Terrarium Uses

In addition to its use for successful plant cultivation in polluted air, in low relative humidity, and in long-distance transport of living plants, the Wardian case became a fashionable home accessory for middle class Victorians. Ward, as a philanthropist, humanitarian, and physician, also envisioned the use of Wardian cases by the poor as a means of growing vegetables and enriching their lives with greenery. He was an early advocate of horticultural therapy, by envisioning his plant cases benefiting the sick, elderly, and mentally afflicted. His terrarium experiments also led to his invention of the vivarium and aquarium. Today, all three are common in homes, classrooms, and laboratories, but Ward is seldom given credit as their inventor. Terrariums are still very widely used in precollege biology teaching. They can be made easily and inexpensively from clear plastic soda bottles or glass jars. A combination aquarium-terrarium, originally named the Warrington case, has recently been revived and marketed for biology teaching. Unfortunately, Ward's name has not been associated with it.