A cachepot (, ) is a French term for what is usually called in modern English a "planter" or for older examples a

jardiniere ''Jardinière'' is a French word, from the feminine form of "gardener". In English it means a decorative flower box or "planter", a receptacle (usually a ceramic pot or urn) or a stand upon which, or into which, plants (often in pots) may be pla ...

, namely a decorative container or "overpot" for a

plant Plants are predominantly photosynthetic eukaryotes of the kingdom Plantae. Historically, the plant kingdom encompassed all living things that were not animals, and included algae and fungi; however, all current definitions of Plantae exclud ...

and its

flowerpot A flowerpot, planter, planterette or plant pot, is a container in which flowers and other plants are cultivated and displayed. Historically, and still to a significant extent today, they are made from plain terracotta with no ceramic glaze, wi ...

, for indoors use, usually with no drainage hole at the bottom, or sometimes with a matching saucer. It is intended to be more attractive than the terracotta (or today, plastic) flowerpot in which the plant grows, and to keep water off furniture surfaces. Another French term is ''

jardinière ''Jardinière'' is a French word, from the feminine form of "gardener". In English it means a decorative flower box or "planter", a receptacle (usually a ceramic pot or urn) or a stand upon which, or into which, plants (often in pots) may be pl ...

''; the distinction is that that is usually larger, and may sit on the floor, either indoors or outdoors. They are often rectangular, where a cachepot is typically round. A cachepot is meant to be displayed on a tabletop, mantel, or shelf indoors. In modern English the term is usually found in descriptions of

pottery Pottery is the process and the products of forming vessels and other objects with clay and other ceramic materials, which are fired at high temperatures to give them a hard and durable form. Major types include earthenware, stoneware and por ...

examples.

Origin

The word ''cachepot'' is French from the French verb ', meaning "to hide". Cachepots are vase-like containers to aesthetically hide a growing pot holding the plant itself to provide greenery indoors.

Design

A cachepot is typically made of glass, ceramic, iron, tin or other impervious material, and is chosen based on its appearance. Cachepots can also be made of raw semi-porous materials such as clay or cement; the resultant "unfinished" look is well-suited for rustic, industrial, and other non-traditional interior decorating schemes. In such cases, it is not uncommon for the pot's surface to be stained or otherwise weatherized to give a more vintage appearance. Critically, however, the pot has no hole at its base for discharging excess water. This protects the underlying surface from developing damage or staining due to exposure to excess water, soil, and drips from the potplant. However, such a design presents a risk for the plant, whose roots can rot if left immersed in water. This means the cachepot should be drained after watering ''in situ'' or the potplant watered separately then replaced after being left to drain.

Association with Clintons

Cachepots have been given as gifts from the former

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

president Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and again f ...

to foreign visitors. The Clinton gift was a custom-designed Tiffany silver cachepot given to many visiting heads of state.

References

{{Reflist Garden vases Gardening aids Pottery shapes

Origin

Design

Association with Clintons

See also

References