Fern Planter

A fibreglass planter in black and gold, made in three sizes that group together.

Fibreglass takes an even, close-grained finish and holds a crisp rim, so the black surface reads as one continuous plane rather than the variable glaze of a ceramic pot. It is also markedly lighter than concrete or stoneware at the same volume, which matters at the largest size — the 43.5cm can be repositioned without emptying it first.

The black and the gold give the piece two readings: dark and quiet from across the room, warmer once you are standing over it.

Which size for which plant

Work to the proportion first. On a compact, full plant the pot should account for roughly a third of the height you see — pot plus foliage — or the arrangement goes top-heavy. On a tall slim tree the ratio matters less than width, and the pot simply needs to look substantial enough to hold the root ball.

In practice: the Large at 41cm high takes a 180–200cm tree — a fiddle-leaf fig, an olive, a bird of paradise — and holds a corner or flanks a doorway. The Medium at 33cm is matched to a plant around 120cm, so a rubber plant or a mid-height palm, and it sits beside an armchair or at one end of a hearth. The Small at 25.5cm suits a 70–90cm plant and belongs on a console, a wide sill or a hall table. If you take all three, stand them in a loose triangle rather than a line with the tallest at the back — the graduated heights read as one arrangement instead of three separate pots.

Working with fibreglass

Fibreglass is a moulded composite with the colour finish applied to the surface. That is what makes the flat, even black possible, and it is also why the piece wants a damp cloth rather than a scourer: abrasives dull the finish, and a hard knock against masonry or tile can chip the rim. The simplest way to plant it is to leave the plant in its nursery pot and drop that inside, raising it on a riser if you need to lift the foliage, then take the whole thing out when you water.

Specifications

Small
26cm W x 26cm D x 25.5cm H

Medium
34cm W x 34cm D x 33cm H

Large
43.5cm W x 43.5cm D x 41cm H

Material
Fibreglass

Colours
Black, gold

Care
Wipe with a soft damp cloth. Avoid abrasive cleaners and solvents.