When adding greenery to new construction or updating an existing space, many designers turn to modular planters. Whether you’re bringing an outdated hardscape to life or softening an interiorscape — there are endless ways to incorporate modular planters into the design plan.
Before choosing a modular planter, however, it’s always a good idea to learn about the product in order to determine which type of modular planter is right for your particular project.
What Are Modular Planters?
Because modular planters are made to fit together, they can be configured without gaps. This can produce the illusion of a cohesive extra-long container.
Durable and lightweight, modular planters can join together in any number of ways to create an upscale, customized look for any type of environment.
Whether you need one large, long planter to border a rooftop wall or a custom shape to fit along a stairway, these custom planters deliver extremely flexible commercial and residential design solutions.
With modular planters, it’s easy to add plants and trees to an interior or exterior space, rooftops, and terraces when a solid division is needed. Typical uses of modular planters include:
- Creating privacy by separating a seating area from a walkway
- Creating an oasis of foliage for events such as wedding receptions or corporate functions
- Bringing the park to the rooftop by adding pops of color and greenery to entice patrons to relax and unwind
Benefits of Using Modular Planters
Each Connect Modular Planter System has many benefits that can help your planting plan and your budget.
This commercial-grade planter system can aid in decreasing total material costs.
- Using custom marine-grade aluminum or COR-TEN weathering steel enables you to create a durable lifelong planting plan.
- The interior of open trough modular planters allows more space for root growth.
- The right modular planter option can be selected to fit the project budget requirements.
- Watering can become easier by using the Ollie Plant Sipper System on smaller-width modular planters.
- The continuous nature of the planters can create a wall or secluded oasis of green garden space.
- Planters can play double duty by attaching lighting or benches.
What Modular Planter Options Are There?
At PureModern we have the Connect Modular Planter System that comes in four basic configurations which we can fabricate to your unique specifications.
The planting plan will dictate which planter configuration will look best.
But it’s the layout of the space as well as the planting plan itself that will determine which Connect Modular Planter System option is right for your project.
This continuous planter system can be as versatile as you need it to be. We can join individual planters together in one of four ways:
- Open Trough Modular Planters: Bolting together open trough planters
- Bottomless Retaining Edging Modular Planters: Joining bottomless edging planters together at the sides (this option is like retention edging in landscaping)
- Bolted Butt-Joined Modular Planters: Securely bolting planters together by butt joining the sides
- Non-Bolted Butt Joined Modular Planters: Butt joining planter sides together on a level surface without bolting the planters
How to Decide Which Modular Planter Is Right for Your Project
When deciding which Connect Modular Planter System option is best for you, remember to keep the planting plan, budget, and the project's completion date in mind, as each option comes with its own requirements.
In addition, your modular planter system must be properly installed to ensure installation aligns with the intended design appearance. Remember that a few of the modular planter configurations require bolting of planters, which can only be done with fabricated metal.
For proper installation, we suggest the following:
- A landscape contractor on-site to assemble the chosen planter model
- A detailed set of drawings with a plan view and section view for each section of planters
Once you have determined your project requirements, now it’s time to choose which Connect Modular Planter System option works best.
1. Open Trough Planters
Open Trough Planters are a long continuous channel of planters that are bolted together on-site at the time of installation. They are connected below the fill-line, and with this configuration, you’ll see a tighter vertical joint.
To make these planters we precision-cut the required pieces of metal and pre-drill any necessary holes with a CNC fiber laser. The cut sheets are then fully welded into the specified shape and then made smooth using a grinder. The metal planters are finally powder coated (with the exception of COR-TEN weathering steel).
This modular design provides a continuous open trough, so you can space ornamental trees or other foliage more evenly over the entire run.
Rubber feet and shims (if requested) are provided to help with the leveling process. Plus, the joint locations can be adjusted to customize the spacing.
When to use:
- More space for root growth is required
- A long continuous planter is needed
- There is a need to space plantings equally across planter space
- A connecting watering system is required such as the Ollie Plant Sipper Linkable Tanks
- When a watertight configuration is NOT required
- There is an on-site installation team
Planter material:
- Marine-grade aluminum
- COR-TEN weathering steel
Open Trough Planters at Roosevelt Parc in Jackson Heights, NY
2. Bottomless Retaining Edging Planters
These modular planters are similar to Open Trough Planters, but are manufactured without a full bottom. This configuration fits spaces that are truly unique and spectacular, and enable freedom and flexibility to be creative in your design.
Understanding the manufacturing process for Bottomless Retaining Edging Planters can help determine if this planter is right for your project.
To make these planters we precision-cut the required pieces of metal and pre-drill any necessary holes with a CNC fiber laser. The cut sheets are then fully welded into the specified shape and then made smooth using a grinder. The metal planters are finally powder coated (with the exception of COR-TEN weathering steel).
Bottomless Retaining Edging Planters do not have a full base. This is a wall-only planter configuration. The walls are reinforced using gussets and internal stiffeners. The various sections are then assembled on site.
For some designs, it’s best to anchor the baseplate. In fact, in some unique cases, anchoring is required for proper alignment and stability.
