Oyas

An olla is a porous ceramic water reservoir, a watering method that has been used for centuries. It's buried near the roots with its neck left showing, then filled with water: the ceramic lets it seep gradually into the soil. This means you can water far less often.

Ours are handmade in Portugal. They hold 35cl, measure 14cm high by 8cm in diameter, and echo the stripe and leopard patterns of our pots: the neck, which peeks above the soil, becomes a decorative detail in itself. €29 per olla, available in nine colours.