Green-tech’s Mona
Plant System has been specified by Barton Willmore Landscape Architects and
incorporated within planter designs of a new courtyard area at the Queens Walk
development in Reading.
Described as a
subterranean watering system, the Mona plant system tanks were incorporated
within the planting medium and deliver water direct to the plant’s roots
through the process of capillary action.
The system removes the
need for surface watering so ensures the correct amount of water is delivered
as and when required by the planting. The system is 100% efficient, eliminating
the risk of over or under-watering and responds to the seasonal requirements of
each individual plant.
With over 30 years’
heritage, the Mona Plant System has been specified on many projects across the
UK and Europe.
The old Yell office block
was originally built as part of a large hotel development then later housed the
office team for the famous Yellow Pages for many years. The building has now
received a full makeover incorporating 284 new flats for the University of Reading
students and an external landscaped courtyard by landscape contractor Hillier
Landscapes. The courtyard incorporates both hard and soft landscaped areas and
raised planters housing both trees and shrubs that provide shade, screening and
seasonal interest.
The team behind the
Mona Plant System assisted with the specification of the system at an early
stage of the design process, ensuring the correct quota of tanks were utilised
to suit the individual planting.
Green-tech also
supplied 150m3 of Green-tree intensive substrate; an established growing media
with an excellent reputation in the marketplace. It is a blend of
lightweight aggregate and award-winning Green-tree top soil; which is ideal for
containerised planting or green roof projects. It is lightweight in
texture and has good water holding capacity which encourages healthy plants and
trees in containerised planting projects like this.
Paul Corfield, Senior
Landscape Architect for Barton Willmore commented: "Barton Willmore was
commissioned to produce the design proposals for the existing courtyard space
as part of the refurbishment works at Queens Walk. Incorporating the Mona Plant
System into the planting scheme offered a simple and effective watering
solution for the raised planters."
Richard Wexham,
Product Specification Manager, Green-tech added: "The Mona Plant System
offers a solution to water wastage. By incorporating the system into a scheme
at specification stage you are providing the best possible start for your trees
and plants. The yellow subterranean tanks are designed to release water on
request by the planting and the process of capillary action transfers the water
through the growing medium to the plant’s roots to ensure the correct amount is
always available."
Photos: Images kindly supplied by
Omos, street furniture designers and manufacturers.
