Can I leave terracotta outside in winter?

Many old terracotta pieces survive frost just fine if they're well drained. The risk comes when wet soil freezes and expands, cracking the clay sides. Raise the base slightly on stones to keep the drainage hole clear. If the clay feels porous or crumbly, move the piece into a shed before the first freeze.

I have an old cast iron urn that has multiple layers of peeling white paint, should I strip it all back to the bare metal?

Flaking paint is part of the appeal for many buyers. Leaving the weathered surface intact preserves the country house look that suits these heavy garden pieces. If rust is actively eating into the metal, wire-brushing the worst spots makes sense. You can then seal those patches with a clear rust inhibitor without removing the historic paint build-up.

Do wooden tubs need a liner?

Wet soil resting against oak staves will eventually cause rot. Drop a zinc liner inside to protect the timber.

We bought a heavy carved stone trough from a farm dispersal sale but it has no drainage holes at all for planting, how did they use it?

Stone troughs without holes were carved to hold water for livestock. Farmers placed them in fields to catch rainwater, or positioned them under an active pump. You'll need to add a deep layer of gravel at the bottom for planting shallow-rooting alpines. Keep the trough under an overhang so the roots avoid waterlogging.

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Victorian Planters

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Antique planters are sturdy, open-topped vessels originally used to hold soil and cultivate living plants indoors, on terraces, or within formal garden settings.