EXHIBITOR PROFILE
Livingreen Design receives many enquiries each summer from people returning from Crete, who are surprised, but thrilled, that they can get hold of genuine Cretan pots here in Scotland. Visit them in person at Scone Palace Garden Fair where they will be exhibiting examples from their full range, and you can buy and take home selected smaller pots with some exclusive and real bargains available only at the show.
The sheer beauty of the pots and jars has in fact been admired for millennia, for at least 5000 years, but it is impossible to be more exact. Crete is the cradle of the Minoan civilisation, that of King Minos who, legend has it, ruled the palace of Knossos and kept the Minotaur, half bull, half man, in a labyrinth below.
We borrowed the Minotaur for our logo, but when archaeologist Arthur Evans excavated the Palace around 1900, instead of the Minotaur, they found hundreds of pots and pithoi, still intact and being used as storage for grains and oils. The design of these ancient vessels, dating to around 2000 BCE is strikingly similar to the pots we see and love today.
The Minoans were famous for their pottery and exported it across the ancient world, where even today it is still copied by potters in North Africa, Turkey, and Egypt. These cannot, however, compete with the real thing. Crete has something unique, a clay so pure, it can be fired to 1200℃, 300 degrees more than average clay, producing pots that not only look fantastic but are far harder and more weather resistant that typical terracotta pots.
The fact that they are frost proof, even in our somewhat chillier weather, is a very good reason to consider investing in Cretan terracotta pots for your garden, as well as the sheer beauty of them.
We supply all of our pots 40cm (16”) and over, with clay feet. As long as you use these and add a drainage layer to the base of the pot before filling with compost, then you need not worry about whatever the weather throws at them.
The breathability and moisture regulation properties of the porous terracotta used in our pots creates a healthier environment for plants. The clay walls allow excess moisture to evaporate, preventing waterlogged soil, and reducing the risk of fungal diseases. Additionally, the natural insulation properties of Cretan terracotta pots protect plant roots from temperature stress, leading to stronger and more resilient plants.
Perhaps the most magical thing about real Cretan pots, is the fact that they are still produced in exactly the same area of Crete, from the same clay, and using the same production methods as the Minoans, all those thousands of years ago. Look inside any of our pots and you will see rings and ridges, running up the whole of the interior, each the width of a finger, and that is exactly what they are, the imprints of the potters’ fingers, left as they individually hand craft each pot using only a potter’s wheel.
In an era of mass-produced, disposable products, including plant pots, it is wonderful to still be able to buy a 100% hand-made pot, hand thrown, using skills that have been passed down through the ages, that will last you many years.
If you are on holiday in Crete, it is well worth tracking down the potters for a demonstration or even taking a class, as nowhere on earth has there been such demonstrable continuity of this skill still being practiced in the place, and way, the ancients would recognise.
The handmade nature of these remarkable pots, means, of course you will pay more than you would for machine made or inferior mass-produced terracotta you might find in a garden centre, but considering everything we have learnt about genuine Cretan terracotta, they are really an excellent investment and good value for money.
We first started trading in these unique planters back in 2007, when we were asked to provide them for the Pinewood Studios set of the film, Mamma Mia, where you can see them dotted all around the villa and taverna in particular. In more recent years, we formed a partnership with a Cretan master potter and sell his products exclusively in the U.K. and are the only importer and stockist of these pots in Scotland.
You can see the full selection, from small 20cm (8”) diameter flower pots to 1m (3’3”) plus oil jars and everything in between, at our website www.cretanterracottapots.com.
Alternatively, visit us in person at Scone Palace Garden Fair where we will be exhibiting. As well as showing examples from our full range, you can buy and take home selected smaller pots with some exclusive and real bargains available only at the show. This is the only show where we are exhibiting in Scotland this year, so do come along and take home your own real piece of Mediterranean art and history.
Now, for the first time, Livingreen Design is selling its product direct to the public via its web shop www.livingreendesign.com giving everyone the option of buying professional grade products that can potentially last a lifetime and that are not available in garden centres. Order online, or give them a call on 0131 440 9804. They have a small showroom in Loanhead, Edinburgh and are delighted to see customers in person by appointment, which is particularly helpful for a large purchase where bespoke items are required.