800 mm high and above
Tall Corten steel planters
A tall planter, 800 or 1000 mm high, lifts the foliage to the eye level of someone sitting on the terrace and brings the soil within easy reach of your hands. We make tall sizes of our square and rectangular planters, in 2 mm or 1.5 mm Corten steel, and of our footed Thalie, in 2 mm.
Tall planter formats: square columns and slim troughs
A selection of our formats at least 800 mm high. Dimensions are external, weights are empty weights taken from each product page, and prices are UK prices in the base finish (our signature patina). The external volume (length × width × height in dm³) tells you how much soil it would take to fill the planter to the brim, which, as explained further down, you rarely need to do.
| Model | L × W × H (mm) | External volume | Empty weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cybèle 2 mm | 400 × 400 × 800 | 128 L | 23.6 kg | £820 |
| Cybèle 2 mm | 600 × 600 × 1000 | 360 L | 44.5 kg | £990 |
| Cybèle 1.5 mm | 400 × 400 × 800 | 128 L | 23.6 kg | £840 |
| Cybèle 1.5 mm | 500 × 500 × 1000 | 250 L | 36.4 kg | £960 |
| Déméter 2 mm | 900 × 300 × 800 | 216 L | 38.1 kg | £940 |
| Déméter 2 mm | 1500 × 300 × 800 | 360 L | 57.5 kg | £1,170 |
| Déméter 2 mm | 1000 × 500 × 1000 | 500 L | 59.8 kg | £1,190 |
| Déméter 1.5 mm | 1200 × 300 × 800 | 288 L | 47.4 kg | £1,060 |
| Thalie on legs | 600 × 600 × 800 | 288 L | 37.1 kg | £960 |
| Thalie on legs | 800 × 800 × 1000 | 640 L | 65.7 kg | £1,280 |
Choosing the right height for a tall planter
If the planter is there to screen a neighbour's window or an overlooked patio, add the height of the planter to the height of the plants once they have grown. An 800 mm planter holding grasses or shrubs of around 50 cm already rises above the eye line of someone seated; to hide a person standing, start from 1000 mm and choose taller plants. If the aim is to garden without bending, a rim between 800 and 1000 mm sits at hip or waist height for most adults. Keep the depth within arm's reach: up to 600 mm if you can only get to one side, more if you can walk all the way round.
In a small town garden or on a roof terrace, floor space is usually what runs out first. That is where the slim formats earn their place: 300 mm from front to back, they stand against a wall or a balustrade and give you height without taking the room you need for a table and chairs.
- Along a wall, fence or balustrade: Déméter, 300 mm wide from front to back and 800 mm high, in 900, 1200 or 1500 mm lengths, in 2 mm or 1.5 mm steel.
- In the middle of a patio or as a standalone column: Cybèle from 400 to 1400 mm square, 800 or 1000 mm high (2 mm), or 400 and 500 mm square (1.5 mm).
- A tall, wider line for a proper living screen: Déméter 500 mm wide and 800 or 1000 mm high, up to 2000 mm long.
- Thalie on legs comes in 800 and 1000 mm heights, from 600 to 1400 mm square: if the depth of soil matters for your planting, ask us for the usable soil depth before you order.
Tall
Our planters that come in a tall version
Each card shows the model's starting price across all its sizes; the table above gives the prices of the formats that stand 800 mm high or more.
Filling a tall planter without wasting compost
Most perennials, grasses and herbs do not need a metre of soil. Fill the lower part with a light, free-draining material (clay pebbles, pumice or lava rock), or build a false bottom with upturned plastic pots or open crates, then cover it with a geotextile membrane before adding the compost. Leave enough soil under the roots for the plants you have chosen, and make sure nothing you put in the base stops water from draining away.
This approach cuts the amount of compost you have to buy and carry, and lowers the total weight, without changing the silhouette. It also matters on a roof terrace or balcony, where weight is worth checking with whoever manages the building before you fill a large volume. Our guide on how to choose a Corten steel planter covers drainage layers and plant choice in more detail.
Keeping a tall Corten planter steady and its patina clean
A tall, narrow planter is easier to tip over empty than full: set it on a flat, level surface, fill it only once it is in its final position, and place the 300 mm wide formats against a wall or balustrade. Tall plants catch the wind; on an exposed site, choose a wider base (500 mm) or a heavy false bottom, such as gravel, rather than a light one.
Our signature Cortenys patina is applied in our workshop. On 800 or 1000 mm of wall, rain running down the sides can mark the paving at the foot of the planter. Protect pale stone or a light patio slab with small spacers, a saucer or a strip of gravel. Our guide to Corten steel care and rust stains explains how to prevent and remove marks.
Each model is also offered with our protective varnish: on Cybèle 2 mm in 400 × 400 × 800 mm it costs £850 instead of £820. The protective varnish greatly reduces run-off, but even varnished, Corten steel can still stain the floor, so keep the spacers, saucer or gravel strip under a planter standing on a pale surface.
Tall planter or tall pot?
For a round or flared silhouette, our Corten steel pots also come in tall versions, from 800 to 1200 mm. To compare every shape, low and tall, see the full range of Corten steel planters. For a low hedge along a path, a Corten trough planter at a lower height is the better fit, and if you want generous volume rather than height, see our large Corten steel planters.
Cortenys
Frequently asked questions
What height counts as a tall Corten planter?
We draw the line at 800 mm. Our tall models come in 800 and 1000 mm heights; the most affordable is Cybèle 2 mm in 400 × 400 × 800 mm, at £820.
Do I need to fill the whole height of a tall planter with soil?
No. Fill the bottom with a light draining material or a false bottom (upturned pots, open crates) covered with a geotextile membrane, then add only the depth of compost the roots need. Make sure water can still drain away freely at the base.
What planter height lets me garden without bending down?
A rim between 800 and 1000 mm suits most adults working standing up. Choose a depth your arm can reach across: up to 600 mm if you can only get to one side, more if you can walk all the way round.
Is a tall planter 300 mm wide and 800 mm high stable?
Once filled and standing on a level surface, its weight holds it in place; empty, it is much lighter (38.1 kg for 900 × 300 × 800 mm). Place it against a wall or balustrade, fill it where it will stand, and avoid very tall plants on a windy site.
Privacy screen: a 1000 mm Cybèle or a slim 800 mm Déméter?
Against a wall or balustrade, Déméter 2 mm, 300 mm from front to back and 800 mm high, takes up little floor space: 900, 1200 or 1500 mm long, from £940 to £1,170. For a higher screen, or several tall plants in a row, Cybèle 2 mm gains 200 mm, for example in 600 × 600 × 1000 mm at £990.
Will a tall Corten planter mark my patio slabs?
It can. Rain running down 800 or 1000 mm of steel carries rust onto the surface below, especially on pale stone. Raise the planter on small spacers, stand it in a saucer or on a gravel strip, or set it on a dark slab. Our protective varnish greatly reduces run-off, but even varnished, Corten steel can still stain the floor, so keep that protection in place.
A particular project in mind?
A dimension, a finish, a word of advice. The House is by your side, with the care it brings to every one of its pieces.