Designing Custom Containers
Ambius Designer Guide
Ambius Spec Sheet & CAD Library
For expert advice, contact your local
Ambius Design Consultant or phone 1300 AMBIUS
There’s nothing like designing a custom fixture, and at Ambius we want to work
with you to bring your ideas to life!
There are a few things you need to consider when designing a container if your
plants are going to stay healthy. You’ll find what you need to know in this guide,
but if you have any questions feel free to give one of our design experts a call on
1300 AMBIUS.
Contents
Design Guide for Stand Alone Containers
Design Guide for Garden Beds & Unsealed Containers
Ambius Spec Sheet & CAD Library
For expert advice, contact your local
Ambius Design Consultant or phone 1300 AMBIUS
Design Guide for
Stand Alone Containers
Use this guide for custom troughs, cabinet-top units,
floor-standing containers and desktop containers.
Ambius Spec Sheet & CAD Library
For expert advice, contact your local
Ambius Design Consultant or phone 1300 AMBIUS
What are the required components
of a plant container?
Sub-irrigation Hole
Mulch Plate
Container
Side view
Grow Pot
Wick
Supplied by Ambius
Supplied by Ambius
Ambius Spec Sheet & CAD Library
For expert advice, contact your local
Ambius Design Consultant or phone 1300 AMBIUS
What needs to be considered when
designing a custom container?
Ambius plants are watered using a
sub-irrigation system.
Sub-irrigation is a method of irrigation where water is delivered
below the grow pot and absorbed upwards via the wick. This
method of irrigation gives you healthier plants, for longer.
Design tip #1
Your container must be waterproof.
The container you design must be completely watertight or use
a watertight liner to prevent water leaking onto the floor or into
cabinets.
Side view
Ambius Spec Sheet & CAD Library
For expert advice, contact your local
Ambius Design Consultant or phone 1300 AMBIUS
What needs to be considered when
designing a custom container?
There are different grow pot sizes
depending on the plant type and size.
The selection of plant will depend on your aesthetic requirements
and the available light within the area the plants will live.
Your Ambius Design Consultant is your expert plant partner and
there to help you make the right choice.
Design tip #2
200mm
circumference
185mm
depth
Contact your Ambius Design Consultant for
advice on plant selection and grow pot sizing.
200mm
Grow Pot
Ambius Spec Sheet & CAD Library
265mm
circumference
230mm
depth
250mm
Grow Pot
310mm
circumference
265mm
depth
300mm
Grow Pot
For expert advice, contact your local
Ambius Design Consultant or phone 1300 AMBIUS
What needs to be considered when
designing a custom container?
Our sub-irrigation system requires
space to “do its thing”.
Design tip #3
Make sure your containers are large enough to fit
your grow pot (or grow pots)!
(This may be an obvious tip but…) ensure your containers are large
enough to house the desired number of plants and grow pots.
Space
They need to have space around all sides and at the bottom (more
details on the next page).
Side view
Ambius Spec Sheet & CAD Library
For expert advice, contact your local
Ambius Design Consultant or phone 1300 AMBIUS
What needs to be considered when
designing a custom container?
Design tip #4
Allow at least 30mm between the base of the
grow pot and the bottom of the container.
When water is poured into the container, the wick at the bottom
of the grow pot takes the water up to the roots of the plant by
osmosis.
Therefore there must be a sufficient gap (at least 30mm) between
the base of the grow pot and the bottom of the container.
Without this gap the plants will sit in the water pool and become
over-watered.
Refer to page 5 for grow pot dimensions.
At least 30mm
Side view
Ambius Spec Sheet & CAD Library
For expert advice, contact your local
Ambius Design Consultant or phone 1300 AMBIUS
What needs to be considered when
designing a custom container?
Every container requires a mulch plate.
A mulch plate is essential for sub-irrigation. It features holes on which
the grow pot sits so it stays above the water line and provides a
platform for the container topping, such as pebbles or bark.
Sub-irrigation hole
Design tip #5
There are two types of holes required in a mulch
plate: one for the grow pot/s and one for
watering.
The sub-irrigation hole should be 20mm and placed at the end of the
container. This allows watering directly into the reservoir and for water
levels to be checked.
See the next page for more details on the grow pot holes.
Ambius Spec Sheet & CAD Library
Grow pot hole
Topping
Top view
For expert advice, contact your local
Ambius Design Consultant or phone 1300 AMBIUS
What needs to be considered when
designing a custom container?
Design tip #6
Grow pot holes need to be slightly smaller than the grow pot lip to provide a platform on which to sit.
Below are the hole sizes required for each of the grow pots.
245mm hole
285mm hole
190mm hole
(circumference)
(circumference)
200mm
Grow Pot
250mm
Grow Pot
300mm
Grow Pot
(circumference)
Ambius Spec Sheet & CAD Library
It’s important that these holes are
created the right size. If you don’t already
have one, request a physical sample of
our grow pots to ensure they will fit prior
to designing a custom container.
For expert advice, contact your local
Ambius Design Consultant or phone 1300 AMBIUS
What needs to be considered when
designing a custom container?
Design tip #7
Check your design with your
Ambius Design Consultant.
We have a wealth of expertise in container design and plant health, so
make sure you check with your Ambius Design Consultant whether your
custom container is fit to be home to a living plant.
We understand you can be under immense time pressures so we’ll get
back to you with our feedback or recommendations as soon as possible.
Ambius Spec Sheet & CAD Library
For expert advice, contact your local
Ambius Design Consultant or phone 1300 AMBIUS
Custom Container Checklist

