An olla is one of the oldest ways of watering there is: a porous terracotta vessel buried in the soil that lets water seep out slowly through its walls. The plant draws what it needs, when it needs it, so there is no guessing, no soggy roots and far less worrying about who will water while you are away.

This one from Pepin is white with bold black dots, and it is handmade in Portugal by Ana and Vitor in their workshop in the Leiria region, where ceramic skills have been passed down for generations. Every olla has its own texture and surface, so the dots fall a little differently on each one.

Push it into the compost of a pot or planter more than 15cm across, indoors or out, fill it with water and pop the cork stopper back in. As a rule, topping it up once a week is enough, depending on the plant and the weather. It comes in its own box with instructions, which makes it a lovely gift for anyone with a houseplant habit.

The details
100% natural terracotta, white with black dots, with a natural cork stopper. 9.5 x 9.5 x 17cm. Capacity 25cl. For pots over 15cm in diameter. Suitable for all green plants, indoors and outdoors. Supplied boxed with instructions.