Have you been looking for a fun project to spruce up your home? Creating an indoor water garden is quick, easy and doesn’t take up much space. Some of us see fabulous looking ponds, but simply don’t have a large enough backyards to recreate that.

I’m here to share some great news. All you need to start this project is a medium to large glass bowl or vase. I had so many empty glass vases just lying around, so I figured why not put one to use. Let’s jump into it and get started!

I have my vase, now what?

So we’ve chosen our perfect clear glass container and we’re looking to display something unique. Here are my top 5 plants favorite aquatic plants to display around the house. 

• Madagascar Lace (Aponogeton Madagascariensis) This unique aquatic plant is grown from a bulb and features striking skeletal looking leaves that resemble lace. Each plant has a delicate look and will flower frequently if given the proper care. 
• Tiger Lotus (Nymphaea zenkeri) This is the plant to choose if you are looking for a pop of color. Like the plant listed above, it is also sold in bulb form and tends to grow quickly. The bright red leaves will grow to the surface and dazzle with a beautifully unique speckled pattern on each leaf. 
• Brazilian Pennywort (Hydrocotyle leucocephala) This stem plant features green half dollar like leaves. It’s stunning vibrant foliage will become bushy with frequent trimmings.  *Note* When it comes to Brazilian pennywort, it can grow both submersed and emersed. An emersed plant will grow roots in the water and the foliage extends above the water surface. To help aid an emersed plant, just fill your vessel with water covering half of the plant and spritz the leaves frequently to keep moist until your plant fully transitions!
  
• Water Lily (Nymphaeaceae) This popular pond plant comes in many different colors, shapes and sizes. If you are looking for a small sized lily to grow in a vase, winter hardy lilies are perfect for the job. Each plant offers breathtaking flowers. You can also choose between day blooming flowers and night blooming flowers, which I think is pretty cool!
• Water Lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) This floating plant has long, dramatic looking dark roots and soft, velvety leaves. Since it grows on the surface of the water, you don’t need any rocks or gravel in your vase! It has a striking resemblance to a real head of lettuce and features lovely rosettes with a fuzzy texture. 

Now, the hunt is on! You can find most plants at your local large pet store in the fish department. You can also order them online from places like Amazon, Ebay and Etsy. 

I order most of my aquatic plants online from Buceplant. I’m not sponsored by them, I just really enjoy the quality of their plants, fast shipping and excellent customer service. 

Pick Your Substrate

Some easy and affordable substrates include aquarium gravel and river rocks. You can get as creative as you want here by choosing the size and colors you’d like to match your decorative vibe.

Stem and bulb plants absorb nutrients through their roots and they also need something to anchor them to the bottom of your vase. Gravel and river rocks grow beneficial bacteria over time and will aid in keeping the water conditions healthy. 

Don’t Forget Fertilizer

Along with a layer of gravel, I also like to add some Fluval Stratum to my containers. Fluval Stratum is a mineral-rich volcanic soil that helps stimulate the growth of aquatic plants and helps them flourish. You can easily find this at your local pet store or on Amazon.

An alternative to stratum is a liquid fertilizer like Thrive. This fertilizer also comes in root tab form. 

Just Add Water

It’s important to note that the water you choose to start your enclosed vessel should be filtered. Some like to start off with distilled, but I prefer to start off with purified water. This water is mechanically filtered to remove impurities and chemical pollutants while distilled water can lack some essential nutrients that the plants feed off of.

*It’s important to note that both can be used. This is completely just a personal preference. If you only have access to tap water, let it sit for at least 24 hours first. This allows most chemicals like chlorine to evaporate*

If you already have an aquarium set up in your home (like me) you can recycle some of your dirtied tank water. This water contains beneficial bacteria from fish waste and trace nutrients that will keep your plants healthy! I also use my water on my houseplants which they seem to really enjoy. 

Easy Care

Once you’ve created your new underwater world, it’s time to give it the basics. As the water evaporates, make sure to top it off with fresh water. It’s also important to act as a snail would and make sure to keep that glass clean.

Give it regularly scheduled small water changes to keep that water in pristine shape. We’ve gone over fertilizers and cleaning, but don’t forget the light!

Your new creation will require some sort of light to keep those plants growing. You can provide it supplemental lighting with a small grow light or just place it near a window so it receives indirect light. If you are looking for a small and affordable light, the LORDEM Plant Halo grow light is a great option!

Get Creative

That’s pretty much it! As long as you give your plants a little bit of care, they should stay happy and healthy. You can keep it as simple as you want, or get creative. It never hurts to add in some driftwood, decor or even other plants like moss. 

While I wouldn’t recommend adding anything large like a fish to this small of a container, you can add a small snail!

I have a huge soft spot for snails and have acquired a lovely family of ramshorn snails over the years.  I put one into my vase, and he’s been doing a great job of keeping it clean. They eat any kind of buildup of organic matter like algae all while leaving your plant alone and staying very tiny! 

Have you created an indoor water garden before? Tell me all about it in the comments below. If you do decide to create your own, please tag me on Instagram @thefreckledrose so I can see! As always, happy gardening!

If you enjoyed reading this post, you might also like these:

• Best Floating Plants for Freshwater Ponds and Aquariums
• DIY Backyard Water Fountain 
• 4 Natural Garden Sleep Remedies