever. It was super fun making them and I thought they looked fantastic.

Now, just a little while ago, I went to San Diego to hang out and shop a bit and ran into a ton of terrariums and succulent plantings in all the high-end vintage shops for hundreds and hundreds of dollars (seriously, I saw one for $350, no joke). The pricing seemed totally outrageous, but I still loved the look. How hard could it be to make a few thrifty versions to throw around the house?

Answer. Not very hard at all.

Supplies :

+ Glass Containers (I found mine at the thrift store for just a couple of bucks a pop)
+ Palm & Cactus Mix
+ Decorative Rock (I used Lava rock, because that was really the only small rock option at Home Depot for some reason)
+ Succulents and Cacti (Again, I kind of just grabbed what was at Home Depot)

I boned up on some tutorials around the web that said you can put charcoal in the bottom layer to battle any smell issues. I did not do this since I forgot. Some folks say yes, some say no – we will see how that pans out.

First, I put some of the lava rock on the bottom to act as a drainage layer.

Second, I put the Cactus and Palm soil mix in and made some little planting areas. This is not rocket science, but it is kind of dirty.

When planting remember:

+  Ruff up the roots a bit to let the plant know it’s out of its pot.
+  Plant it at the same depth it was growing in the pot.

Once the soil was ready, I planted a trio of itty-bitty plants while adding a bit of extra soil to secure them in place.

To finish it off I just added a layer of lava rock to the top.

Bam. Done.

Succulent and cacti plantings achieved! I cleaned up the glass and gave them a little water.

The thing I like about these type of succulent plantings is that they’re very low maintenance. They tend to need a bit of neglect and sun, both of which I can provide in spades.

For now they are chilling on the big bad burl in the living room. Eventually, they’ll find their forever home somewhere else in the homestead…someday…

So, to wrap up:

DIY skill level? Super Easy.

Cost? Less than $50.