It seems every time you open a magazine, there is a new list of “this season’s must-haves”. It doesn’t matter if it’s a gardening magazine, a home decorating journal or a high fashion magazine–trends come and go with nary a backward glance. As you look back at your design choices over the years for your home, your clothes, your garden, you’ll usually discover that it has been the simple classics that have weathered the test of time. Fads like jeggings and hypertufa pots may come and go, but the little black dress and classic Impruneta Italian terra cotta planters have held their aesthetic value for generations and aren’t showing any signs of slowing down.
If the term terracotta conjures up images of stacks of dusty orange common clay nursery pots, you’ve probably never experienced the subdued beauty of Italian terracotta from the regions of Impruneta or Siena. The rich earth in these beautiful Italian towns near Florence boasts an extremely high mineral content which is exceptionally high in iron, calcium, aluminum and copper. The Impruneta clay is so revered that only seven potters are licensed by the Italian government to use the name on their wares. The Siena region has a similar richness but with less iron and sandstone in the earthen composition. These minerals are what give Italian terra cotta its distinctive color and excellent frost resistance. The secret of these wonderful clays is revealed by investigating the two major factors which set Italian terracotta pottery above the rest.
The first factor is the type of clay that is used. Impruneta clay is found only by the river Arno near Florence and has been used to make pottery for at least the last ten centuries. In addition to the minerals, this gray clay contains particles of sandstone which give it a special strength and texture. This robust mixture makes the resulting pottery incredibly strong in the same way that adding gravel to a concrete mix binds it together to create a more durable finished product. It is then fired at over 1000 degrees for 36 hours and cooled in the kiln for another 70 hours. (The words terra cotta actually mean cooked earth.) The result is a beautiful soft rosy color not found anywhere else in the world. The pots from Sienna, with a different clay composition, are more red in color. The second factor is how the Impruneta and Siena pots are created. There are several techniques that are employed, all labor -intensive. One method is to hand-apply the clay, pounding it over an inverted form which shapes the clay to the desired form and size. This is then smoothed and decorated. Another method is to hand-pack the clay into plaster cases, a technique perfected hundreds of years ago. Larger pots are often made free-form entirely by hand. After the bowl or basin of the pot is created, the rim is applied by hand. It’s easy to tell a handmade pot–when you run your h
and under the rim there is a deep relief where you can fit your fingers. Machine-made or cast-formed pots have a flat, less dimensional rim with no overhang. When the artist is satisfied with the appearance of the pot, it is then fired as previously mentioned. This results in an extremely strong pot with great structural integrity. Designs are actually molded into the pot and become an integral part of the structure instead of being “applied” as an afterthought. Another great way to identify one of these Tuscan masterpieces is by giving it a sharp rap with your knuckles. The resulting clear, sharp peal of a bell signifies that you indeed are in the presence of one of these amazing pots – high fired with no cracks.
Impruneta and Siena terracotta ornaments have classic good looks that serve as the perfect counterpoint to a wide variety of flowers and foliage. They truly “go” with everything. They are available in a myriad of pleasing shapes and designs ranging from classic rolled rim pots to ornately sculpted planters. Their nature-inspired designs have appealed to discriminating gardeners for centuries. The Biltmore Estate has several large Impruneta pots that have graced their gardens since the 1800s. Imagine how tough it was to import these from Italy more than 200 years ago. These are some rugged beauties that were able to survive that journey. Another spot you may have seen Impruneta terracotta is at the New York Botanical Gardens. They chose large classic rolled rim pots to showcase their gorgeous specimens of lemon trees.
These planters will last more than a lifetime with proper care. They’re extremely hardy and can be left outside to weather without fear but it is imperative to make sure the pot is lifted off the ground and that the drainage hole is unobstructed so water has the ability to drain freely. Because there are many ways to break a pot no one can guarantee their longevity – but it won’t be because the temperature dropped below freezing.
