QUALITY & CARE
MATERIAL MATTERS
For hundreds of years, generations of artisans have crafted heirloom pottery and containers using locally sourced materials. Originally designed for transporting goods, these styles quickly became traditional French garden accents in the great chateaux and residences in France.
MASTER ARTISANS
All of our pottery is handmade in the Provence, Anduze, and Normandy regions in France. We have chosen the best workshops with the most talented artisans. During our regular visits to the workshops, we hand select the best pieces each workshop produces and ensure the highest levels of workmanship are maintained. Happily, our relationships with our artisan workshops and their families have spanned generations and we are gratified to support and preserve the traditions of artisanal handmade pottery throughout regions of France.
TERRA COTTA AND WOODEN PLANTER CARE
It is essential that water can drain freely from your terra cotta pot’s drainage holes. We recommend a sheet of filter screen over the drainage holes and adding 2-3 inches of crushed stone at the bottom of the pot before filling with a potting soil intended for use in containers. In winter, ensure that the pot is elevated an inch or more off the ground with pot feet or wedges. Use of saucers outdoors in winter is not recommended.
Likewise, we recommend use of a liner in our wooden Versailles Boxes to protect the longevity of your planter box. We recommend using a well-draining soil mix and placing decorative mulch, bark, or stone as the top layer on your potting soil to prevent water from pooling.
HEIRLOOM QUALITY
These are the urns and planters which show up at auction houses at appreciated prices, especially as they acquire a coveted patina over time outdoors. Terra cotta should not be sealed. White markings on the surface create the distinctive character of artisanal pots. This is saltpeter which occurs naturally in the clay and rises to the surface. Timeless designs and heirloom quality craftsmanship means these garden pots can be handed down for many generations to come.