GB2503911A

GB2503911A - Free standing vertical planter

Info

Publication number: GB2503911A
Application number: GB1212358.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Adrian Billingsley
Original assignee: LOCKER GROUP Ltd
Current assignee: LOCKER GROUP Ltd
Priority date: 2012-07-11
Filing date: 2012-07-11
Publication date: 2014-01-15
Also published as: GB201212358D0

Abstract

A free-standing vertical planter 1 has an enclosure for a growing medium 3 such as compost. The enclosure of the planter has a vertical planting surface 5 with a plurality of individual planting apertures 6 through which a plant rooted in an enclosed growing medium can grow. The vertical planting surface comprises a mesh panel and the panel may be removable. The mesh panel may be formed from expanded metal. The planter may have a top horizontal wall or lid 7 which may be pivotally mounted to the planter, the lid may also be provided with water collection means arranged to direct water through one or more apertures 8

Description

A VERTICAL PLANTER

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to containers for growing plants and in particular vertical planters capable of supporting the growth of multiple plants.

Background of the Invention

Planting containers are widely used to facilitate the growth of vegetation and decorative plants without the need to plant such vegetation in the ground.

Such containers are particularly useful where the amount of usable planting ground is limited.

Vertical planters are a popular form of planting container in gardens where floor space is particularly limited. Vertical planters allow a gardener to grow vegetation, including plants of a non-climbing variety, in a vertical manner rather than the traditional horizontal manner.

Typically vertical planters are mounted or hung on existing walls to give the appearance of a wall of vegetation.

Summary of the Invention

There is a need for improved vertical planters which are not only attachable to walls but are also completely free-standing.

The present invention provides a free-standing vertical planter according to claim 1.

As the vertical planter of the present invention is free-standing it can be positioned anywhere in a garden and does not need to be mounted on a wall.

One benefit of this is that the planter can be positioned for use as a privacy screen.

Preferably the mesh panel may be removable. In this way the panel can be removed to allow removal of growing medium from the enclosure. The removal of the mesh panel also facilitates easier cleaning of the panel and interior of the planter.

Preferably a top horizontal wall or lid of the enclosure may be pivotally mounted to the planter. In this way the top horizontal wall, which can also be considered a lid, can be moved out of the way to permit removal of the mesh panel. Alternatively the top horizontal wall or lid of the enclosure may be removably mounted to the planter.

Preferably the mesh panel may be coloured and/or provided with a graphical design. In this way the planter retains an attractive appearance even when the planter is empty or the planted vegetation is out of season.

Preferably the mesh panel may be formed from expanded or pressed metal.

Forming the mesh panel from a metal, such as aluminium, adds to the structural strength of the planter and also ensures that the planting apertures retain their shape and positions.

Preferably the enclosure of the planter may comprise more than one vertical planting surface. By providing the planter with further vertical planting surfaces, also in the form of a mesh panel, it is possible to create a planter that can be viewed from more than one direction (i.e. front and back).

Preferably a horizontal wall of the enclosure may be provided with one or more apertures that permit the passage of water. In this way water can be allowed to enter and/or leave the enclosure of the planter, thus helping to keep the moisture levels of the growth medium within suitable levels.

Further preferably a top horizontal wall or lid of the enclosure is provided with water collection means arranged to direct water through said one or more apertures into the enclosure. The collection means facilitate the provision of water (e.g. rain water) to a growing medium within the enclosure to help the planted vegetation grow.

Preferably the top horizontal wall of the enclosure and the bottom horizontal wall of the enclosure may have a complementary shape which enables multiple planters to be stacked on top of one another.

Preferably the planter may comprise wall mounting means. In this way the planter can also be attached to a wall rather than stood on the floor.

Brief Description of the Drawings

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, wherein: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the vertical planter of the present invention; Figure 2 shows a front view of the preferred embodiment; Figure 3 shows a side view of the preferred embodiment; Figure 4 shows a top view of the preferred embodiment; Figure 5 shows a more detailed view of the top of the preferred embodiment of the vertical planter of the present invention; Figure 6 shows an alternative arrangement of the top of the vertical planter of the present invention; and Figure 7 shows a perspective view of the vertical planter of figure 6 with the mesh panel removed.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment

The present invention relates to vertical planters, which are sometimes referred to as grow panels or walls. Figure 1 shows a preferred embodiment of the vertical planter 1 of the present invention.

It is envisaged that the shape and dimensions of the vertical planters of the present invention can vary from that shown in the figures without departing from the scope of the claimed invention.

The vertical planter 1 comprises a main body 2, which combines with a mesh panel 5 to form an enclosure for a growth medium 3, such as compost. It is envisaged that the growth medium may or may not be in the form of a grow bag.

The holes or apertures 6 in the mesh panel 5 provide a plurality of individual growing pods through which the growing medium can be accessed for the purpose of planting the seedling. It is envisaged that each growing pod is capable of accommodating individual or groups of plants.

