Garden decor - kind of

My garden is pretty un-decorated. No statuary, no angels or garden gnomes (pa-lease!). There are several reasons for that. Lack of confidence, lack of ideas, lack of money, lack of space. I never did get that big birdbath from Lowe's. I couldn't commit because I wasn't sure I really loved it. I have a gazing ball that my neighbor gave me and a few other really small things. The two most notable items of decoration in my garden were gifts from my sister, and I wholeheartedly love them.

Mr. Frog arrived last week for my birthday. How cute is he?

A few years ago she gave me a beautiful ceramic pot with a flat side. I chose to make a spilling fountain of it with a pump and a hidden basin under it.

The summer heat was a problem, because the water evaporated out of it quickly, leaving the pump running dry, so eventually I turned off the pump and enjoyed the pot strictly for its vivid colors.

Three and a half years later... If I can't keep my house vacuumed, do you really think I'm going to keep the rocks swept clean of leaves?

The man who sold the pot to my sister told her that cold weather wouldn't harm this pot - and she lives in Ohio. I didn't give it another thought until I was standing near it one cold day and heard a pop! and then a tinkle. Looking around, I discovered a chip of colored ceramic on the ground and pieces missing from the glaze of the pot. Oh, waaaa! My beautiful pot was coming apart! Even in Florida!!

Well, the pot has shivered and popped through three winters, losing more of its glaze with each freezing night. The bare ceramic has become mildewed and probably provides a comfortable home for a clan of algae. I wish I had had the good sense to bring it indoors for the winter when it first happened, but really, that's a lot to expect of my brain.

It's still pretty to me. Perhaps I can find one at a scratch-and-dent sale. The new one will fit right in.