Botany, NSW

We installed a single wicking bed in a lovely villa in Botany. Because we only go on top of existing paving, there are no strata issues. The water overflow from our beds can be directed to a suitable runoff point where necessary or just exist onto existing paving.

This bed is in a sunny spot and is now growing thyme, rosemary, rocket, cos lettuce, chives and various other herbs and veg.

Botany sits on Sydney's sandy coastal flats, where free-draining soil and salty sea air dry conventional beds out fast. That is where the wicking reservoir earns its keep: it holds water in the base and feeds the plants from below, so this Botany bed stays steadily supplied between visits, even through a dry, windy summer. It is a compact, low-effort setup that suits the tight villa and unit gardens common around Botany.