Using a ten gallon carboy, Latimer poured in some compost, a quarter pint of water and carefully lowered in a spiderwort seedling (Tradescantia) using a piece of wire. He then placed the bottle garden by a sun-filled window in his home and let photosynthesis do its thing.
It wasn’t until 1972 (12 years later) that Latimer gave his bottle garden another drink and it has been sealed ever since!