Pinterest predicts that “hues of terracotta” will be “on trend” this year as “Orange is associated with optimism, adventure and creativity”. And, as Pinterest claim that 80% of their past predictions have come true, who are we to argue?
Terracotta garden planters look natural and blend into almost any garden setting, whether traditional, classical or contemporary. Think terracotta and you think of the fabulous gardens of Italy in particular whose fashionable styles have provided so much inspiration – from the days of the Grand Tour during the eighteenth century right through to the present. Think terracotta and you think warmth, sunshine, tranquillity and more.
Although terracotta is rightfully considered to be on trend today, it has arguably been on trend for millennia with pottery and terracotta shards found in prehistoric archaeological sites, whilst the ancient Greeks and Romans both mass-produced terracotta figurines and other ornaments. The use of terracotta in artistic sculpture re-established itself in the Italian Renaissance and became increasingly popular from the eighteenth century onwards when terracotta garden planters became much more than humble pots for plant cultivation. They became artistic statements in their own right, demanding the right to be displayed as works of art in their own right.
The only drawback to terracotta can be its susceptibility to damage from frost. This is why all the terracotta designs offered by ORNAMENTI are only made by artisan craftsmen in Tuscany using local Galestro or Impruneta clays that are frost resistant, unlike most terracotta available in the UK. Galestro or Impruneto clay also benefits from being a naturally warm and breathable material, making it ideally suited for the well-being of plants.
The techniques used by today’s artisan craftsmen have been developed over centuries in the Tuscan Hills of Italy. ORNAMENTI has sourced all its terracotta designs from these historic Tuscan workshops as only the best would do… you can find out more about the artisan skills required to create the best terracotta garden ornaments in our Terracotta Product Guide. The whole process makes each design resistant to frost and extremely long-lasting.
The burnt orange hues of terracotta are on trend today and will undoubtedly remain so for many years to come making them both enjoyable to own and an investment for the future.