Community Wicking Projects

Urban Greening and Community Garden Projects

WaterUps^® Public Spaces

WaterUps^®Urban Greening & Community Garden Projects

Forbes Shire Council, NSW

Forbes Shire Council is installing a number of 1.2m x 1.2m stainless steel planters in the CBD area. These planters which were manufactured locally are 1.2m deep to plant a range of trees. They will be watered with WaterUps^® cells.

Planter tubs at Hobart Airport, TAS

These decorative planters were part of an upgrade to the facade of Hobart Airport in May 2020. The planters were fitted with WaterUps^®wicking cells by Horticultural and Landscape Supplies, our Tasmanian stockists. These wicking planters will provide a consistent water system to the plants and a low maintenance outcome.

Hildasid Farm, Wagga NSW

Hildasid Farm is an initiative of disability services provider, Kurrajong Waratah. When completed Hildasid will be a landmark tourist destination in south-western NSW incorporating a working farm, extensive community gardens, a sensory garden, restaurant, and other attractions. Waterups^® became involved in late 2018 to assist Hildasid in solving the problem of limited water availability and poor soil. So far around 30 WaterUps^® wicking beds have been built, with up to 750 planned for the site.

Upgrade of Military Road streetscape, Neutral Bay NSW

The greening of the pedestrian areas of Military Road in Neutral Bay was undertaken by North Sydney Council in 2020. The project included an initial 30 concrete planters with WaterUps^® installed by landscaping company Green Options. Another 30 are due to be installed in late spring 2020.

Pop Up Planters, Dee Why NSW

In late October 2020, WaterUps^® were installed in these pop-up planters by PlantaBox in a project for Northern Beaches Council.

Murraylands Community Mens Shed, Murray Bridge SA

The vegetable garden project started at the shed about 10 years ago and the shed won the National Men’s Shed Best Garden Award last year. The current project is to rebuild the gardens with up to 35 wicking beds primarily in order to save water. The shed’s aim is to showcase the project to other men’s sheds throughout Australia, encouraging and encouraging them to grow vegies using the WaterUps^® system.

Little Young St Community Garden

This community garden was the brainchild of the Streets Alive initiative of North Sydney Council and the local residents in the area. WaterUps^® were used to help provide sustainable deep-rooted watering of these raised beds.

West Pymble Community Garden, Nsw

WaterUps^® was initially approached by Kur-Ring-Gai Council in 2018 to assist with the upgrade of the community garden near the West Pymble shops. After installing 4 large corro beds fitted with WaterUps^®, we have since installed a further 15 timber wicking beds.

Royal Botanic Gardens Community Greening, South Coogee NSW

WaterUps^® installed these beds jointly with the Royal Botanic Gardens Community Greening team in early 2020. The project was designed to help the community housing tenants to grow their own food. We are now working with on other project with the Botanic Gardens.

Pop Up Garden, Mount Druitt NSW

Plantabox pop-up parks let councils place attractive mature greenery on built areas as community spaces. The WaterUps^® wicking system reduced maintenance and allowed the plants to thrive in the hot environment of such spaces.

WaterUps^® Public Spaces News

WaterUps^® launches new raised wicking bed range

Over the past year, we have been working on developing our own design for a range of steel raised wicking beds. We have taken the feedback we have received from customers and incorporated those...

Successful tool trial for new WaterUps^® square planter

WaterUps® will be adding a new square wicking planter for balcony gardening in November after completing tool trial.

WaterUps^® launches new wicking bed overflow pipe system

WaterUps® has launched its new wicking bed pipe system. The new pipes ensure perfect placement for optimal wicking action.

Angus Stewart Video on growing vegetables in his WaterUps^® wicking bed

Angus Stewart provides some tips about growing vegetables in a wicking bed.

Wicking beds helping our birds and bees

A recent collaboration with PlantingSeeds’ B & B Highway has resulted in a new application of our wicking beds in pollinator gardens. The B & B Highway – which stands for ‘Bed and Breakfasts for Bees, Birds and Biodiversity’ – is creating pollinator passageways across Sydney.

Angus Stewart explains wicking and how he uses WaterUps^®

Angus Stewart writes about how wicking beds create water-efficient gardens and using WaterUps®.

Optimal height of a wicking bed depends on what you plant

There is only really one rule when it comes to the height of wicking beds. That is, the science of capillary action determines that the vertical wicking distance is generally around 300mm. The actual height of your wicking bed can, however, vary provided you follow this simple rule.

Become food self sufficient with a wicking bed

Growing food won’t protect us or our families from COVID-19, but having a continuous food source at home will take the pressure off food systems. It will give us the nutrient-dense, immune system boosting foods our bodies are craving, and more than anything, it will give us a meaningful and pleasurable way to spend time at home.

Wicking Beds perform well in the rain

Up until a couple of weeks ago our focus on wicking beds has been on how well they performed in times of drought. Rain has long been our absent friend. However, with the recent heavy rains, particularly along the east coast of Australia, I thought that it would be useful to observe how wicking beds have performed in the wet.