Pottery is an incredibly durable and hearty material, which makes it an ideal medium to help decorate your garden. As I ventured deeper into ceramics as a hobby, my partner, who is an avid gardener, made the suggestion that I create some work to showcase in the garden. As a result of this, I came up with these pottery ideas to decorate the garden.

Why is Pottery Ideal for the Garden?

When made correctly, ceramics are durable and water-resistant. Pottery also naturally compliments the organic compounds found in a garden given that all raw materials used in pottery are derived from the earth. Personally, I would much rather see a ceramic sculpture beautifully displayed than a weathered plastic lawn flamingo.. but that’s just me.

Pottery Ideas for Your Garden

1. Gnomes

No list of ceramic features to decorate your garden is complete without a classic gnome. Gnomes originate from from as far back as the 1600’s, being carved from stone and depicting stout magical creatures, always donning their red hats. As the 1700’s came about, gnomes were being made using porcelain, and at the same time, became ingrained in German folklore.

Since then, garden gnomes have ebbed and flowed in their popularity. However, they saw a resurgence arise in the 1980’s when the gnomes were made to look more comical, adding a fun accent to gardens across the world.

However, beware of people taking your gnome and sending you pictures of it traveling the world!

To create a garden gnome, you will need to put your hand-building skills to work. Creating the features and accessories will need to be done by hand. However, you could also try throwing a cone shape, as shown above, if you are more comfortable on the wheel.

Whatever design, shape or style you decide, this pottery idea will make a fun and mischievous addition to your garden.

2. Terra Cotta Planters

When working on your throwing skills, especially throwing larger forms, Terra Cotta Planters are an excellent project. In addition to being a classic and complex form, they are a staple for container gardens.

Because of the porous nature of the unglazed clay, Terra Cotta pots provide excellent drainage for plants. The pot absorbs excess water quickly, minimizing the risks of overwatering and root rot.

Terra Cotta planters also add a wide variety of options in the form and structure of the pot. You can create the classics tapered pot with a heavy lip or choose a more unique design such as a bulbous pot with handles, shown above.

Fun Idea:
If you really want to get creative, you can turn your terra-cotta pot into a Strawberry Pot. To do this, throw a large bulbous form on the wheel and then create 6-8 medium sized bowls of the same size. Once the medium bowls are leather hard, trim the pots to have a rounded bottom. Cut the trimmed, rounded bowls in half by cutting down the center with a wire tool. Trace the silhouette of the half bowls onto the large pot and cut out the clay so there are holes spread evenly over the surface of your large pot. Slip and score the half bowls to adhere them to the large pot.
And there you have it, a large plant pot with multiple smaller caverns for your Strawberry bush to grow large and healthy!

3. Garden Sculptures

When creating a garden oasis, nothing will elevate your space like a gorgeous ceramic garden sculpture.

Possibly the most exciting part of creating your own ceramic sculpture for the garden is the endless possibilities. When beginning the design process for your garden sculpture, keep these ideas in mind:

1. Create a sculpture that complements the plants, flowers, stones and other natural materials already present in your space. Lean into the energy in your garden to create a cohesive and pleasing space.
2. Choose clay, construction techniques and forms that will be durable enough to withstand the elements. If your sculpture can be easily blown over or has weak joins, your sculpture will be less likely to withstand the test of time.
3. Try creating the sculpture in tiers if you are planning to make it tall – this will make the task less daunting and allow to you work on 1 tier at a time.

One of my favorite ceramic artists, Jena Bedson, creates unbelievably stunning garden sculptures. Her work instils a feelings of tranquility and a connection to nature while also being a a feast for the eyes. It would complement any garden with the earthy tones prominently featured in her work.

4. Water Features, Fountains or Bird Baths

As with many water flow devices (Porcelain toilets, porcelain sinks, porcelain urinals!!), porcelain is an excellent material to use when creating a water feature in your garden. Porcelain or any type of clay can be used but I wanted to illustrate my point.

The great thing about a water feature is that you can essentially use any form, as long as you have planned around the type of water pump you are going to be using

Solar Fountain: If you are planning to use the Solar Fountain style of water circulation device, the best form to choose will be a large bowl. The bowl allows sun rays to access the solar device and power the water flow. If you stick this device somewhere where the sun don’t shine (oh god), your fountain will not be functional.

Water Pump: For a traditional water pump used in most garden fountains, you will need to ensure that
1. The mouth of your pot you are intending to use is large enough to fit the pump
2. The bottom of your pot has a hole large enough to fit the pump hoses that will move water through your fountain.

Amazon offers solar powered water pumps and fountains that can be added to your water feature to create water flow and spray. Your birds will love it!

5. Lanterns

Patio lanterns will make a lovely addition to your yard or balcony. Not only do they display your stunning pottery, but they also create ambiance by adding an additional light source to your yard. The negative space you decide to carve out of your form will cast beautiful shadows while protecting your flame from being blown out by the wind.

Lanterns can be created on or off the wheel. When designing and creating your lantern, ensure you determine what you want your light source to be so that you can plan accordingly.

Pro Tip: You may want to consider having a plate acting as the floor of the pot, that is detached from the rest of your lantern. This will allow you to easily change and light your candle.

6. Tree Faces

Putting a face on your tree is like turning every tree on your property into Mister Potato Heads. This pottery idea for the garden can really get your creative juices flowing. Put your hand-building skills to the test to put together some faces that show the emotions you want conveyed in your yard. This is also a great project to do with kids that can (literally) grow with them.

When attaching your faces to your tree, make sure you take proper precautions to protect your tree from damage by using the correct type of nails or screws (high-quality stainless steel), avoid puncturing weak trees and minimize the amount of holes you’re making. To minimize adding extra holes, you can attach all pieces of your face by wire so they hang as one piece.

7. Fairy Garden

A fairy garden is another whimsical idea to add some charm and playfulness to your garden.

Fairy Gardens are miniature homesteads made so that Fairies have a place to call home – when no one is looking of course. They are generally stationed at the base of a tree or in a flower garden. Fairy gardens originated from similar to folklore as Gnomes, becoming popular in German, French and Scandinavian homes dating back centuries.

Fairy gardens are a popular choice among gardeners because they are so small and thus suitable for any garden space. Even if you are working out of a container garden, you can make room for a few small fairy dwellings.

This is another great project for the whole family. Fairy houses can be hand-built, made from slab or thrown on the wheel. However, any figurines that you choose to do will need to be made by hand. This is an excellent project to employ different construction methods so you can continue to hone your skills across A broad range of techniques.

Pro Tip: Use different materials and things around your home to create texture on your fairy houses. Burlap could make an excellent texture on the stones on your walkway.

Pro Tip #2: To get a painterly finish on your fairy garden elements, use underglaze to paint the surfaces of your pieces. This will allow you to paint finer details and have more control over the final colours. Finish with a clear glaze or leave your pieces with a raw. Keep in mind, clear glazing over your entire fairy house may sacrifice some of the texture you added.

If you enjoyed reading about Pottery Ideas for the Garden, check out my post on How to Find Your Signature Pottery Style for more ideas for your next pottery project.