When to use:
- For a large open planting bed area
- Cost management purposes (costs can be significantly less than a planter with a full bottom— especially when planting a wide area)
- Looking to create multiple terraces of foliage
- Endless options of creative layout
- Designing a park-like space on a rooftop
- There is an on-site installation team
Planter material:
- Marine-grade aluminum
- COR-TEN weathering steel
Bottomless Retaining Edging Planters for 150 Charles project.
3. Bolted Butt-Joined Planters
Identical in size and shape according to your specifications, Bolted Butt-Joined Modular Planters are individual planters but are bolted together rather than just placed next to each other.
When complete, Bolted Butt-Joined Planters look like one long planter from a side view. However, because the planter tops are visible, it will be apparent that the planter is made up of several individual planters.
These planters have pre-cut holes in the side, near the top, of the planter. The hole placement aligns with the joints and helps installers level and align the planters through the project location. We can provide rubber feet and shims (if requested) to help with the leveling process.
At PureModern, we typically pre-cut holes to help with leveling and add stability about two inches from the top. The holes are evenly spaced widthwise depending on the planter size and your specifications. Holes are generally created prior to powder-coating.
When to use:
- Semi-permanent planter installation
- Desire the look of individual planters
- Looking for a watertight modular planter system for interior applications
- There are budget constraints
Planter material:
- Powder-coated marine-grade aluminum
- COR-TEN weathering steel
Bolted Butt-Joined Planters at Rockefeller Center.
4. Non-Bolted Butt-Joined Planters
For less permanent applications where planters don’t need to be bolted together, the Non-Bolted Butt-Joined Planter can be used.
If the subbase is a bit unlevel, shimming of each planter is possible using our Lift N’ Level Kit. The kit contains small square hard rubber pieces in various thicknesses that can be placed under the planter for elevation purposes.
Designed to custom size and shape specifications, these modular planters can be installed exactly as your plan requires.
Because the planters are not bolted together, you have complete design flexibility. So should the needs of the space change, the design can pivot accordingly.
When to use:
- A watertight planter system is required, such as for interior applications
- Provides flexibility to create different configurations in the future
- There are budget constraints
- Desire the look of individual planters
Planter material:
- Fiberglass
- Marine-grade aluminum
- COR-TEN weathering steel
Non-Bolted Butt-Joined Planters at Landmark Theatres.
Modular Planter Four-Step Project Process
Once the design is finalized and you have selected the best modular planter option, we will provide detailed shop drawings for your approval before fabrication begins. This ensures you’re getting the exact sizes, shapes, configurations, and finishes you need.
From the start of your project to the end, we are determined to ensure your project is completed to your expectations. That’s why we developed our Four-Step Project Process. It ensures that you know what is happening every step of the way.
And because you’re buying a custom product with many variables, we provide a Done-Right Guarantee so you have the confidence that we will provide the product as specified.
PureModern Modular Planter Projects
Rockefeller Center - New York, NY
Iconic Rockefeller Center in Manhattan is a Tishman Speyer property. It’s also a beautiful example of how modular planters create gorgeous design.
Tishman used the Bolted Butt-Joined Planter Model to flank a seating area on two terraces. Positioned next to each other, the planters are watertight and bolts located about two inches below the planter rim keep the planters from moving.
This semi-permanent row of planters enables planter removal for maintenance when necessary.
To see images of the Tishman Speyer project at the Rockefeller Center, use this link: https://www.puremodern.com/pages/rockefeller-center-new-york-ny
Garden City Bar - Shaker Heights, OH
Garden City Bar is a unique and stylish space. Located in the Van Aken District of Shaker Heights, Ohio, the bar serves hand-crafted cocktails on a popular rooftop that has an outdoor terrace as well as open-air indoor seating.
Dimit Architects carved out cozy seating arrangements for guests by utilizing Connect Modular Planters to add elements of nature and structure to the seating area. With the new privacy booth seating, guests can’t help but stay awhile, which is why the bar now must clarify that seats are first-come-first-serve on its website
To see images of the Garden City Bar use this link: https://www.puremodern.com/pages/garden-city-bar-shaker-heights-oh
Roosevelt Parc - Jackson Heights, NY
Residents at Roosevelt Parc’s luxurious apartments have access to 40,000 sq ft of multi-use space complete with a 5,000 sq ft garden, a rooftop club, fitness center, and even a green lawn to enjoy in the middle of the city.
Werber Real Estate, Socius, and Marvel Architects came together to create an oasis for busy patrons using Connect Modular Planter System. G&M works, a landscape contractor, installed PureModern’s marine-grade powder-coated aluminum planters throughout the landscaped rooftop gardens on the 3rd and 14th floors. Complete with fabricated cutouts to fit pathway lights, the planters were further customized into specific shapes.
To see images of Roosevelt Parc click here.
Learn More
The Connect Modular Planter System is a terrific solution for projects where a high-impact, customizable, and flexible planter design is needed. PureModern has over ten years of experience designing commercial planters and our team is more than happy to help you with your next modular planter project.
Call PureModern for your next Modular Planter plan. To learn more about custom planters or request a quote, click here.
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