Garden water butts get a long overdue design makeover

Traditional plastic rain barrels have often been hidden away but greater focus on conservation drives design changesThey are water-saving wonders but plastic water butts have traditionally been eyesores to keep hidden from view. Now, though, with conserving water more important than ever, designers have upped the ante with clever models that double as planters, ornaments and even fountains.The market was ripe for a makeover because "one of the barriers to having a water butt is that it's got to be in your garden, and we want our gardens to look nice, don't we?" says Gin Tidridge, a product sustainability manager at the B&Q owner Kingfisher. Continue reading...