Browse through our ORNAMENTI Product Guides above and find out more about our garden ornaments and how to care for them thereby ensuring you can enjoy your design for many years to come.
To ensure you can enjoy your glazed pottery designs for many years to come, please follow the advice below. ORNAMENTI cannot accept responsibility for breakage or cracking if any of the following instructions and recommendations are ignored.
Glazed pottery does not like frost. Only unglazed pottery designs in natural black clay are frost resistant. This is because the residual humidity contained in the glazed pottery can expand in the event of strong frost and cause irreparable damage. There are a number of precautions you can take to prevent this:
During the winter months, or whenever there is a risk of hard frost, you must bring your glazed pottery inside – maybe into a garage, shed or other garden building. If the pottery is heavy, try moving it in a hand truck or wheelbarrow. Just be careful not to drop or chip the pottery – which is why we recommend two people lifting and good protection inside the hand truck or wheelbarrow such as carpet, hessian sacks, polystyrene or layers of cardboard.
Less effective solutions include: raising your glazed pottery design off the ground so that it is away from the frozen earth whilst also covering it under a protective winter sheet; planting into a plastic plant pot inside the pottery design so that earth will not freeze next to the internal pottery walls; and making sure the pottery planter is free draining because waterlogged soil is bad for plant health and can freeze at low temperatures. However, these solutions only stand a chance of working where freezing occurs only rarely and at temperatures not falling below -5°C. The only guaranteed solution is to bring your pottery inside each winter or…
The best solution is to enjoy your glazed pottery design all year round where it is best suited – inside an orangery, conservatory or garden room. Or inside a living space such as a hallway, drawing room or swimming pool. In a commercial project, glazed pottery designs are ideal for atriums, retail, hospitality or leisure venues, airports and hotels. Alternatively, ORNAMENTI has a large collection of planters in Terracotta, Zinc and Lead that are all frost resistant.
Please note that, as a genuine artisan-made design, each pottery product is truly unique with the size, patination and colour of each design varying slightly from the description, dimensions and photograph(s) shown. In particular, the patina of each design might be darker or lighter than the images on this website or on display in our showroom/showgarden. In addition, the depth of colour for unglazed designs will vary according to location and climate – interior or exterior, rain or sunshine. No two products are identical. This is intentional as it adds to the charm of the pottery designs which do not look artificially uniform in colour.
Issued: 2/22. Updated 11/23
To ensure you can enjoy your stone design for many years to come, please follow the advice below. ORNAMENTI cannot accept responsibility for breakage or cracking if any of the following instructions and recommendations are ignored.
No routine care or maintenance is required for a carved stone design. As a natural product, stone designs will age and weather over time, taking on the appearance of an antique. This is dependent on location and climate conditions. This attractive natural patina will develop without any need for artificial acceleration. To retain a newer look, a stone sealant should be used immediately after installation or a soft brush with mild detergent used at a future date. Pressure washers, abrasive brushes and any form of acidic cleaners must not be used.
Please be aware of the weight of each stone component and use mechanical lifting wherever possible.
It is essential that any carved stone design is sited on a firm and level area – ideally on concrete or on paving stones with appropriate foundations to suit site conditions and loadings (designed by others).
An 8 to 1 sand/cement bedding mortar (not supplied) must be used between the stone design and the foundation. This is to ensure that the weight of the stonework is spread evenly across the base, thereby avoiding any pivoting or twisting strain.
Between stone components a 1:1:6 cement/lime/sand mortar (not supplied) is recommended, colour matched if desired. White cement and/or sand may be necessary. Using mortar between stone components will ensure that each element of the design bears an equal weight. The same 1:1:6 mortar can be used for pointing if required.
If desired for security or safety reasons, the stone design can be permanently secured using stainless steel dowels (not supplied). When drilling stonework, only use a suitable masonry drill on a rotary setting (not hammer action). For best results, the dowel should be secured by grouting with polyester resin or similar (not supplied).
Pump, plumbing and liner are not supplied, leaving the client to select the optimum equipment for each specific project. It should be assumed that the stonework surround will not adequately retain water, especially where there are joints. This means that a waterproof render, butyl liner or asphalt (designed by others) will be required. To ensure frost resistance, it is important to avoid any direct contact between the water within the pool and the stonework surround, whilst also draining down your pool before Winter brings any hard frosts.
Issued: 2/22
To ensure you can enjoy your Terracotta design for many years to come, please follow the advice below. ORNAMENTI cannot accept responsibility for breakage or cracking if any of the following instructions and recommendations are ignored.
All the terracotta designs offered by ORNAMENTI are 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.
