"Eliza Donald couldn't find a large enough planter that suited her purposes, so decided to make her own. 'It took two years, working with plant specialists, and industrial designers, also asking a lot of people questions. It's important that a design functions well but it's equally important to ask why a person would want to use it in the first place,' she says. Eliza is now director of Edible Islands – handy aesthetically lovely planters the size of a small bathtub. You can plant out your veggies and a small tree, or once all your herbs die (if you have my touch) you can pop a lid on and just sit under your tree. Ingenious.
As Eliza points out, the potential benefits are plentiful, 'Sometimes people don't have an easy access to fresh veg. The planters help with Transition Towns – educating people on how to grow their own food and prevention of depression as people swap seeds, plants and recipes, and grow plants with their grandchildren. They increase flight pathways across cities for birds, bees and butterflies as more Edible Island Planters are put on roof tops, back yards, and schools.' The planters are all made in Pakenham, Australia."
(Lou Pardi, (small)LUST, 02 August 2011)