Flower Aquarium

My sister-in-law, who is a fantastic gardener and landscaper (see Rambles in Drizzly Juneau), gave me a Flower Aquarium as a Christmas gift one year. The flower aquarium is manufactured in Germany, and consists of a round, 7-inch globe with a 2-inch opening; a silicone base that serves as a flower frog and seal for the opening; and a base that acts as a stand.

Flower Aquarium

To use, gather plant material from your yard, garden, or floral provider, and gently rinse off any dirt, pollen, or tiny insects. I usually just immerse the material in coolish water for several minutes. Here is an assortment of azalea, Camellia, polypodium, and a tulip tree bud.

Plant and flower material rinsed and ready to arrange

Arrange your plant material in the silicone frog, using toothpicks as wedges to secure smaller stems. Fill the globe with a mixture of water and three teaspoons white vinegar, insert the arrangement through the opening, and seal. I was a little skeptical about the seal at first, but German engineering prevailed, and the seal is watertight. (My skill at forming the seal improved after several arrangements). Insert the base in the stand to reveal your beautiful arrangement. The plants and flower transpire tiny droplets of air for the first day or two, which is normal.

Flower Aquarium floral arrangement

I have had many hours of creative fun thinking up arrangements for the underwater garden, and experimenting to see which plants and flowers work best. I can recommend the flower aquarium as a great gift to give others or yourself. I'm not sure if the original product is still manufactured, but I have seen similar products offered online from various sources (such as Breck's, Amazon, and sometimes used on eBay). It's worth tracking down for all the pleasure it can add to your life throughout the year.