It is essential that each terracotta design (whether empty or planted) has good water drainage. This is because waterlogged soil is: bad for plant health; and can freeze at low temperatures, causing the terracotta to crack or even break. For this reason, a terracotta pot should not rest directly on the ground, which is why ORNAMENTI supplies 3x terracotta feet with most designs in order to aid drainage and assist frost resistance. Please pay particular attention to keeping the drainage hole clean.
Please note that, as a hand-made product, the size and colour of the design may vary slightly from the description, dimensions and photograph(s), making your design truly unique.
Below are some of the natural imperfections that make your terracotta design unique:
Due to the high firing temperature (more than 1000 degrees), very tiny and fine cracks can sometimes form on the terracotta surface. These are superficial, do not penetrate the terracotta, and so do not alter the frost resistance.
A phenomenon that sometimes occurs when terracotta is removed from the oven during the summer, when the terracotta temperature cannot cool sufficiently. This can cause very small grains from the clay to appear on the surface, and the pots become ever-so-slightly rougher to the touch.
Efflorescence, also known as lime bloom, may appear as a white deposit on the surface of any terracotta product and can often be seen on brick houses. This is a natural characteristic of terracotta which is rich in minerals and is sought-after in antique terracotta garden ornaments. Often a temporary phenomenon, lime bloom can disappear as quickly as it appeared as a result of climatic changes – or may be carefully removed with a very diluted brick cleaning acid. Lime bloom does not affect the structural integrity of the terracotta.
Over time, some terracotta acquires a black patina, which many consider makes it look more elegant and antique. This process is most likely to occur when a terracotta design is positioned under plants or trees. The black patina can be carefully removed, if desired, with a very diluted brick cleaning acid. Black patina does not affect the structural integrity of the terracotta.
The techniques used by today’s artisan craftsmen have been developed over centuries in the Tuscan Hills of Italy. Even the great masters of the Renaissance recognized the supreme quality of Tuscan terracotta, being chosen by Brunelleschi for the amazing 15th century dome of Florence Cathedral – still the largest brick dome ever built. ORNAMENTI has sourced all its terracotta designs from these historic Tuscan workshops as only the best would do…
The process begins with the unique earth found in the heart of Tuscany. Called Galestro or Impruneta clay, it is enriched with oxides, iron and marl, which is carefully ground, filtered and mixed before adding water.
The clay is then hand-pressed into casts, which were hand-made by master craftsmen, some many years ago. Another working technique is to build a pot with coiled ropes of clay, winding them around the outside of a mould. Whichever technique is used, when the compound begins to harden, which may be hours or days depending on the season, the design is removed from the mould (or the mould from the design) and is ready for finishing. This is when the finest details are added by expert hands, working with the precision you would expect.
The next step is time consuming and extremely delicate: the drying process. This takes place over several days in an area where moisture is carefully removed from each piece in preparation for firing. A mistake at this stage is fatal to the process. When ready, the firing can take place in a large oven that reaches temperatures over 1000°C. This takes a long time as the temperature must rise gradually to avoid thermal shock. After two days in the oven, the objects display their characteristic terracotta colour and resistance to climatic variations. The final phase is the cooling period during which the temperature drops slowly, sometimes over a 48-hour period. Only then is it possible to open the kiln. After firing, each piece is immersed in water to stabilize the product, the whole process making each design resistant to frost and extremely long-lasting.
Undoubtedly an investment for the future.
Issued: 2/22
To ensure you can enjoy your Versailles Planter for many years to come, please follow the advice below. ORNAMENTI cannot accept responsibility if any of the following instructions and recommendations are ignored.
1. ORNAMENTI’s Versailles Planters are designed for the cultivation of small or medium sized ornamental trees and/or shrubs, with non-expansive root systems.
2. It is important to position your Versailles Planter on a firm and level base sufficient to cope with the weight of planter and tree/shrub combined.
3. Once correctly positioned, you can plant up your Versailles Planter as soon as you desire. We recommend filling the containers with a growing medium that drains water well, preferably deacidified peat mixed with expanded clay or perlite. Do not use garden soil or clay in the planters.
4. The ingenious construction of each Versailles Planter allows all four sides to be unfastened by removing the external pins and external brackets – no tools are required. This allows access to roots for horticultural maintenance and is a unique feature of Versailles Planters – hence their popularity amongst serious gardeners and professional landscapers who wish to maintain trees and shrubs in the best condition, preventing expensive specimens from becoming pot bound. Please note that on one side of the planter it is also possible to remove the internal bracket. This useful feature enables a large plant to be inserted or removed via the side rather than from above. Before filling the planter with growing medium, it is essential that all brackets and pins are reinserted to fully secure the planter.
