We understand all things made of clay, including Sculptures, household goods and even buildings as garden pottery.

Clay is a soft and yielding material which serves to make almost anything. We can divide garden pottery into two types: functional and non-functional. Non-functional clay products are used as elements of garden decorum. For example we can place statues of amphibias, insects or fairytale heroes, or more abstract elements like ceramic stones in our garden.

Functional clay products besides their aesthetic value carry out some necessary function in the household. We can include foutains, springs, swimming-pool or pond tiling, ceramic lamps, plant containers, various supporting walls into this category,

A substantial drawback of ceramics is that few clay products can endure weather conditions of russian climate. Before byuing such product you have to define whether it will be used only in the summer season or throughout the year. Ceramics used only in summer usually needs special storage conditions in winter.

The main enemy of garden pottery is high humidity. If you put a clay product in a cold but dry place in the end of the season before the autumn rains begin, it will be well preserved till spring.

Durability of garden pottery is defined by two factors: water absorption and temperature change resistance, especially meaning sub-zero temperatures. Clay being a porous material intakes a lot of water which freezes when air temperature drops below zero. Frozen water in the pores increases in volume and the product is affected by a destructive force.

Three groups of ceramic materials can be used in winter season:

1)porcelain is the most durable but also expensive material. it intakes almost no water and as a result is not subject to receiving  damage from temperature difference

2)high-temperature garden pottery is made of practically all clay types. There are several varieties including stone-like mass, jasper-like mass, high-temperature terracota and fireclay. These materials are inferior only to porcelain in their qualities and durability, and are quite expensive. Ceramic products made out of these materials have a high resistance to temperatures and practically do not absorb water.

3)terracota and fireclay are made of red baked clay with special additives. These materials are baked by lower temperatures(up to 1250 C) and are less durable and resistant but their unquestionable asset is their price. Common red brick is also a type of terracota. The material is quite porous, with a high potential of water absorption. But the water dries as fast as it is absorbed, therefore brick walls are quite reliable and are able to endure sufficient temperature span.

Garden pottery made of terracota looks nice when placed on a green lawn. Fireclay is made of terracota by adding baked clay chips. Initially the material was used to construct stoves, but artists like it for its yielding qualities. To make a terracota product one has to achieve some  degree of expertise while  fireclay can be used by anyone.

All types of ceramics can be used in the summer season, including low-temperature fireclay and terracota without additives and also earthenware, the cheapest and most non-durable material.

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