Miranda, NSW

A colleague commissioned this wicking planter as a birthday gift for his partner, who had a sunny spot in her yard just right for salad greens, herbs and the like. Miranda enjoys the same warm, sheltered aspect as the rest of the Shire, and a self-watering raised planter makes the most of it with very little effort.

We built it at a comfortable, accessible height so there's no bending to tend or pick, and because it's fully lined and waters itself from the reservoir below, it sits neatly on a paved Miranda courtyard or patio with no runoff and no mess. The plants sip from the base as they need to, so a sunny corner like this keeps a steady supply of salad leaves, herbs, spring onions and chillies coming close to the kitchen.

It's a lovely way to turn a small paved space into a productive one — no garden bed required, no digging, and none of the daily watering that pot plants demand through the Shire's warm summers. A planter this size quietly feeds a household for much of the year.

Our planters are built from kiln-dried, vegetable-grade timber with a food-safe finish, made to hold their looks for years on a courtyard or balcony. If you'd like a self-watering planter box for a patio or courtyard in Miranda, Gymea or elsewhere across the Sutherland Shire — or as a gift for someone who'd love one — we'd be glad to help.