As we settle into the crisp days of January, the Kitchen Gardens across THE PIGs are quietly preparing for the year ahead. While the growing season may seem a little way off, it’s the perfect time to get things in place to make the most of the months to come.
Enter our friends, Claverton Cloches – handmade, cast-iron cloches inspired by timeless Victorian designs, made to protect young plants from the elements and help extend the harvest. You’ll spot a few of these beautiful pieces in our veg beds across THE PIGs, with more on the way – and we couldn’t be more excited!
We caught up with Beth, Founder of Claverton Cloches, to learn more about the story behind these charming cloches, how they’re made, and why they’re perfect for our gardens...
Hi Beth! We’re big fans of Claverton Cloches at THE PIG and we’re really excited to dig into your story – can you tell us a little about how you got started?
"I’ve always been obsessed with gardens, especially the romance and beauty of English gardens. As my love of gardening grew, I wanted something to help grow seedlings – but it had to be elegant and built to last.
We had seen cloches in use in a Kitchen Garden and knew they would do just the trick, but tracking down antique ones was tricky and most were broken beyond repair.
I decided to make my own; exact reproductions of those from the Victorian period and the perfect way to add an English Garden sensibility to my own garden. I hastily set up a makeshift workshop in my spare room, teaching myself to cut glass, apply putty and all the other details of running a business.
After sharing some photos online, I suddenly had a list of orders, and it grew from there!"
Have you always been a keen gardener?
"I’ve loved gardens for as long as I can remember. My father gardens prolifically, and my grandfather grew prize vegetables, so there has always been a family interest.
The colour, the scent, the insects and birds… I love the way a garden makes me feel. It both grounds and inspires me.
There is so much to learn about gardening, and I enjoy the trial and error. Ollie, Head Kitchen Gardener of THE PIG, has taught me a lot about interesting vegetable cultivars too."
How can you use a cloche in the garden throughout the seasons?
"Great question! I have a small, urban garden but still love growing vegetables, so at the start of the year I put cloches on top of bare soil to warm the soil below.
After a week, I will direct-sow vegetables (like carrots), straight into the ground and that warmer soil speeds up the germination process. The cloche acts like a miniature greenhouse, and as the plant begins to shoot, the warm microclimate encourages faster growth.
In summer, I’ll pop cloches over my dahlia tubers to help keep the slugs at bay and you can protect strawberries from blackbirds too. In autumn, cloches are useful for protecting against early frosts, and they extend the growing season of some late varieties of tomatoes and chillies.
Finally, in winter, I use them to overwinter my cabbages and cauliflowers for an early spring harvest, and I direct-sow my sweet peas for an earlier bloom; I find this also makes them more drought resistant as the roots are undisturbed."
We’re proud to have some Claverton Cloches in our Kitchen Gardens across THE PIGs – especially as they work so well (practically and visually!) alongside our Alitex greenhouses. What do you think makes THE PIG, Claverton Cloches and Alitex work so well together?
"It’s a dream come true to work alongside THE PIG and Alitex as we all share the same values and find joy in a similar aesthetic. We’re passionate about longevity and quality, and we’re also mad about details – whether it’s customer experience, styling a space, or tiny touches that make a product (or stay) so memorable.
The Kitchen Garden, and specifically one with a Victorian feel, is really our blueprint – I know Nelly from Alitex and Ollie at THE PIG both share my passion and I think the three of us could talk for hours about our favourite gardens!"
We know it’s impossible to choose, but do you have a favourite cloche design and colour?
"I love the classic, Victorian Square Cloche in our timeless off-white shade. It looks beautiful in so many garden settings, from a tiny, rambling cottage garden to a formal and structured walled Kitchen Garden.
The proportions are so pleasing to the eye, and it channels a whimsical and elegant feel at the same time. Though I did once see a huge ten-sided, decagonal cloche which I think of often…"
Win with THE PIG & Claverton Cloches!
To celebrate our new found friendship, we’ve teamed up with Claverton Cloches to bring you a wonderful prize that celebrates the very best of garden-to-table living.
One lucky winner will receive a three-course lunch for four people at THE PIG-near Bath, complete with a private tour of their homegrown Kitchen Garden, plus one of Claverton Cloches Victorian Square Cloches, crafted to last a lifetime using the finest materials and heritage techniques. Click here to enter!
