Tiny Gardens, Big Imagination For Student Terrarium Maker

KOTA BHARU: Inside an old glass container, Muhammad Syukur Abdullah can create an entire world. There might be a miniature forest, a rocky Japanese-inspired landscape, or even a tiny waterfall surrounded by moss and ferns.

Syukur, a second-semester Aquaculture Technology Diploma student at Jeli Polytechnic in Kelantan, has turned his fascination with terrariums into a creative passion and small business.

It all began during his secondary-school years, when an online video inspired him to try making one himself.

“After several attempts with the help of YouTube, I finally managed to create my own terrarium,” he told Bernama. “From there, my interest grew.”

That curiosity eventually influenced his studies. In 2022, the Bukit Mertajam, Penang native enrolled in an Aquaculture Technology Certificate programme at Jerantut Community College in Pahang.

Over the next two years, he learnt the basics of plantcare and how to create conditions that would help his miniature gardens survive for longer.

A five-month industrial training stint at an aquatic company in Shah Alam later introduced him to professional terrarium-making techniques and gave him the confidence to begin selling his work.

He has been marketing his creations on a small scale through Facebook and online marketplaces since 2022.

Tiny worlds in glass

Syukur creates three main types of designs: waterless landscapes; aquascapes that recreate underwater environments; and paludariums that combine land and water - sometimes complete with miniature waterfalls.

Each creation begins with several carefully prepared layers. Clay balls form the base, followed by black soil mixed with dried moss to retain moisture.

Syukur then adds pieces of wood, stones, live moss and plants to shape the landscape. Spiderwood is among his favourite materials because it is durable and less prone to mould, while his preferred plants include fittonia, ferns and bonsai.

Once the foundations are in place, the most delicate work begins. “The hardest part is arranging the finer details: every element has to be positioned carefully, because even a small mistake can affect the overall appearance and make it look less natural," he outlined.

Customers can request themes ranging from forests and dioramas to Japanese and Iwagumi-inspired designs. Dioramas have proved especially popular because of their resemblance to miniature fantasy worlds.

Depending on their size and complexity, the terrariums take anywhere from an hour to a full day to complete. Prices range from RM10 for simpler pieces to RM570 for premium designs.

Syukur usually produces between five and 10 terrariums a month. Before handing one over to a customer, he keeps it under observation for up to two weeks to ensure the plants have adapted well to their new environment.

Terrariums require relatively little care, but they cannot simply be sealed and forgotten. Their humidity and lighting must be monitored, while watering is usually needed once or twice a week depending on the plants and conditions inside.

Growing an interest on campus

His passion has continued to flourish since he enrolled at Jeli Polytechnic earlier this year. With the guidance of his Aquaculture Technology lecturer, he helped establish the Green Vista Club, where students can exchange knowledge about terrariums and plantcare.

The club has gone on to share its skills with others, including kindergarten teachers interested in the craft.

For Syukur, the activity combines creativity, patience, and one's knowledge of plant life. His greatest challenge is not designing the miniature landscapes but finding enough time to do so.

“I have to plan my schedule carefully so my studies stay on track while customers still receive their orders on time,” he said.

For now, he does not deliver his terrariums beyond Kelantan as their fragile plants, glass containers and carefully arranged landscapes could be damaged in transit.

Still, his little gardens continue to find their way into homes nearby - each one giving old materials a fresh purpose, and adding a dash of green and whimsy to each customer's home.