Frequently Asked Questions on Planters

What is a garden planter?

A garden planter is a decorative container used to plant fruit trees, shrubs, flowers and other plants which can be moved around and placed anywhere. These garden pots can be made from a variety of materials including treated timber, fibreclay, plastic and much more.

There are many benefits to using a garden planter:

• You can create perfect planting conditions. For example, if your garden has an alkaline soil but you want to plant lime-hating plants, you can fill your garden planter with ericaceous soil and plant them in there
• They provide plenty of room for roots to grow, so you can get the most out of plants such as root vegetables
• You can move planters around, allowing you to create a dynamic space in your garden where you can alter the structure as you wish
• Our planters come with drainage holes already installed, allowing water to easily drain out reducing the risk of root rot

What is fibreclay?

Fibreclay pots are created with clay that is reinforced with a fibreglass mesh to create a lightweight yet strong planter. This allows for a more economical and portable alternative to stone or metal without compromising on looks or robustness.

The unique manufacturing process of these hard-wearing fibreclay garden planters produces a frost-resistant and UV-stabilised garden planter that looks like an authentic lead Chelsea square garden planter box. Fibreclay garden pots are lighter than their lead equivalents but heavier than fibreglass alternatives, all while ensuring they are still portable.

Over time, the appearance of your faux lead garden planter will become more authentic. This is because fibreclay weathers and emits salts, creating a more aged and attractive appearance with the colour only minimally dulling.

How do I look after these fibreclay pots?

The salts contained naturally in the fibreclay will be released gently, ensuring an attractive ageing process that may see only a slight dulling of colour. As the salts are released naturally, these planters can be wiped down with a damp cloth with no adverse effect to the box planter.

Are these garden planters heavy?

Being fibreclay, these garden pots are much more portable than their lead counterparts. However, they can be heavy depending on the size that you buy – especially once they are filled. Please bear this in mind and take care when lifting, as you may require more than one person to lift. For advice on the weight of each of our planters, please get in touch and we will be happy to help.

Can I use them indoors?

Yes, you can. You will just need to block the drainage holes in the base.

Do I need to put rocks in the bottom of a planter?

No – the hole in the bottom of the garden pot reduces the need to add rocks at the bottom.