GEO ROK - Rock Salt Tamil Bow

It is a broad, shallow bowl planter from the Geo Rok range, made from glass fibre reinforced cement and finished with a textured rock salt surface. The shape is wide and low rather than tall, so it reads as a ground level feature. One size is made, D105cm x H83cm.

About 40kg empty, which is light for a bowl 105cm across. That is a consequence of the GFRC construction, which is much lighter than concrete of the same size. Two people can position it comfortably before planting. Once it is full of potting mix and watered, treat it as fixed.

Considerably. Glass fibre reinforced cement gives the look and feel of cement at a fraction of the weight, and it is around twice as strong as fibre glass. That combination is why it suits large containers on terraces, podiums and roof decks where a solid concrete bowl would be impractical.

Yes. The material is resistant to UV and to water penetration, so it is made to live outside permanently. It handles both light and heavy duty landscape use and shrugs off most reasonable wear and tear. Only genuinely extreme treatment would call for steel or heavy concrete instead.

Some variation is normal. The textured surface is applied to each pot individually, so the grain and tone shift a little from one to the next and finishes may differ from the pot shown in the photograph. Across a group of bowls this reads as a natural stone finish rather than a fault.

Low and spreading planting suits the proportions best. Agaves, aloes, echeverias, sedums, mondo grass, dwarf lomandra or a clipped low hedge of buxus all work. A single sculptural specimen such as a cycad also holds the space. Deep rooted trees are better placed in a taller pot.

Clean marks off with mild soapy water and a soft bristle brush such as a nail brush, then rinse. Avoid harsh chemicals and abrasives, which will flatten the rock salt texture. Keep the drainage clear so water moves out of the base, particularly after a wet week.