Can you provide me with information on growing moss indoors? Also, do you know if Tolmiea is known for being fragrant?
Here is an article(now archived), “Indoor Gardening with Moss” by Robert Paul Hudson, from the Eugene Daily News. The author provides directions on maintaining a small terrarium with moss.
The web site Bizarre Stuff is another resource.
Excerpt:
Mosses can be grown in terrariums fairly easily. Collect moss from an
area where it is okay to do so and transport in plastic sandwich bags.
Sprinkle with water and seal the bag if you won’t be setting up the
terrarium right away. Use a large, clean glass jar with a tight fitting
lid. Lay it on its side in a shallow box or on a stand so that it will
not roll. Place sand and pebbles about 1/2 inch thick in the bottom of the
jar. On top of this place some of the soil from the same place where the
moss will be collected, or mix a soil of charcoal, light gravel, leaf
mold and garden soil. The soil should be level with the opening of the
jar. A little sulfur scattered on the soil will help to prevent mold from
growing. Plant the moss by pressing it into the soil. Water the
terrarium, screw the cover on, and place it in a shady place. If it seems
too wet, leave the lid off for a few hours to allow some of the water
vapor to escape. Eventually you will get the balance of water just right,
and the moss should thrive. The terrarium should sustain itself for
several weeks or months without needing additional water if the lid is
kept tightly on. If conditions are just right, the moss may eventually
send up little stalks. Some of these stalks form spores that will fall to
the soil and germinate into new plants.
The January 2007 issue of Better Homes and Gardens has an article,
“Pleasant Under Glass,” by Suzy Bales. Here is an abstract: The article
highlights the fragile beauty evoked by glass gardens or terrariums.
Everyday containers such as carafes and vases can make ideal terrariums.
Featured in the article is an antique terrarium that becomes a stage for
a miniature woodland garden. It has flowering Cape primrose,
rabbit’s-foot fern, golden club moss and black and dwarf mondo grasses.
The January 2003 issue of Sunset has an article by Kathleen Brenzel,
“Serene Greens,” on miniature indoor landscapes:
Presents ways in creating a miniature indoor landscapes. Use of copper
trays in Irish and Scotch moss; Dimension of the ceramic cache pots for
mini bog plants; Amount of water used for hyacinth floats.
Now on to Tolmiea. I consulted several reference books and online plant databases, but none mentioned fragrance as a quality for which this plant is known. This does
not necessarily mean it has no fragrance, only that it is not notable.