5. Avoid planting trees or shrubs with a height exceeding 2m as very strong and/or gusty winds may cause the planter to overturn along with the plant. If you wish to introduce taller plants then we recommend anchoring the planter to a concrete foundation.
6. Moving or lifting a Versailles Planters must only be undertaken using a manual or mechanical forklift inserted under the steel base. This will prevent permanent deformation of the planter. To avoid scratches etc, it is important protect the edges or vulnerable surfaces of the planters with thick cardboard, carpet or similar before lifting. We recommend moving or lifting the planters when empty. Under no circumstances should the planters be moved by pushing from the side, whether empty and filled.
7. The Versailles Planters should be regularly washed with a soft brush or sponge using lukewarm water and a mild detergent in a ratio of 100:1. Do not use any other chemical, pressure washer or undertake any scraping or sanding.
8. Wood is a natural, hygroscopic material. As such, it retains many of its original characteristics, with increased humidity having the potential to cause swelling, deformation, and the growth of algae and fungi, whilst excessive drying may cause shrinkage, cracking, twisting of the fibres and warping of the wood. These are the natural characteristics of wood. Likewise, avoid pouring water onto wooden elements in full sunlight as the temperature differential may cause cracks in the wood or deformation of the profiles.
Issued 5/22 Revised 2/23 and 3/25
Zinc garden ornaments have a long tradition in UK and European gardens. Recently, zinc planters in particular have become very popular as an alternative to traditional lead planters, as both the weight and cost of a zinc planter is significantly less than its lead equivalent.
To ensure you can enjoy your zinc design for many years to come, please follow the advice below. ORNAMENTI cannot accept responsibility if any of the following instructions and recommendations are ignored.
Please note that, as a hand-made product, the size, patination and colour of the design may vary slightly from the description, dimensions and photograph(s), making each design truly unique. With all zinc designs, this means that the colour naturally changes from a mid/dark grey to a lighter and more uneven colourway. This adds to the charm of the design as they do not look artificially uniform in colour.
Although a newly produced zinc garden ornament will start off dark grey, over time any zinc design will become generally lighter in colour, with increasing levels of tonal variation and highlights. This process starts from the moment of manufacture, before it even reaches the client, which is why a zinc garden ornament, when delivered, may not have the same patination as those photographed for our website. This is perfectly normal.
Zinc garden ornaments will weather naturally dependant on location and climate, developing a beautiful antique patina that blends with their surroundings in any garden, landscape or courtyard. This mottled grey patina is accelerated by climactic factors including salt air or heavy rain which can cause ‘white rust’, a misleading term as it is not a rust, being more akin to limebloom that can occur on cementitious products including bricks and artificial stone. Rest assured that this effect does not reduce structural integrity or rust-resistance. Any small blemishes and imperfections are also characteristic of a hand-crafted product.
Please be aware of the weight of each zinc planter and use mechanical lifting wherever possible.
No routine care or maintenance is required for a zinc design. If cleaning for aesthetic reasons, care must still be taken to avoid strong chemical cleaning products, abrasions or scratches to the surface which may then make the zinc planter susceptible to rust. Any damage to this protective outer layer may result in rust, although this will not normally spread and is easily treatable by applying a proprietary rust treatment (such as Hammerite Kurust) to the damaged area.
For the health of your plants, it is important that a zinc planter has good water drainage. This is because waterlogged soil is bad for plant health. For this reason, a zinc planter should not rest directly on the ground, which is why ORNAMENTI’s zinc planter designs have holes in the base and integral feet to aid drainage. Please pay particular attention to keeping the drainage hole clean.
The best zinc garden ornaments, like those available from ORNAMENTI, are made by craftsmen using high-grade steel. Once created, the steel planter is then hot-dip galvanised, a process whereby the raw metal planter is completely submerged in a large bath of molten zinc at a temperature of around 450°C. When exposed to the atmosphere again, the pure zinc reacts with oxygen to form zinc oxide, which reacts with carbon dioxide to form zinc carbonate which protects the steel underneath from corrosion.
What makes each ORNAMENTI zinc garden ornament unique is the hand finishing to achieve a fabulous mottled grey appearance, similar to old lead. The finish of each zinc garden ornament is unique, adding to the exclusivity of these designs and develops over time, see the ‘Changing Appearance’ section above.
The process of galvanising is not new. The technique was recognised in academic circles almost 300 years when, in 1742, a French chemist called Paul Jaques Malouin described the process in a presentation to the French Royal Academy. In 1772, the Italian Luigi Galvani, from whom we derive the word galvanizing, discovered the electrochemical process that takes place between metals during an experiment.
Issued: 3/23
