Garden cloches are low enclosures used to cover plants and, depending on their style, offer protection against a number of factors.

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Cloches shield plants from harsh weather and pest attack and create a warm microclimate that will nurture germinating seedlings, young plants and crops in the colder months of the year.

A wide range of sizes and styles, in a variety of materials are available and the type that's right for you will depend on the plants you are covering and what you're protecting them from.

Below, we explain what to look for before purchasing and explain the various types of garden cloches and tunnels available. Following this guide there's a suggested list of garden cloches covering the different styles, to help you choose the right cloche for you.


If you're considering growing larger amounts of crops, you may find our round up of the best cold frames and best indoor greenhouses useful, as well as our guide to choosing the best greenhouse.

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12 of the best garden cloches

Browse our suggested selection of garden cloches, garden netting and garden tunnels below:

Pop Up Garden Cloche

PopUp Cloche
Pop Up Garden Cloche

There’s no need to assemble this cloche – just peg it into position and it’s ready to go. We like the roll-up door, which enables air to circulate to control the temperature and keep plants healthy, as well as allowing pollinators to work their magic. It folds away, too, so it's a great option for storage.

Dimensions: L99cm x W99cm x H99cm

Price: £19.99

Buy the Pop Up Garden Cloche from Van Meuwen, or Thompson & Morgan


Garden Grow Cloch

2048x1365_Grow_cloche_T&M

Garden Grow Cloche

While this cloche does require a bit of assembly, we think it’s worth it as it’s spacious enough for taller plants and has two zipped windows to provide the right conditions to protect them from the cold or heat, as well as allowing bees and other pollinating insects inside.

Dimensions: L180.5cm x W92cm x H92cm

Price: £34.99

Buy the Garden Grow Cloche from Thompson & Morgan or Van Meuwen


Square Victorian Cloche

Square Victorian Cloche - BBC Gardeners' World Magazine
Square Victorian Cloche

This classic Victorian cloche features a steel frame and solid glass panes, so it should be sturdy and robust. The glass will help to promote humid conditions within the cloche and shield the plants inside from frost and wind. The lid is removable to allow ventilation and watering.

Dimensions: W52cm x L52cm x H44cm

Price: £159.99

Buy Rectangular Victorian Cloche at Crocus


Bamboo Cloche

Bamboo Cloche - BBC Gardeners' World Magazine
Bamboo Cloche

This natural bamboo cloche will help protect seedlings and small crops from birds and rabbits. The cover can be used alone or lined with fleece or straw during the colder months for added insulation.There are three sizes to choose from depending on the coverage needed.

Dimensions: Small 30cm x H40cm / Medium 40cm x H50cm / Large 50cm x H60cm

Price: from £12.99

Buy Bamboo Cloche at RHS Plants


Mini Greenhouse Cloche

Mini Greenhouse Cloche - BBC Gardeners' World Magazine
Mini Greenhouse Cloche

This small garden cloche is styled as a miniature greenhouse to offer year-round protection. As well as protecting from pests and cold weather, these strong, plastic garden cloches utilise rainwater collection reservoirs to make sure plants still receive water. You can even join them together to create a garden cloche tunnel for larger areas if needed.

Dimensions: L85cm x W40cm x H21cm

Price: from £19.99

Buy Mini Greenhouse Cloche at Thompson-Morgan


Victorian Glass Bell Jar Cloches - Set of 3

Victorian Glass Bell Jar Cloches - Set of 3 - BBC Gardeners' World Magazine
Victorian Glass Bell Jar Cloches - Set of 3

These traditional garden cloches come as a set of three and are in the classic Victorian bell jar style. Hand-blown from real glass, just as they would have been traditionally, each set contains a small, medium and large jar to protect a range of different sized plants. The jars can be used indoors as well as outside and make a charming garden addition.

Dimensions: Small H20cm x W20cm x D20cm / Medium H25cm x W25cm x D25cm / Large H30cm x W30cm x D30cm

Price: £99

Buy Victorian Glass Bell Jar Cloches - Set of 3 at Thompson & Morgan


Long Garden Cloche

Long Garden Cloche - BBC Gardeners' World Magazine
Long Garden Cloche

If you have a longer space to cover, a garden cloche tunnel is ideal. This long garden cloche covers more ground than the traditional shape and features a strong, aluminum frame fitted with toughened safety glass to help it withstand the elements. Panels can be removed for easy watering and cropping as well as cleaning.

