NEWS 115
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and should always be included in a terrarium
of the corresponding type. It can be
constructed by layering flat, 5-10 cm thick,
roughly hand-size stones one above the
next. Instead of cement mortar you use clay
or sand with a very high clay content. Both
are processed wet. Once it has dried out this
mortar becomes rock hard and there is no
danger of it softening as a result of regular
spraying.
Large gaps should be deliberately included
in the dry-stone wall. These are where wall
lizards and geckos will make their homes.
The dry-stone wall doesn't have to occupy
the entire height of the rear wall of the
terrarium. In adequately high terrariums (1-
1.5 mhigh) the wall can be topped with very
attractive terracotta pots containing
flowering decorative plants. Ideal plants
include trailing geraniums (
Pelargonium
peltatum
hybrids), which will thrive and
flower for quite a long time even in the
domestic terrarium. If they stop growing
they should be placed on a balcony or
outside window ledge to recover. The over-
wintering of these geraniums should take
place outside the terrarium, as they need
cool and light conditions (e.g.a basement) at
this time.
If the geraniums are watered somewhat
generously, so that a little excess water
overflows from the drainage tray beneath
the pot, then this water will rapidly establish
a preferred path.You can try to establish the
Cretan Brake Fern (
Pteris cretica
) between
stones in these places.If the terrarium is sited
in a very well lit spot or is itself very well lit
then you can try growing stonecrop species
(
Sedum
spp., e.g.
S. rupestre)
between the
stones, but if the light is too weak they will
rapidly etiolate.
At present no long-term data are available,
but first experiments with Herb Robert -
Geraniumrobertianum
- in the dry-stone wall
are very encouraging. This annual plant is -
surprisingly - very shade-tolerant,although it
may also grow in full sunshine in thewild.It is
a common plant that grows everywhere on
rubbish heaps and in gardens, so you can
easily collect it yourself from March to
October for attempts at cultivation in the
terrarium.
The watering place
In front of the wall you should place an
attractive terracotta tile topped by a bird
water dish around 20 cm in diameter. But in
this case it isn't intended for birds but as a
water dish for the reptiles and also to provide
toads and frogs with the opportunity to
bathe.A large flowerpot drainage dish,again
around 20 cm in diameter, can also be used
for this purpose.
The hedge
At the end(s) of the stone wall there should
be a small area of evergreen shrubs.You can
use Box (
Buxus sempervirens
) for this
purpose, but once again it will usually do
better outside in the fresh air. And it would
A dry-stone wall constructed in this way is an important component of this terrarium.
White Stonecrop,
Sedum album
Herb Robert,
Geranium robertianum
Houseleek,
Sempervivum
sp.
