Secret garden
London Terrariums (Whitechapel)
GOODS & SERVICES • FOUND Shop
Longing for outdoor space in the city, gardener Emma Sibley gathered moss from rooftops, pebbles from parks and cuttings from houseplants to cultivate something quite special: self-contained terrariums bringing oasis for those lacking the real thing. It sprouted into London Terrariums, a studio and shop off Brick Lane delivering a bright, plant-filled refuge from the Shoreditch bustle.
Each terrarium is a living thing: balanced, beautiful, self-sustaining. Light enters; condensation rises; moisture drips and leaves; plants unfurl in curated landscapes in vessels that range from apothecary domes to blown glass. Workshops here have the aura of atelier rather than classroom. Guests are guided through the science and history behind terrariums, then taught the construction of layering stones and charcoal, arranging moss and seating ferns. The process is extremely relaxing, and the result feels like an object of design – as considered as furniture, as resonant as art.
A terrarium (or a gift card for one of their workshops) makes a wonderful housewarming gift. A bouquet wilts, a bottle empties, but these grow, shift and endure. –Amy-Rose Holland
→ Shop: London Terrariums (Whitechapel) • 139 Bethnal Green Rd • Mon-Fri 11a-7p, Sat-Sun 11a-6p.