FAQ
The Pots
Cretan Terracotta
A hand thrown pot is made by hand on a potter’s wheel, and requires specialist artisan skills. This is what gives it a one-of-a-kind shape and organic feel which looks so beautiful in a natural setting. By comparison, many mass-produced pots are replicated in moulds, so they will be completely symmetrical, and lack the character of a hand thrown pot.
Our pots are still fired in kilns the traditional way, using crushed olive stones and grape seeds as fuel. The pots are fired at temperatures of up to 1,150°C which is the highest temperature that terracotta can be fired at, resulting in an exceptionally strong pot.
Our Cretan terracotta pots can withstand the harshest of UK winters due to the unique blend of clay and the way they are fired. If our care instructions are followed, your pot will last for years to come, withstanding temperatures as low as –20°C. Water features and water butts must be drained in freezing weather to avoid damage.
Pots placed on gravel, shingle or other porous surfaces don’t always need pot feet, and narrow based pots such as The Long Tom could become unstable if balanced on feet. Having said that, raising your terracotta pot slightly off the ground can assist drainage and deter insects nesting in planted pots. Please ask if you’d like advice for your specific plant, pot and location.
As a rule, if your pot has a narrow neck and a wider belly, we advise that you avoid planting directly into the pot. This is because the roots will grow wider than the neck of the pot, making the plant extremely difficult to remove. If you do want to plant into a pot this shape, we recommend sitting a removable plant pot inside your terracotta pot. Browse our collection of planters for the best pots for planting.
If you’re using the pot for planting, put a good layer of broken crocks and gravel at the bottom of the pot. Ideally, using a permeable membrane over the gravel and crocks will help prevent the drainage holes from clogging, and aids good drainage.
As all of our terracotta pots are still traditionally hand thrown on a potter’s wheel, each pot is totally unique with its own individual characteristics. Our workshop team will always select the best matching pots for your order. If you have specific requirements, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help.
Yes, unless otherwise specified, we drill a drainage hole in the base of each pot before it leaves our workshop, with the exception of The Bird Bath and The Vazo. Drainage holes are vital if a pot is open to the elements, and of course if you are planting in it. Every so often, check that the hole in your pot has not become clogged, otherwise trapped water could lead to root-rot or damage to the pot during freezing conditions.
Depending on the extent of the damage, pots can sometimes be repaired. Please contact us for advice.
No. Rapid temperature rises from open flames will cause the pot to crack.
French Terracotta
Yes. The pots are frost resistant and have been tested in a controlled environment to –5°C across 100 freeze-thaw cycles.
No. We do not recommend the use of pot feet for the French Terracotta range, and we do not supply them.
The Goutte and Olive forms are designed primarily as decorative pieces, though they can accommodate planting using a pre-planted inner pot. The Bugadier, with its wider opening, lends itself more naturally to direct planting.
For all three forms, we recommend the following layering method for optimal drainage and root health:
- Crocks at the base
- Approximately a quarter layer of LECA (lightweight expanded clay aggregate)
- A permeable membrane
- Planting compost
Yes. Drainage holes are formed during the making process and are not drilled afterwards. This preserves the structural integrity of each piece and ensures proper water management from the outset.
Each pot is individually handmade using a traditional coiling technique known as tournage à la corde — rope turning. Clay is mixed and quarried at the pottery itself, then a wooden frame is constructed around which the pot is hand-coiled using rope. The clay is worked into the surface and refined by hand on a pottery wheel, before the frame and rope are carefully removed once dried. A white undercoat is applied, and the pot is then glazed and finished with its signature chalk surface. Each piece is unique.
The clay is quarried at the pottery itself in the South of France. It is naturally red in colour, giving each pot its warmth and distinctive character beneath the finish.
Yes. Drainage holes are formed during the making process and are not drilled afterwards. This preserves the structural integrity of each piece and ensures proper water management from the outset.
The enamelled rim and glazed sections can be wiped clean with a soft cloth. The chalk-finished body may be cleaned with a pressure washer, provided it is used at a safe distance.
Yes. Our French Terracotta range is available in four core colours — Blue, Ivory, Honey, and Green — but pots can be commissioned in any of 15 enamel glaze colours in total.
Custom colour orders are produced at the pottery in France and shipped directly from there. A delivery fee of £550 applies per pallet. This option is well suited to larger residential projects, landscape schemes, or trade enquiries.
Physical glaze samples are available for reference. Please contact us to discuss your requirements.
Water Features
See our installation and care guide for more detailed information.
Certain designs are more suitable than others, you’ll find the ones we recommend listed in our water features collection. If you have another idea in mind, do contact us and we can let you know if it will work.
It’s a good idea to drain your water feature in late autumn before we start getting frosts. Follow our simple step-by-step instructions on how to do this.
All of our water features can be easily drained in preparation for winter by simply
opening the built in valve at the base of the pot. This valve can be accessed
through the hatch in the grid.
The valve must remain in the open position throughout the winter until your water feature is ready to be recommissioned.
Your pot is turning green from algae caused by sunlight forming in the water and growing on the surface. Using a mild soap and non-abrasive brush, clean the water feature inside and out removing any algae build-up. Replace with fresh water, adding a generous amount of Milton sterilising fluid to the water as required.
You will need to top up the water level of the reservoir from time to time during the summer months. It can be reduced by evaporation and splash off from the wind. If the level gets too low, the pump may be damaged by pumping air rather than water which can cause overheating. The risk of this can be reduced by ensuring the water feature is switched off at night, a timer can be useful for this purpose.
A limescale build up can potentially damage your water feature pump and create a white residue on the surface of the pot in rare circumstances. If the tap water is particularly hard, we recommend filling your pot up from a water butt or using a suitable water softener.
Yes, you can, but bear in mind you will want to disguise the reservoir. Please contact us for advice on how to do this.
No, unfortunately solar pumps are unable to produce the power needed to run our water features.
All our pumps require a 240V power supply, which is a regular three-pin outdoor plug.
Yes, we offer a pipe and sealing only service. Please contact us for a quote.
Our water features are supplied with the recommended size of reservoir for the pot. Certain designs may work with a smaller reservoir when the pump is turned down. Please contact us for details.
Outdoor Furniture
Our outdoor furniture is made from sustainably sourced teak, which has been legally and ethically sourced, manufactured, and exported from Indonesia. The teak manufacturing process is strictly controlled by the Indonesian government, and we have inspected it in person.
Ensure that your furniture is placed on an even surface within the garden and away from outdoor heaters or in heated buildings. Avoid damp or muddy locations. Direct, regular sunlight is ideal, as it naturally discourages mould and mildew forming. To maintain the lifespan of your teak garden furniture even further, store it in an outbuilding or garage during the winter months if possible.
Our furniture is made from the highest possible grade A heartwood teak, so it is exceptionally robust and able to withstand extreme weather conditions. The natural oils in the heartwood, and the kiln drying process it has been through, mean your furniture can be left outside to weather gracefully to its natural silver-grey colour.
Use a lubricant over the runners of any moving parts to prevent these from seizing up. It is good practice to leave extended tables at their full size so all the wood weathers at the same rate.
If you wish to jet-wash your furniture, ensure this is done at a distance to prevent damage to the wood fibres. Wash with light soapy water solution to remove any stains and use fine sandpaper for any stubborn marks.
Applying teak oil or varnishes to our furniture will weaken the wood and may even shorten its lifespan. If teak oil is applied, it will need to be regularly re-applied. If left untreated, your furniture will weather to an attractive silver-grey colour over time.