About Soakwell Planter
Fibre Stone is cement, stone aggregate and reinforcing fibre, cast with thicker wall sections than our standard Light Stone range. That wall thickness is what lets the Soakwell work at this scale: a broad, stable footprint, deep planting volume, and a mineral surface that reads close to natural stone. It is the profile I point people towards when a pot has to hold its own in a courtyard, a commercial forecourt or an open suburban pool landscape.
Sizes run 70 x 50, 90 x 60, 110 x 70 and 140 x 90 cm. The two larger formats carry mature specimen trees and broad canopy shrubs; the two smaller ones suit layered plantings where you want height, mid-level structure and something trailing over the rim. Grey or matt black, both of which sit quietly against modern alfresco paving and rendered facades. Base drainage is integrated, so water moves away from the root ball instead of sitting under it.
Work out the soil volume before you order, because a 140 x 90 holds more mix than most people budget for. Calculate potting mix will size it for you. To compare grey against matt black in person, or to sort out delivery across Perth, contact us about a product or project.
Fibre Stone or Light Stone — what is the difference?
Both are mineral composites of cement, stone aggregate and reinforcing fibre. Fibre Stone is cast with thicker wall sections than our standard Light Stone range, which is what makes it workable in oversize formats and under commercial exposure. The Soakwell is our main Fibre Stone profile, supplied in four sizes up to 140 x 90 cm.
Which plants suit each of the four sizes?
The large formats take specimen frangipanis, dragon trees, ornamental olives and tall bamboo. In the 70×50 and 90×60 models, go for broad structural shrubs, dwarf palms, or a layered combination of grasses with something cascading over the edge.
What goes in the base before the potting mix?
Start by checking the base drainage outlets are clear. Cover the holes with synthetic drainage mesh so media cannot wash out, lay 10 cm to 15 cm of coarse blue metal or washed aggregate over it, then a sheet of permeable geotextile fabric before the container potting mix goes in.
Will it stay put in a windy, open position?
Let the drainage layer double as ballast. Put 30 kg to 60 kg of dense blue metal in the lower third and the centre of gravity drops far enough to hold a tall leafy specimen through a sudden gust.
Cleaning the grey and matt black surfaces
Treat the pigmented Fibre Stone face as stone rather than paint: rinse it at low pressure and wipe with a soft sponge and a mild neutral liquid soap. Keep wire brushes, bleaching agents and the pressure washer off it. A high-pressure jet scours the mineral texture, and on matt black a scoured patch shows up straight away.
