These beautiful cloches are a take on old classics, hand thrown and all with an individual handprint. Traditionally these are used for forcing culinary plants like rhubarb, kale and chicory to improve the taste and texture, while adding structure to the vegetable garden.
You can also place them over dormant or sprouting plants in cold weather and cover dahlias in the ground to save lifting them. We've found them handy for stopping squirrels unearthing freshly planted clumps of bulbs too!
Any tender plants will benefit from the extra protection over winter. There are two designs available so you can pick the best shape and size for particular plants, or mix and match a few of each to bring a classic Victorian feel to the garden.
Each cloche is hand thrown in Turkey from raw local clay and high-fired at 1080°C to make it as frost resistant as possible. With time and exposure the clay will age to an attractive patina as the salts slowly leach to the surface.
Please note: white specks in the terracotta are naturally occuring lime granules. Occasionally when fired the clay around them can split out a little, but this won’t compromise the strength of the cloche. Lime helps to bind the clay and ultimately makes for a stronger product. As these are hand thrown, the measurements are approximate.
Measurements:
Tall - Ø30cm x H36cm
Squat - Ø35cm x H32cm