What Is It?

A terrarium is basically a container for plants and land animals. The word comes from the roots terra (earth) and rium (container). Most people's terrariums are indoor aquariums (or other glass containers) nicely planted with tropical plants, or even just boring little tanks like you see at pet stores for housing lizards or tarantulas. But we refer to this terrarium with a singular determinative article ("The") for a reason; it's different.

The Terrarium is a completely enclosed structure framed with 2x2s and covered with nylon screen. A mixture of native Nebraska soil and potting soil layers the bottom, and it is nicely planted with various native perennials. It's not strictly a terrarium, as it includes a pond with shallow and deep areas. It is used for housing toads, frogs, mushrooms, little trees, a big moth (I think it was an underwing), and I suppose crickets.

The Terrarium exists no more, but when it did, it resided in a lawn. Specifically, my neighbor Zach's lawn. In his backyard.