Monarch Trough Matte Planter Pot

Monarch Trough Matte Planter Pot

Material: Fibre-clay composite (magnesium oxide, magnesium chloride & fibreglass)
Finish: Matte, in Blue, Pink & Raven
Range: Three sizes, three colourways
Best For: Screening hedges, Lilly Pilly, Melaleuca & strappy rows
Use: Indoor & outdoor
Warranty: 12 months

Overview

The problem-solver of the range. A long rectangular trough with a rounded base and the same sleek matte surface as the rest of the Monarch family — made for the job no round pot does well: a run of plants in a line, screening a boundary, dividing a courtyard, or softening the edge of a balcony.

Three plants along the Medium gives you a hedge in a pot; five along the Large gives you a screen. Crafted from a fibre-clay composite — magnesium oxide and magnesium chloride reinforced with fibreglass — it's UV-stable and weatherproof, and light enough to position before you fill it. A drainage plug is included, so you can plant directly or use it as a cache pot.

Choose Your Size

• Small — 29 L: 65 × 23 × 24 cm (L × W × H). Opening 54 × 13 cm — fits plants up to a 100 mm nursery pot. Around 1 bag of potting mix to fill.
• Medium — 79 L: 80 × 34 × 34 cm (L × W × H). Opening 68 × 23 cm — fits plants up to a 200 mm nursery pot. Around 3 bags of potting mix to fill.
• Large — 192 L: 97 × 47 × 47 cm (L × W × H). Opening 85 × 35 cm — fits plants up to a 300 mm nursery pot. Around 6–7 bags of potting mix to fill.

On a trough it's the narrow dimension of the opening that limits what fits, not the length — the Small takes a row of tube stock or 100 mm plants rather than anything with a wide root ball. Filled and planted these get heavy, so put them where you want them before you fill.

Key Features

• Made for rows: A long trough for hedging, screening and dividing space
• True matte: No sheen, so the colour reads flat and even in full sun
• Three colourways: Muted Blue, soft Pink and near-black Raven
• Three sizes: 65 cm, 80 cm and 97 cm long
• Weatherproof: UV-stable for balcony, courtyard, indoor or outdoor use
• Drainage plug included: Plant directly, or leave the plug in to use as a cache pot indoors
• Peace of mind: Backed by a 12-month warranty

Specifications

• Small: External 65 (L) × 23 (W) × 24 (H) cm · Internal opening 54 × 13 cm · Holds 29 L · Weight 9 kg
• Medium: External 80 (L) × 34 (W) × 34 (H) cm · Internal opening 68 × 23 cm · Holds 79 L · Weight 18 kg
• Large: External 97 (L) × 47 (W) × 47 (H) cm · Internal opening 85 × 35 cm · Holds 192 L · Weight 28 kg
• Material: Fibre-clay composite (magnesium oxide, magnesium chloride & fibreglass)
• Finish: Matte; drainage plug included for indoor use

Sealing & Care

Fibre-clay is naturally porous, so it is worth brushing a pot and ornamental sealer around the inside of the pot before you plant. It forms a waterproof barrier that stops moisture and fertiliser salts wicking out through the wall — the cause of the pale tide marks and chalky white bloom you see on older pots — and it adds years to the life of the pot.

Sealers are water-based and brush on like paint; most hardware stores carry one. Coat the inside walls and the base, let it cure as directed, then plant as normal. It is worth the extra half hour on any pot going indoors, onto a deck, or onto paving where a damp ring would show — and together with the drainage plug supplied, it is what lets you use these inside without marking the floor.

Painting & Colour Matching

If none of the colourways quite matches your render or trim, fibre-clay takes an exterior-grade acrylic spray paint well, so you can match a colour scheme exactly rather than settling for close enough.

How to do it: no primer needed — the fibre-clay surface takes paint straight. Wipe the pot down, let it dry completely, then build up two or three light coats rather than one heavy one. A clear exterior sealer over the top is optional, but worth it: the pot’s own finish is UV stable, and paint over it won’t be.

Paint the outside only — the inside wants a pot and ornamental sealer instead, as above. And do bear in mind that painting is an alteration, so the 12-month warranty won’t cover damage caused by it. Done properly it is a half-hour job that gets you a pot in a colour nobody else has.

Complete the Look

Pair your Monarch Trough with a row of matching plants from our range and a few bags of premium potting mix — check the size guide above for the plant size that fits and how much mix you'll need.

Why You'll Love It

Privacy without building anything. A trough of Lilly Pilly along a balcony edge or between two courtyards does the work of a fence, and you can move it if you change your mind.