The most exceptional products for your garden

Peter's is a family run business with over 38 years of experience in the art of garden ornamentation. Peter Cilio, owner and creator of this museum-esque garden shop, hails from a region of Italy known for its artisans who work in terra cotta, stone, iron and ceramics. Today, Peter's Home and Garden is not only a nationally recognized retail entity but also is very present in the design, manufacture and development of many of the most unique, quality and style-istic garden and patio accessories sold throughout various collections in the United States.

Since the founder Peter Cilio's days as a mason in the Philadelphia area, quality workmanship and customer service has been the hallmark of his craft. Reaching back to his roots, Peter began to sell the Italian terra cotta pots he had always admired and had purchased for his own garden. As the demand for his products grew, Peter and his wife, Ruth, purchased 3 acres of undeveloped land in Quakertown, Pa, located between New York City and Philadelphia. There he began to build his unique garden shop.

As Peter's name and reputation grew throughout the region, Peter, Ruth, and their four children worked to create an unusual and sophisticated garden experience for their customers many years before gardening became a recognized national pastime. Initially importing an exclusive line of hand-made terra cotta from his province in Italy, Peter began sourcing other garden related products throughout Europe and the United States offering century old styles of planters and statuary in terra cotta.

From there, Peter ventured into the world of cast stone. With the introduction of this new medium, Peter could offer his customers birdbaths, fountains, garden benches, statuary and and exclusive variety of garden ornaments in the best American, European and Asian traditions. Wind chimes, sundials, Asian and European ceramics, bird feeders, bird houses, waterfalls, water gardens, gazebos, arbors and unique plant material followed. Peter's now offers one of the largest selections of garden related accessories in North America.

Peter not only sources the most exceptional products for your garden, but ensures the highest quality in his cast stone products by founding his own manufacturing company in the nineteen eighties. In developing his one line of cast stone products, Peter's goal was to elevate plain old cement pots to a higher level. Peter offers many of his own original copyrighted designs as well as many classic designs. Finished in various hand-applied patinas, Peter created antique-like products with his newest designs at a fraction of the cost of original antique garden pieces if and when they can be found.

As Peter and his family developed Campania International starting in 1984, it evolved into the leading national supply company responsible for the design and manufacture of cast stone and glazed products in North America. These products continue to be sold thru our retail store to our local friends and customers.

In 2004, one of Peter's sons formed, Alfresco Home, an outdoor living product design firm focused on bringing value, form and function to the casual outdoor furniture industry. In 2011, Peter's Home and Garden will begin to incorporate patio furniture products from Alfresco Home into its product mix.

The evolution of Peter's Home and Garden since its inception in 1973 has been exciting. Since Peter's passing in 2008, we have decided to open our stores on weekends only from April thru December. The Cilio family feels that we can best service you and your outdoor living needs with this approach as we continue to develop our ever evolving retail garden, patio and home store format.

Thank you!
The Cilio Family

About Us

Peter Cilio 1929-2008

Peter Cilio, founder of Peter’s Home and Garden and Campania International, died December 16th at his home in Blue Bell, PA after a long illness. He was 78.

In the early 1970's, after a 20 year career in the construction industry, the skilled stone mason from Ponte Romito Italy, realized that there was no resource for handmade terra cotta pottery and his garden would not be the same with out some. So began “Peter’s” 36 years in the garden and casual industries.

In 1973, Peter imported his first container of pottery from southern Italy and after using a small percentage of those pots for his own yard, was left to sell off the rest, out of the back of the trailer, to local Philly consumers and local garden centers including Waterloo Gardens and Robertson’s florists. One thing led to another and shortly there after, Peter opened up a retail store in Quakertown PA, at that time known as “Peter Pots.” The store continues to be operated by the Cilio family and remains a staple of the Philadelphia garden community.

After 11 years in the retail business, Peter and his son Anthony, decided to venture into the wholesale side of the business and started Campania Imports. The demand for those very special hand made terra cotta pots from southern Italy began to reach far beyond the local region. After a number of years, the company began to market locally produced cast stone products and eventually evolved into a full design and production company at Peter’s guidance.

As only Peter would have it, his family slowly began to surround him. In 1988, Joseph Cilio joined the company full time and over the next 10 years, Peter and his sons slowly and steadily developed a company that stood for quality products, top-notch customer service and a unique mix of cast stone items with Peter’s hand applied patinas. In the late nineties, Nina Cilio Reelick and Peter C. Cilio, would join the company and continue to guide its growth.

Peter retired from his wholesale business in 2000 when he sold Campania International to a Philadelphia investment company that continues to operate the business today. At the same time, at the age of 70, Peter returned full time to focus his energies on his retail store. Until this last years, Peter continued at his intense pace, seven days a week, to develop his specialty retail store with European style garden accents, plants, casual furniture and much more.

Peter’s legacy will be remembered thru his wonderful wife, Ruth, who as we all know in our family businesses, is often the glue that holds its together. All four of Peter’s children remain close very involved the industry. Oldest, son Peter C. is a vice president at Campania International. Anthony Cilio is Vice President of Product Development at Alfresco Home, Joseph Cilio is founder and President of Alfresco Home and Nina Cilio Reelick is involved with her husband, Eugene Reelick, owner of Hollandia Nurseries.

The Cilio family would like to thank all of the people in the wonderful garden and casual industries who where part of Peter’s life, whether as a customer, a vendor, a friend or a lunch guest. Peter truly loved what he did, day in and day out, and we thank you for making him part of your lives. All of your caring notes and messages are truly appreciated and let’s continue to be inspired by his memory as we move forward in our daily efforts to bring green and comfort to our customers.

We remember my father at North Mowing, his place in Vermont which he so loved and reminded him of his childhood home in Italy. Often he would look out over the spectacular view of Mt Ascutney and the New Hampshire hills, the view of which he never tired, and say in wonder, “Son, did you ever think an immigrant could achieve all this?” I would simply nod and smile. We know today that he is looking out over all of us, content and peaceful in the knowledge that what he has really achieved, his greatest legacy, is in the hearts of his dear friends in our businesses who he has come to know over the past 36 years.