California-based studio Moss has developed a self-watering planter and lamp that lets users without any gardening experience grow a variety of plants indoors.

Moss founders Strahinja Spasojević and Nicolas Riano created Grow Lamp to make indoor gardening more accessible, particularly for users living in urban environments without easy access to fresh farm produce.

"Our goal was to tackle the need for approachable and user-friendly hydroponic systems," the designers told Dezeen. "We envisioned a product that would encompass every aspect, from watering to lighting, making plant care a delightful experience."

Grow Lamp comprises a base containing a self-watering planter and a light fixture that can be used to support plant growth.

The design seeks to address the issues most commonly associated with indoor gardening, such as the need for regular watering and nutritional care, as well as the lack of appropriate lighting.

Instead of soil, which can be messy and often requires chemicals or pesticides, Grow Lamp uses clay pebbles as the growing medium. The pebbles act as a porous material that makes it easier to manage how much water reaches the plants.

The product's base holds just over a litre of water, combined with liquid nutrients which are gradually absorbed by the plant's roots.

The tank only needs to be refilled once a month, which reduces overall water consumption as well as the likelihood of the growing medium drying out.

Three settings on the rotating base allow the watering schedule to be adapted to suit either succulents and cacti, house plants or moisture-loving herbs and vegetables.

A vertical stand supports a lamp that mimics the sun's full light spectrum. It can be set to provide optimal lighting for plant growth or used to create a more relaxed ambient environment.

Moss collaborated with product design company Enventys on Grow Lamp's mechanical and electrical engineering. Together they devised a solution that allows the lamp to rotate and pivot so light can be directed where needed.

The planter and lamp can also be easily separated so the lamp can be used on its own while the planter self-waters for over eight hours.

An integrated touch switch enables users to adjust the brightness by sliding a finger across the base, while the capacitive charging system that powers the planter can also be used to charge a smartphone.

Rather than the clinical, boxy look of typical hydroponic systems, Spasojević and Riano designed the product with a gentler and more accessible aesthetic.

"Grow Lamp adopts friendly curves, encouraging greater interaction between the product and the user, in line with our design approach," they explained.

"Its compact size is tailored to accommodate most average-sized houseplants and its precise height serves as a visual cue for optimal harvesting time for most herbs."

Other recent plant-focused designs include a chair that was designed for cultivating plant life and a bio-cement roof grown from plant enzymes.