how to model planter box?

[dcscca]

What is the best way to model an L-shaped planter box such as the one in the attached photo?  I want to make the box a certain height, say 30", and fill it with soil up to 24", then install plants on top of the soil.

 

This seems like such an ordinary thing to want to do that I'm sure there must be an easy way to accomplish it, but everything I've tried has failed.

 

When I tried to use the built-in "Box Planter" in the core library, I could not change the shape to an "L"... Even when I settled for two of the built-in Box Planters at right angles to each other, after I tried to fill them with a Garden Bed of height and thickness 24" (using Terrain -> Garden Bed -> Polyline Garden Bed), the whole planter box floated in the air starting at 24" (even when the garden bed was entirely inside the box).

 

Ideas?  Thank you!

 

[DavidJPotter]

I often use objects from the "shapes" library (boxes with open tops, grouped together). You can also use a base cabinet with its countertop removed and get a similar effect, then place plant objects in the box along with some virtual dirt (a slab or soffit with its material set to "soil").

 

DJP

[dcscca]

Thank you, David - I was not familiar with those boxes in the "shapes" library. Very useful!

Appreciate the help.

[Kbird1]

you can use the straight 1/2 wall Tool , uncheck the Room's roof and ceiling to get rid of those and then use Soffits to make the Top cap. this one is square but should work the same for an L-Shape.

 

Make one soffit the right width and thickness and to the longest measurement , then just copy and paste another 5-6 of the same and slide them into place with the Ctrl key resizing as you go , easy cos they will "snap to" each other.

 

M.

 

 

[dcscca]

Thank you, Mick, I like your idea too. I played with both suggestions, then eventually ended up using a terrain wall in the desired shape, filled with a dirt-textured soffit, topped by plant images.

Thanks again.

[Moxie67]

In HD Pro 2012, there is a library item "raised bed".  it's a wooden box conveniently already filled with garden soil.

Here is the path:  

exteriors

landscaping

lawn and garden tools

bins and beds

 

The raised bed has 2 different materials so you can separately specify the materials for the box vs the fill.  By sizing and placing two of these you can make an L shape.  

[Moxie67]

Except that I don't think that it's possible to specify the depth of the soil independently of the height of the box.

[dcscca]

Hi Moxie67, thanks for that idea. That almost works except that, as you said, you can't specify the soil depth independently. Also, I was unable to make the two boxes come together in a true "L"... i.e. the edges of the boxes still showed through where the two beds intersected, when I forced the two boxes to overlap or sit adjacent to each other.  But I will keep those raised beds in mind for other modeling needs. Thank you :-)