The use of clay to produce both models and finished sculpture has been important to Italian artists such as Donatello and Luca della Robbia since the early 15th century. They took advantage of the special clay found in the area and consequently helped make Florence an important center for Italian art. Still today you occasionally find beautiful, classical statues with graceful figures and lovely faces sculpted in the distinctive rose pink clay of Impruneta.
If you’re looking for an investment quality heirloom that will withstand the test of time, look no further than Impruneta or Siena terracotta. You won’t be disappointed. And while there’s nothing wrong having a little fun with the latest fads, it’s the timeless classics that will pull you through season after season.
We are so very proud to include Impruneta Italian Terracotta in our quality inventory & garden.
There is honesty in this deception in that the mirror is simply reflecting what already truly exists in the garden; it is simply confusing the mind regarding the true location of what the eye is seeing. Mirrors help to create the illusion of a much grander, brighter or multi-roomed garden by altering the sense of proportion, light and defined boundaries. Mounting a mirror on a garden wall or fence will fool the eye into believing there is another garden beyond the garden wall. Positioning the mirror takes a bit of practice–you don’t want to see your own reflection peering back at you which will spoil the illusion. By slightly angling the mirror down and to the side, you will be able to create a convincing illusion which reflects nothing but light, greenery and color. By softening the edges of the mirror with foliage, a false window frame, a perspective trellis or a pair of shutters, your result will be even more believable.
Will the sculpture be seen up close in an established planted bed that you will approach as you walk in the garden? Will it be seen at a distance as a focal point to lead your eye? Will it need to be seen from within the home as on a patio?
A figure that will primarily be viewed from a distance may best be even larger. Take a box or other item & place it where you want to put your feature and view it from various directions. If you already have a favorite statue that is less than life size, try using it among dwarf plants or plants with small scale foliage.
Many factors contribute to your choice. Let’s start with the style of your home plus any style already begun in your garden. Fortunately almost any style can be matched or enriched by a sculpture or statue. For a spare contemporary style home with lots of glass, an abstract stone or bronze sculpture may be ideal or accented by a good sized Japanese lantern plus a smaller Japanese style basin with a gentle fountain. If you are so inclined there are wonderful stone Buddhas that could be featured in this garden. If your home is in the style of a French villa, think about continuing the feel with a classic French figurative piece and Anduze pots by the door. A neoclassical home with Palladian columns might be crying out for hand carved stone statues of classical gods and goddesses. There are a few homes with English Tudor revival half-timbered facades as designed by Edward Lutyens who in the UK often had Gertrude Jekyl luxuriant flowered borders. These rarely required any ornaments other than a scattered sundial or stone cupid. Most homes in our area are of no specific historical style and thus not limiting your alternatives for the garden.
There is also dry cast statuary which is more expensive, but achieves and retains much better detail, most closely resembling hand carved stone. Hand carved stone may be an original piece of sculpture but can also be a copy of an old traditional design or earlier work of art. Many hand sculpted statues come from Vicenza, Italy. These are commonly limestone reproductions from classical European gardens. Limestone is a softer but still fairly durable stone that allows the sculptor to achieve excellent detail. These statues develop a wonderful antique patina fairly rapidly but may need some protective silicone coating to keep them from absorbing moisture and deteriorating during freeze –thaw cycles. Some sculptures from Mexico or Bali can be from even softer stone and will not hold up well in northern winters. Granite, for example from Vermont, is so hard that it will last for centuries and consequently looks new in the garden for a very long time.
Antique iron sculpture, especially from France, can be wonderful but is very expensive. Antique iron is more resistant to rust than almost all current iron, due to the quality of the iron, but all iron needs some protective coating. Not much iron statuary is produced today because of the maintenance needed.
If the bench is going to actually be used for garden seating, is it comfortable? Try out several before making a purchase.
A metal or polished stone bench placed in full sun will be as inviting as a hot frying pan while teak, redwood, unpolished stone or cast stone benches won’t hold the heat as intensely. Garden Accents maintains an inventory of benches to complement any garden location and the majority of them are placed outside so you can get a true sense of function and scale.