Is your container waterproof or have a waterproof liner?

Have you confirmed your plant selection and grow pot size with your Ambius Design Consultant?

Is your container large enough to fit your grow pot/s?

Have you allowed 30mm between the base of the grow pot and the bottom of the container?

Is the grow pot hole in your mulch plate the right size?

Have you included a sub-irrigation hole sized 20mm?

Have you checked your final design with your Ambius Design Consultant?
Ambius Spec Sheet & CAD Library
For expert advice, contact your local
Ambius Design Consultant or phone 1300 AMBIUS
Design Guide for Garden Beds
& Unsealed Containers
Use this guide for:
1. Large areas where it would be impractical to fit a single sub-irrigation system; or
2. Custom containers that are unsealed or cannot be water-tight.
Ambius Spec Sheet & CAD Library
For expert advice, contact your local
Ambius Design Consultant or phone 1300 AMBIUS
How do we sub-irrigate large areas or
unsealed containers?
The Ambius Cone Liner
sub-irrigation system.
Our Cone Liner is a mini sub-irrigation system for
individual plants.
It allows us to place plants in large areas where a
standard sub-irrigation and mulch plate is
impractical, such as garden beds, or in containers
that aren’t water-tight.
Sub-irrigation Hole
Grow Pot
The Cone Liner is placed inside ‘unsealed’
containers or the garden bed and topping is placed
over the top so it cannot be seen. It is then serviced
by Ambius in much the same way as the standard
sub-irrigation system.
Wick
Top view
Side view
Ambius Spec Sheet & CAD Library
Cone Liner
For expert advice, contact your local
Ambius Design Consultant or phone 1300 AMBIUS
The Cone Liner and grow pot are placed inside the
unsealed container (or garden bed) and the
topping is filled in around it. The Cone Liner and
grow pot are invisible but still can be serviced by
Ambius staff.
Ambius Spec Sheet & CAD Library
For expert advice, contact your local
Ambius Design Consultant or phone 1300 AMBIUS
What sizes are available
for the Cone Liner?
The Cone Liner is available to suit
250mm and 300mm grow pots.
Talk to your Ambius Design Consultant about
plant selection and grow pot sizing.
The selection of plant will depend on your aesthetic requirements and
the available light within the area the plants will live.
Your Ambius Design Consultant is your expert plant partner and there
to help you make the right choice.
Ambius Spec Sheet & CAD Library
For expert advice, contact your local
Ambius Design Consultant or phone 1300 AMBIUS
We don’t expect you to be an instant expert in container design
- that’s what you have us for!
If you have any questions, at any stage during your design,
please feel free to call us on 1300 AMBIUS to speak with one of
our Ambius Design Consultants.
Ambius Spec Sheet & CAD Library
For expert advice, contact your local
Ambius Design Consultant or phone 1300 AMBIUS