More from the Atlantis Collection: Three New Favourites

Atlantis pots have a way of looking as though they have always belonged in the garden. Their weathered surfaces, softened colours and beautifully imperfect markings give them a sense of history from the moment they arrive.

Last week, I introduced three of our newest additions to the collection: the sculptural Bongo Jar, elegant Samos Pot and our new medium Stew Pot. There were far too many wonderful new pieces to fit comfortably into one story, so this week I wanted to share three more that have particularly caught my eye: the Pantheon Jar, the Egyptian and the Preserving Pot.

If you missed the first instalment, you can read about our first three new Atlantis pots here.

The Atlantis Collection is known for its remarkable weathered finish, created using salt and sand. Colours move through chalky whites, sandy ochres, earthy greens, warm browns and deep charcoal, sometimes with touches of turquoise breaking through.

Although newly made using modern materials and techniques, these pots have the appearance of vessels recovered from another time. Each is handmade, frost resistant and intended for years of outdoor life. Most importantly, no two are quite the same.

The collection is exclusively available in Ireland through Caragh Nurseries, and these are the next three pieces I think are well worth discovering.

The Pantheon Jar: classical form and quiet authority

The Pantheon Jar is a piece with real gravitas.

Broad and generously proportioned, it has a wide open mouth, small ear handles and a body that swells confidently at the shoulders before tapering towards the base. Its shape takes its influence from the great storage amphorae of the ancient world, giving it a sense of permanence and history.

Fine horizontal ribbing runs along the body, overlaid with a richly aged patina of deep charcoal grey, sandy ochre and bleached stone. Subtle fluting and a small decorative detail at the shoulder add another layer of craftsmanship without making the design feel fussy.

At approximately 64cm in diameter and 82cm tall, the Pantheon has enough presence to anchor a garden without overwhelming it. It works beautifully at the end of a path, beside an entrance or as a focal point on a terrace.

Its generous proportions suit bold planting. An architectural specimen or a large ornamental grass would echo the strength of its shape, while leaving it empty allows the ribbing and weathered finish to become the whole story.

What I particularly like about the Pantheon is that it does not need to announce itself. It simply settles into the garden and commands the space around it.

The Egyptian: rugged, earthy and full of history

The Egyptian Atlantis Pot is a broad, generous jar with small ear handles and a beautifully rounded body that narrows towards the neck and base.

Its surface is where much of its character lies. Heavily textured and richly speckled in sandy beige, warm grey and dark charcoal, it has the rugged appearance of a piece shaped by years of weather and time.

This is not a pot that tries to look polished or perfect. The roughness, variation and individual markings are precisely what make it so interesting. Each Egyptian is handmade, which means the pot you choose will have its own colouring and pattern of weathering.

Measuring approximately 44cm in diameter by 68cm high, it is substantial enough to stand alone while remaining easy to incorporate into a terrace, courtyard or garden border.

Its form suits strong, simple planting. A clipped standard, an architectural evergreen or a sculptural grass would work beautifully. For something softer, trailing plants could be allowed to fall over its shoulders and contrast with the rugged surface beneath.

The sandy and charcoal tones sit naturally against stone, timber and rich green planting, making the Egyptian particularly effective in Mediterranean, coastal and more relaxed garden schemes.

The Preserving Pot: a jar with a story to tell

The Preserving Pot has a very different personality from the Pantheon and Egyptian.

It is a squat, generously rounded jar with small loop handles, a broad flat-topped lid and a raised circular detail on the shoulder. Its shape feels unpretentious and familiar, as though it once had a working life in a farmhouse kitchen or stood in a sun-baked Mediterranean courtyard.

The surface is particularly striking. Bold sweeps of charcoal and dark grey move across a rough ground of sandy yellow and ochre. This is not the quieter, softly weathered finish found on some Atlantis pieces. The Preserving Pot is bolder, earthier and far more dramatic.

Its colouring can change considerably from one side to the other, and the rough texture catches light and shadow throughout the day. As with every handmade Atlantis pot, no two will ever carry exactly the same pattern of marks.

It is available in two sizes: the large measures approximately 65cm in diameter by 82cm tall, while the smaller version measures approximately 63cm in diameter by 65cm tall.

The rounded form makes it wonderfully versatile. It could sit beside a doorway, on a terrace, within a courtyard or tucked into a border. Grouped with taller Atlantis jars, its lower, broader form provides a lovely grounding contrast.

Its wide proportions would take a tumbling herb, compact grass or seasonal flowering plant beautifully. Equally, I would be very happy to leave it unplanted and allow the charcoal and ochre surface to stand on its own.

There is nothing overly polished or refined about the Preserving Pot and that is precisely what makes it so compelling. It is raw, bold and full of personality.

Choosing the right Atlantis pot for your garden

With so many distinctive shapes in the collection, choosing an Atlantis pot is about more than finding a container for a plant. It is about deciding what the garden needs.

The Pantheon brings height, architectural detail and classical character. The Egyptian feels earthy, rugged and grounded. The Preserving Pot introduces a broader farmhouse form, a lidded silhouette and wonderfully dramatic colouring.

Think about where your eye naturally travels when you step into the garden. The end of a path, the centre of a courtyard, an empty corner of a terrace or the space beside a doorway may all benefit from one carefully chosen piece.

Atlantis pots work especially well:

• As a focal point at the end of a path
• Beside a doorway or garden entrance
• Against stone, brick or a simple rendered wall
• Within Mediterranean, coastal or courtyard gardens
• Among ornamental grasses and naturalistic planting
• Grouped in different heights and proportions
• Left empty as pieces of garden sculpture

Scale is important. A pot that looks very large in isolation can feel perfectly balanced once it is outdoors among mature trees, planting and buildings. In my experience, one confident piece often has far more impact than several smaller pots scattered around without a clear purpose.

More new Atlantis pots to discover

The Pantheon, Egyptian and Preserving Pot are the next three pieces I wanted to share, but they are by no means the last. The collection continues to grow, and there are many more shapes, finishes and sizes to explore.

That variety is part of what makes Atlantis pots so useful in garden design. Some are tall and refined, others broad and monumental, but all share the same extraordinary weathered character.

Our Atlantis pots are on display here at Caragh Nurseries in our pot display, where you can see their scale, colouring and texture properly and choose the individual piece that speaks to you. You can also explore and shop the full Atlantis Collection online, with delivery available across the island of Ireland.

Every Atlantis pot carries its own pattern of marks and colour. Whichever shape you choose, it will bring texture, atmosphere and a wonderful sense of history to the garden.