Dimensions: H41cm x W55cm x D84cm

Price: £139.00

Buy Long Garden Cloche at Amazon


Cage Grow Cloche

Cage Grow Cloche - BBC Gardeners' World Magazine
Brolly Cloche

Garden netting cloches are a simple and lightweight way to cover your crops. This dome shaped guard opens just like an umbrella and is simply pegged into the ground to keep it secure. The dome design allows the wind to flow over and around it, rather than blowing it over and it will keep squirrels, birds and larger insects at bay.

Dimensions: H75 cm x Diameter 100cm

Price: £39.99

Buy the Brolly Cloche at Suttons


Mini Greenhouse Forcing Cloche

Mini Greenhouse Forcing Cloche - BBC Gardeners' World Magazine
Mini Greenhouse Forcing Cloche

These small garden cloches from Harrod Horticultural are ideal for creating individual micro climates for your plants. The strong plastic garden cloches are made from UV stabilised materials and include an air vent at the top. The cloches are also light and portable so they're easy to move between your kitchen garden, allotment or borders as needed.

Dimensions: H30cm x Diameter 35cm

Price: £9.95

Buy Mini Greenhouse Forcing Cloche at Harrod Horticultural


Pop-Up Tomato Cloche

Pop-Up Tomato Cloche - BBC Gardeners' World Magazine
Pop-Up Tomato Cloche

Garden tunnel cloches are also available in vertical form, such as this pop-up cloche, which has been designed to protect taller, tender crops like tomatoes, chillies and aubergines. The cloche will shield plants from pests, tomato blight and harsher weather as well as extend the growing season. It has vents for aeration and comes with ground pegs to anchor it to the ground and keep it stable.

Dimensions: H110cm x Diameter 50cm

Price: £21.99

Buy Pop-Up Tomato Cloche at Crocus


Haxnicks Raised Bed Pest Protection Micromesh

Haxnicks Raised Bed Pest Protection Micromesh - BBC Gardeners' World Magazine
Haxnicks Raised Bed Pest Protection Micromesh

This garden netting cloche is designed for raised beds. The ultra fine, micromesh cover will protect against birds and squirrels as well as smaller pests including aphids and carrot fly. It's ideal for securing vegetable patches at home or on the allotment.

Dimensions: L120cm x W100cm x H50 cm

Price: £19.99

Buy Haxnicks Raised Bed Pest Protection Micromesh at Amazon


Sureh 2 x 1m Waterproof Clear Tarpaulin with Eyelets Canopies

Sureh 2 x 1m Waterproof Clear Tarpaulin with Eyelets Canopies - BBC Gardeners' World Magazine
Sureh 2 x 1m Waterproof Clear Tarpaulin with Eyelets Canopies

This canopy style cloche protects plants from the extremes of the weather such as heavy rain and harsh sun. Simply secured by tying the rope through the eyelets, it's durable, waterproof and resistant to tearing, mildew and the cold.

Dimensions: 100cm x 200cm

Price: £14.99

Buy Sureh 2 x 1m Waterproof Clear Tarpaulin with Eyelets Canopies at Amazon


How to choose the best garden cloches

When choosing the best garden cloche for you, there are a couple of points to consider.

Size and shape are key and the area you need to cover will dictate the dimensions and style of the model you choose, for example to cover a long row on a vegetable plot or allotment, you may need a tunnel cloche which is able to cover more ground.

Cloche material also differs. Glass or plastic helps insulate crops from the cold and creates a warmer environment for seedlings, while mesh or open frames are primarily designed to protect crops from pests.


Types of garden cloches

Bell cloches

The classic bell jar cloche is a traditional and attractive choice. Usually made from glass, but also available in plastic, the simple bell shape is ideal for covering individual plants.
Some require lifting occasionally to allow air circulation, while others include built-in vents. Plastic bell cloches are lightweight and more portable than glass, but they will require pegging to the ground to stay stable and in one place.

Open-frame bell-shaped cloches are useful for keeping pests off your plants in summer but they can be covered with fleece, hessian or straw to help protect against harsher temperatures in winter.

Tunnel cloches

For longer coverage, a tunnel cloche is ideal. These cloches are usually extended rectangular covers or curved, tube-like constructions, which stretch along the ground.

Tunnel cloches can be made from mesh, netting, glass or plastic and may feature wire hoops or more solid, metal frames with removable panes.

Pop-up cloches

Finally, a range of pop-up or more portable cloches are available. Ranging in size and shape they can be sheets of mesh or plastic, which are attached using ropes and eyelets.

They may also be vertical, tunnel style cloches which “pop up” to cover taller plants. Others are domed and open and close like an umbrella.


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This product roundup was last updated in April 2022. We apologise if anything has changed in price or availability.

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