Outdoor Pots

What makes a pot outdoor ready

Three things make a pot genuinely outdoor ready: colour that holds under Australian UV, a body that survives repeated soaking and drying (and freezing, in the cold half of the country), and a drainage hole that actually clears. Everything in this collection passes on all three, so the real decision is matching material to your climate and position.

How each material weathers

Terracotta weathers the most visibly and the most gracefully, fading from bright orange to a soft, chalky patina over a few seasons. Being porous it wicks moisture out through its walls, which plants in wet climates appreciate and which means faster drying in summer. In hard frost districts choose quality high fired terracotta, since cheap low fired clay can flake after repeated freezes.

Double fired glazed ceramic is the cold climate safe bet. The vitrified glaze locks moisture out of the pot body, so frost has nothing to crack, and the deep blues, greens and metallics stay saturated for decades. Aged ceramic sits between the two, weathered finish from day one, so a chip or lichen only adds to it. Lightweight concrete, GRC and terrazzo are effectively weatherproof; a white lime bloom on new concrete is normal and washes off within a season. Limestone is permanent, and reads better every year it stands.

Drainage, feet and wet weeks

Outdoors, the pot has to survive the week you are away and the fortnight it will not stop raining. Stand every pot on feet so the drainage hole stays clear of the deck or paving, skip saucers entirely where you can, and use a premium potting mix rather than garden soil. Do not put a gravel layer in the base, it raises the waterlogged zone into the roots instead of draining it. Feet also spare timber decks the moisture ring a grounded pot leaves behind.

Sun, wind and position

A dark pot on a west facing wall can cook a root zone in January, so in full afternoon sun favour lighter colours, thicker walls, or a larger mix volume that buffers the heat swing. In exposed or windy spots, wide based bowls and drums stay put where tall narrow forms go over; as a rule the base should be at least a third of the height. For balconies and rooftops, lightweight concrete and GRC deliver outdoor toughness without the structural load, and the large pots and planters range carries most of its tree sized vessels in exactly those materials.

Common questions

Will terracotta crack in frost?

Quality high fired terracotta handles most Australian frosts. In alpine and heavy frost districts, raise it on feet so it drains fully before a freeze, or choose double fired glazed ceramic instead. The terracotta pot collection lists the classic Italian pieces, which are the high fired kind.

Do glazed pots fade outside?

Not meaningfully. A double fired glaze is glass fused to the clay at over 1000 degrees, so UV has almost nothing to work on. The ceramic and glazed pot range includes pieces that have the same finish after twenty years outdoors.

Do concrete pots need sealing?

Not for durability. Sealing the inside slows lime leaching into the mix for sensitive plants, and sealing the outside keeps water marks off pale finishes, but an unsealed concrete pot will still outlast the garden around it.

How does delivery work?

Outdoor pots are delivered Australia wide, boxed and padded, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Most orders pair pots with the plants going into them.