According to the preferred embodiment the main body 2, which is preferably formed from galvanised steel with a powder coated finish is provided with supporting feet 4, which enable the vertical planter to be free-standing (i.e. not necessarily mounted on a wall). It is envisaged that the planter of the present invention preferably has a lightweight construction so that it can be hung on a wall if desired.

It is envisaged that the planter may be provided with attachment means in the form of slotted holes 13 to permit the hanging of the planter on a wall.

Alternative attachment means will be appreciated upon consideration of the invention as a whole.

It is also envisaged that to permit the hanging of the planter on a wall the supporting feet 4 may be arranged to fold away or even be completely removable.

It is envisaged that other supporting means may be provided to enable the vertical planter of the present invention to be free-standing, such as an enlarged flat base portion for example.

The mesh panel 5 is preferably made from aluminium with a powder coated finish. It is envisaged that the mesh panel 5 is formed by way of expanding, although it may also be formed using alternative methods.

Alternatively the mesh panel and/or the main body could be formed from plastics material, although a metal construction is more preferable.

In order to make the vertical planter 1 attractive even when it does not contain any plants, or indeed they are not at their peak, the mesh panel 5 is preferably given a vibrant colour or perhaps even a graphical design. It is envisaged that the mesh panel may be powder coated in a variety of colours to achieve this effect.

It is also envisaged that the main body 2 of the planter 1 may also be provided with a complementary colouring and/or design.

The mesh panel 5 defines a plurality of uniformly arranged planting apertures 6, through which one or more plants can be planted into a growth medium 3 enclosed within the planter 1.

Preferably the mesh panel 5 is removable from the planter 1 to aid the cleaning of both the mesh panel 5 and the interior of the main body 2. The removal of the mesh panel 5 also allows the insertion and removal of the growth medium 3, which may take the form of a grow bag or a compacted brick of compost.

It is envisaged that the mesh panel 5 may be slid in to and out of engagement with the main body 2. It is also envisaged that the mesh panel may be pushed into engagement with main body 2. Retaining means 11, 12 are provided to ensure that the weight of the growth medium does not separate the mesh panel 5 from the main body 2.

The retaining means 11, 12 define slots on either side of the planter into which the mesh panel 5 can be slid.

As is shown in figures 6 and 7, in order to facilitate the removal of the mesh panel from the planter the lid or top of the planter is pivotable about hinge means 9. It is envisaged that, as an alternative, the planter lid or top may be removable.

The top or lid 7 of the vertical planter 1 of the present invention is provided with drainage holes 8, which allow water to enter the planter enclosure and moisten the growth medium 3.

As will be best appreciated from Figure 5, the shape of the top 7 of the planter 1 comprises an inbuilt water trap that is created by sloped sides 7a. Although not shown in Figures 6 and 7 it is appreciated that the hinged arrangement does not preclude the use of an inbuilt water trap similar to that shown in the other figures.

It is also envisaged that the bottom of the planter 1 is provided with further drainage holes 10 to permit excess water to escape the planter enclosure.

All drainage holes may be provided with closure means to restrict the flow of passage of water in and out of the planter enclosure as required by the environmental conditions. For example in dry weather the drainage holes at the bottom of the planter could be closed to ensure water does not just pass straight through the planter 1.

With the mesh panel 5 removed from the planter in Figure 7 it is possible to see the wall mounting or attachment means 13 which consist of slotted holes into which suitable wall mounted fixtures are received. It is appreciated that alternative means of mounting the planter of the present invention on a wall are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Although the preferred embodiment of the vertical planter shown in the figures only has a mesh panel 5 on one of the planter's faces, it is envisaged that a second mesh panel may be provided opposing the first mesh panel 5. This would enable plants to be grown from both sides of the free-standing planter.

It will be appreciated that the various features of the vertical planter described above can be used in a range of combinations without departing from the scope of the claimed invention.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A free-standing vertical planter comprising an enclosure for a growing medium, said enclosure having a vertical planting surface with a plurality of individual planting apertures through which a plant rooted in an enclosed growing medium can grow, and wherein the vertical planting surface comprises a mesh panel.
2. The planter of claim 1, wherein the mesh panel is removable.
3. The planter of claim 1 or 2, wherein a top horizontal wall or lid of the enclosure is pivotally mounted to the planter.
4. The planter of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the mesh panel is coloured and/or provided with a graphical design.
5. The planter any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the mesh panel is formed from expanded metal.
6. The planter of any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the enclosure comprises more than one vertical planting surface.
7. The planter of any of claims 1 to 6, wherein a horizontal wall of the enclosure is provided with one or more apertures that permit the passage of water.
8. The planter of claim 7, wherein the top horizontal wall or lid of the enclosure is provided with water collection means arranged to direct water to said one or more apertures.
9. The planter of claim 7 or 8, wherein the top horizontal wall or lid of the enclosure and the bottom horizontal wall of the enclosure have a complementary shape which enables multiple planters to be stacked on top of one another.
10. The planter of any of the preceding claims further comprising wall mounting means.
11. A free-standing vertical planter substantially as described, with reference to the drawings, hereinbefore.