Old Garden Cloches

I adore all things related to gardening. There is such a pleasure to going through seed catalogs when they start arriving in January. Watching local garden centers start to get ready for spring is delightful. Walking into a greenhouse when they are being seeded and seedlings transplanted into fresh soil has an odor that is equally as heady as that of fully bloomed oriental lilies, peonies or roses. A few years ago I sold my greenhouse business to a husband and wife team that always wanted to run this type of business. I had two 100 foot greenhouses I wholesaled from. I also had a 50 foot retail greenhouse attached to retail store. So early January into spring was always busy. When a greenhouse door was opened with fresh seedlings sitting on benches that sight was magical to me.

After selling the property I missed it but did not give up my love for gardening. My new husband built me a greenhouse and turned his backyard over to me. With the help of my nephew Caleb the bones were created for a spot for me to garden.

Gardening is not just reserved for plant stock. There is a whole world of tools, pottery, glass, crockery, baskets, sundials, cement items, rock and stone, books and of course the list goes on. I love this whole aspect of gardening...especially the antique and vintage items. They are lovely to look and also fun to just ponder and think about. So today I share with you a few of my garden cloches....also referred to as garden bell jars. There are many forms for all sorts of uses as well as materials used to form them.


This is an antique french glass cloche. These have great form and color. Cloches were placed over seedlings in the early spring that would protect them from chills and winds. They allowed a farmer to plant a bit earlier to get a jump on the season. The old glass has a green tint and is just beautiful. Very often you will see these without glass knobs on the top. I have learned that french farmers would have long rows of these in their fields. The hot sun would often burn the young seedlings and the knob being in the center was where the heat concentrated....so the farmer would take a stick of some sort and walk up and down the rows knocking the tops of. This cloche still has its top but it is rough to touch.

This antique glass bell jar has a different form as the other one pictured...it is wider and lower to the ground...I have stored some old canoes and Indian dolls under it (I also collect old souvenir mailers from the Adirondacks).

In the background is a square cloche which I believe is English. This is much smaller than the other two pictured. It is sitting amongst some of the examples I have of old metal flower frogs...I guess by this time you have realized I collect many things. I have come to find most collectors are not limited to one thing...most collectors are actually collectors of collections!

This cloche is an early 1990's Wolff pottery rhubarb forcer, one or two I display in my garden. This piece is actually signed and dated by Guy Wolff. While not vintage or antique it is a wonderful piece...I love it...The photo above is of my tomato bed last year.

I hope my entry has explained a little bit about the history of cloches. Aren't they wonderful...so great to look at and think about...

Spring is just around the corner...Yippee!!!!!

Elizabeth

Antiques and Decoratives in the Garden

I have always felt if you plant but one seed you are a serious gardener...it takes a special person to trust and hope in that one seed so how can you not be a gardener. Over the years we all develop our skills and want to make our gardens more than just flowers or shrubs or vegetables...it seems to just happen a little something it tucked into a space for added eye appeal. If you are like me your taste develops and the old items have a charm that no new item can ever have...of course there are some wonderful reproductions today and they to have their place...we love to go to antique shows and shops and pick up items for the house and garden...below are some photos of our finds for outside. It is impossible to show everything today..so here is a sample of the things we love...Below is an old cement pedestal with a nice armillary atop...it adds such nice height next to a very old Casablanca Oriental Lily...also in this bed is a wonderful terra cotta Wolff pottery forcer, the top is removable.This is a little composition robin that sits on a slender stake amongst the hosta and boxwood.
The antique fencing that surrounds the raised beds is actually from a cast off from the Providence Union Train Station. This turn of the century fencing was found at an antique shop. I had initially just expected to have picket fencing but this fence was a something my husband fell in love with...We had it delivered and the installed...it is extremely heavy but adds so much beauty to the garden...it truly makes the bones of our garden very elegant. My husband bought the antique millstones that are at the two entrances of the garden for me as an anniversary gift one year. I knew we needed something different and these two stones fit the bill! I love them so much...they are perfect!
This is a new cast iron urn but it definitely looks old as it is a good quality. Planted with dark colors it had a nice look in front of the half lap lattice panels.

Below is a wonderful faux bois planter we found at an antique show at Blithewold in Bristol two years ago. The coral bells look nice inside.
We found a pair of these great green and white strapped aluminum chairs at an antique shop...I love the green and the style of the chair. The little two tier wire table has a carry handle and the original turquoise paint. Amongst the peony is a stone face that watches over the garden...to the right is a small marble angel from France.
This old cement bench is tucked under a pine.
A nice view of the storage shed. The stone step comes from Rudy's in Connecticut. If you ever get a chance to visit Rudy's do it! There are so many architectural treasures there...old chicken coops of doors, windows, hardware, sinks, just about anything you could hope to find. All organized...if you get a chance to visit the stone yard down the road by a cow farm don't pass up that opportunity. Rudy sent us down there and we entered through a cow gate that must be closed behind you (a sign points this out). Once you start walking through the old stone steps, the grand stone pillars and columns and old pieces of granite you can't help but be in awe. We never wanted to leave...there is so much beauty in these fields...

This is an old terra cotta Roseville two handled pot...looks nice tucked here.
This is an old cast iron grape vine pattern bench. We have another one opposite to mirror it on the other side of the garden. This bench came from my father who received it from his aunt. This is a common pattern but is a very cherished piece to use. Next to the bench are a pair of old cement urns. if you look closely next to one urn is an old antique cement apple.
In front of the vintage trellis covered in Betty Corning clematis is an old birdbath. Around the top edge of the birdbath is a sundial. Nice piece! On the ground below is an old duck...he is deteriorating but still has alot of life left in him!
This is a photo of the sundial top of the birdbath.This is a glimpse of the garden just as summer is to starts soon...looking back at the spring photos...my garden does grow!
I am so fortunate to have this lovely garden by the pond...

Elizabeth