Review: Planters Online Visio fibreglass plant trough

Are you growing plants for winter colour and interest at the moment? The garden can feel rather bare and brown at this time of year, but if making the whole space look lively is too daunting, it’s a great idea to focus your efforts on the bits you can see from your window. Containers are brilliant for this, as you can position them exactly where you can see them best, and make the most of their display even when you’re indoors.

Planters Online asked me to review one of their planters, and I’ve been having a lovely time creating a new winter container display this week. We have a wall running along the side of our deck that was just crying out for a rectangular planter to liven it up, so I went for the Visio 40 planter in charcoal-grey.

I love the matt finish on this trough; it’s really contemporary and stylish, and the sleek rectangular shape adds to the modern feel. I like my containers to showcase the plants rather than steal the show, and the Visio is perfect for this. From a practical viewpoint, it feels well-made and sturdy, and I like the fact that it’s nice and deep, with lots of room for root systems.

The Visio 40 plant trough is made from a fibreglass and resin composite, which is a very low-maintenance and robust material. It’s weatherpoof, frost-resistant and UV-resistant, so it’s a great option for outdoor containers. It’s also more lightweight than terracotta or concrete containers, making it easier to move around once it’s full of soil.

I chose the 80cm long trough as this was the best size for the space available on our deck; it’s also available in 30cm and 50cm lengths. At 40cm high, 30cm deep and 80cm long, it’s a generous size with plenty of room to create a stunning display.

The Visio plant trough is designed to be suitable for indoor or outdoor use, and as such is supplied without any drainage holes. It’s recommended that holes are drilled in the base if you’re going to use it outside, to prevent plants becoming waterlogged. We found it easy to drill small holes using an electric drill.

I added some crocks to the base of the planter to help with drainage, then filled it with compost.

I’m a big fan of layering bulbs in containers to extend the display (check out my bulb lasagne post for more details on how to do this), so I popped some tulip bulbs in first.

For the planting scheme, I chose heathers and cyclamen to provide colour and interest throughout the winter months. I also wanted to create a strong contrast with the lovely charcoal finish of the planter, and the silvery foliage of Senecio cineraria ‘Silver Dust’ does this perfectly.

I’m delighted with the finished look; I’ve got the contrast of colour and texture that I wanted, and as the plants grow the scheme will make an even bigger impact. I think the fibreglass Visio range is a great option for a modern garden style, with the added bonus of being just as suitable for a statement indoor plant.