Quote Originally Posted by deranged chipmunk View Post
there are really only 2 differences in a temperate forest and the rain forest, climate (obviously) and flora. you could easily stick some tropical plants into those 2 pics and it would be a tropical rainforest. rocks, streams, ponds, and whatnot are all basically the same. so the key will be adding plants that aren't tropical in nature, but native. unfortunately, there, i can't really help. tropicals, exotics, and aquatics are my wheelhouse. i very rarely deal with any native plants, so i don't have any real recommendations. one issue you will come across is that most temperate plants require a winter dormancy to thrive, especially native mosses. temperate plants and mosses may grow well for a while and then suddenly, inexplicably die off. it is an interesting concept though, and i wish ya luck with it. please keep us posted on your progress

btw, Lynn, that plant is not a ficus, but an Ardisia Crenata, a member of the primrose family. it's a Japanese native, which is also temperate, so maybe some Japanese plants would give the temperate appearance.
So, I guess my best bet would be to collect some native plants, clean them off, and use them? XD