Garden Critters
Make your own variety of garden frogs, cats, dogs, penguins, and other critters. Brightly colored ceramic butterflies and other insects can also add interest to the garden, so let your imagination flow! For myself, I tend to like to surreptitiously find out my friend's favorite animal and make them one or more of these as garden "buddies".
Garden Humanoids
Along with the garden animals, let us not forget other garden "buddies" such as gnomes, elves, aliens, sprites, and people. Although some of these are as cliched as you probably can get, by using your own ideas and creativity, you can make something unique and very special to your own favorite gardener.
Water Features
Some of the most interesting things in gardens are water features. These can run the gambit from a simple bird bath to a full potter-made waterfall. For most of these projects, you will need to work in pieces that will be assembled after firing and as they are installed in the garden. Some will do well being incorporated into other features, such as a bird bath that sits on a tree stump (rather than a clay pedestal).
Decorative Objects
My very first pottery teacher, George Ferguson, had a thing for garden globes. He just loved the way the globes caught the light and mirrored the world around them. Using that fascination, he made sculptural forms using luster glazes that were truly interesting, as well as totally unique. You can do the same thing!
Other decorative objects might include your own versions of
- sentiment vases (vases with meaningful words, phrases, or quotations written on them)
- memorial statues (such as 3-D portraits, angles, or other meaningful object)
- memorial stones (perhaps inscribed with a poem as well as or even instead of the name of the loved one)
Fire Features
Image Courtesy of Auschris64 / Pottery Forum
Like water features, fire features can really be a great addition to a garden, as well as patio or deck. These can include your own take on candle holders, chimineas, wall scones, torch holders, and more.