In 2020, when Beth Gregg and her partner Janus Intelmann struggled to find antique cloches in good condition for their garden in Bath, they decided to make their own, combining traditional craftsmanship with hardwearing materials. Janus used an antique Victorian cloche he bought from Facebook Marketplace as a model for their own design, and soon turned their spare room into a workshop.
One of their first customers was Alan Titchmarsh who used his cloches for his potted snowdrops and early salads.
Beth and Janus work closely with a foundry who casts each frame in iron, which is then galvanised and powder coated for durability. Horticultural glass is cut and glazed, all by hand, into each frame. The cloches are made to almost the exact production methods of original Victorian cloches.
Claverton Cloches champions nature-respecting horticulture and generational longevity. They can be seen in some of the most famous gardens around the world, including Kew, The Newt in Somerset, Holkham Hall, and Highgrove House.
The sleek handle design was inspired by a cloche handle Beth had seen at Erddig Hall in Wales.
Each panel of the cloche slots together and is secured with copper pins.
These cloches act as miniature greenhouses. They help warm up the soil early in the season to get seeds going and then creates a microclimate to help young plants grow, providing earlier crops.
Well-ventilated cloches can reduce common air-borne plant diseases. Cloches should not be completely airtight as this will cause mould and mildew to form.
Information: Claverton Cloches, Gardenista, TAT London, Gardens Illustrated, House & Garden.
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