The Cottaseal is a traditional terracotta bird bath, 470mm wide and 570mm high, handmade and pre-treated with a water resistant sealant before it leaves the pottery. It brings the warmth of raw fired clay to a garden and gives birds somewhere to drink, bathe and cool off. It suits heritage, cottage and rustic gardens, and anywhere a glazed piece would look too new.
What it does
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Draws birds in. An open bowl at 570mm is easy for small birds to use, and a reliable water source brings them back through summer more consistently than flowers will.
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Handmade terracotta. Each piece is individually crafted, so the surface carries small variations rather than the uniformity of a moulded product.
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Sealed before you get it. The water resistant sealant is applied in advance to reduce moisture absorption.
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Sits in any style of garden. Natural terracotta works with traditional and modern planting alike, and settles into the garden as it ages.
How to use it
The base must sit on a flat, solid surface. Bed a paver level into the soil if the ground is soft, because terracotta is unforgiving of a lean. Set the pedestal, then secure the bowl with silicone: it is fixed rather than twist locked, so it does not lift off for cleaning.
Refresh the water regularly and wipe the bowl out whenever it starts to green, which keeps it healthy for the birds using it. Site it within a few metres of a shrub or small tree, since birds want cover nearby before they will use an exposed bowl.
What it suits
Cottage and rustic gardens. Garden beds and lawns as a natural focal point, and traditional, cottage or rustic gardens where terracotta belongs with the rest of the materials.
For the bird activity. Courtyards and quiet feature corners, where the point is bird activity as much as the object. It is delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95.
Be clear on the sealant: it reduces moisture absorption, it does not make the piece waterproof, and this is still fired clay. Decide the position before you silicone the bowl on, and lift it with two people rather than dragging it.
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