Roots and Rivers

When you hire Roots & Rivers, you receive a complete mobile terrarium experience brought directly to your location.

We arrive with the plants, live moss, containers, soil, drainage materials, activated carbon, natural decorations, tools, and care instructions needed for the workshop. Each guest creates and takes home their own finished, low-maintenance terrarium.

A typical guided workshop lasts approximately 45 to 60 minutes. Jonathan and Sharyn lead the group through each step, explain how terrariums function as miniature ecosystems, help guests select and arrange their materials, and answer questions throughout the experience. No gardening experience is required, making the workshop approachable for beginners while still being creative and engaging for plant lovers.

Guests can expect a relaxed, hands-on experience with plenty of opportunity for creativity. Depending on the selected package, each participant receives a terrarium container, drainage layer, soil, activated carbon, live moss, two live plants, natural decorative materials, and simple instructions for keeping their terrarium healthy.

For festivals, open houses, corporate events, and other high-traffic gatherings, we can provide a DIY terrarium station instead of a traditional group workshop. Guests visit the station at their convenience and build a terrarium with guidance from our team. This format works especially well when attendees are arriving at different times.

We can accommodate children, adults, seniors, and mixed-age groups. Terrarium styles and decorations can also be adapted for birthdays, holidays, bridal and baby showers, corporate events, libraries, schools, scout programs, museums, breweries, community celebrations, and seasonal themes.

Event planners can expect clear communication, an organized setup, friendly instruction, and an activity that keeps guests involved while giving them something meaningful to take home. We do not require access to running water, and we will discuss space, table, and scheduling requirements before the event so there are no surprises on the day of the program.

Every booking includes:

• All terrarium-building materials
• Live plants and live moss
• Step-by-step instruction
• Guidance and assistance for guests
• Individual terrariums for participants to take home
• Printed care instructions
• Event setup and on-site support
• Customization options based on the event and audience

Our goal is to make hosting easy while providing an experience guests will remember long after the event is over.

Roots & Rivers is a husband-and-wife-owned mobile terrarium workshop company created by Jonathan and Sharyn Scarafile. We bring hands-on, nature-inspired experiences directly to private parties, businesses, libraries, schools, senior communities, breweries, museums, festivals, and other special events throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York.

Our guided terrarium workshops make it easy for guests to create their own living ecosystem using live plants, live moss, natural materials, and decorative elements. We provide everything needed for the experience, including the containers, plants, materials, instruction, and care guidance. No gardening experience is required, and our workshops are designed to be enjoyable and approachable for both beginners and experienced plant lovers.

We offer several terrarium sizes and styles, with options suitable for children, adults, and mixed-age groups. Workshops can also be customized around seasonal themes, holidays, company events, birthday parties, bridal showers, baby showers, scout programs, employee wellness initiatives, and more.

For events that need a more flexible format, we also offer interactive DIY terrarium stations where guests can participate at their own pace. These stations are ideal for festivals, open houses, customer appreciation events, community celebrations, and high-traffic venues. Our team has experience serving both intimate groups and large events, including producing more than 100 terrariums in a single day.

Roots & Rivers also offers specialty experiences, including living ornament workshops, turtle-themed terrarium programs featuring a live turtle presentation, plant bingo events, and custom event concepts developed for specific venues or audiences.

Jonathan brings years of experience presenting educational animal programs and working directly with children and families. Sharyn brings creativity, organization, and a strong eye for design to every event. Together, we focus on creating experiences that are engaging, educational, well organized, and genuinely memorable.

Because we are completely mobile, we bring the workshop to your location and handle the materials, instruction, setup, and event support. Guests leave with a finished terrarium, simple care instructions, and something living that they can continue enjoying long after the event ends.

Whether you are planning a private celebration, corporate team-building activity, library program, community event, or large public gathering, Roots & Rivers can create a terrarium experience designed around your group.

Classic Guided Workshops

Each guest needs a seat and enough table space to comfortably work on a standard cafeteria-size tray, approximately 14 by 18 inches.

The client or venue is responsible for providing enough tables and chairs for all registered participants. Roots & Rivers carries a limited number of folding tables for materials and displays, but we cannot provide all guest tables and seating. We can recommend local rental companies if needed.

DIY Terrarium Stations

Our standard DIY station requires approximately 16 feet of total folding-table space. The tables do not need to be arranged in a straight line and can be configured in an L shape or another layout that fits the venue. Larger events or higher attendance may require additional table space. The final layout will be discussed before the event.

Additional Requirements

• A level, well-lit work area
• Access to the event space approximately one hour before the scheduled start time
• Convenient parking and reasonable loading access near the event space
• A covered and weather-protected location for outdoor events
• Enough room for guests to move comfortably around the DIY station
• Tables and chairs supplied by the client or venue

Running water and electrical outlets are not normally required.

Sound equipment is not needed for most workshops. For large groups or noisy venues, access to a microphone or portable sound system is strongly recommended so every participant can clearly hear the instructions.

Final table, seating, space, and scheduling requirements will be confirmed before the event based on the selected workshop format and expected number of participants.