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Terracotta clay pottery -
Our section of clay or terra cotta pottery, is imported from Italy, China, Mexico, Indonesia & Thailand. All designs are available in many sizes. The variety of shapes offered here are the most common for planting and the more popular for style and design. They come with drain holes and without. You have a choice of having a sealer applied to the clay for a added cost. The sealer will help to hold the clay together longer but will NOT waterproof the pot.
Terra cotta is meant to breathe so it is not waterproof. A clay pot contributes to the health of its plant. In fact, clay is a natural and perfectly ecological material which allows it to create, more than any other, a perfect ecosystem. Through its absorbent sides the soil can dispel the excess water which is bound to stagnate in other types of containers. That is why you will see the water lines on the outside of these pots. Clay pots keep the root system at the correct temperature and help the root system to breathe and stay healthy. In due time terracotta garden pottery will acquire a natural patina due to the mosses and lichens that might grow on the outside. You can always line the inside of these pots with a plastic pot liner or sheeting so as to protect the pot from the constant moisture. Many are handmade and usually low fired, so please protect them when used in harsh climates.
We have found that some manufacturers are using a powder clay mix instead of harvested ground clay. They basically are just as functional and beautiful but if it is important to you to be eco-friendly, we suggest using a real clay product.
Ceramic pottery - This sections has many different manufacturers represented. We import from China, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Mexico and more. Each manufacturer of pottery has a vast array of color choices and styles to choose from. All pots are high fired, and very durable. They come with and without drain holes. The sizes range from very large to small and everything in between. Most of these pots have a high shine finish. When color is the only choice to use, then ceramic pottery is the right choice. Especially in a yard where alot of evergreen bushes and plants are used.
Ceramic Pottery will keep the potting soil moist for a longer period of time. Because they are usually high fired they will not absorb the water that is used for the planting materials like a low fired clay. Don't forget that if the pot ever cracks or chips that seal will be broken and any water will find that crack and try to penetrate. Even though these pots can generally withstand colder temperatures, they will craze when exposed to harsh weather conditions.
Concrete pottery- These pots, bowls, woks, pedestals, planters and squares, maybe heavy but can NOT be beat when it comes to durability. Made of poured concrete, the detailing and finishes are very professional and elegant. The concrete mixture is a cement sand or gravel and water. It is used extensively for its durability. Air bubbles are introduced in the cement either by adding special resins or other materials to the mix. These air bubbles allow the water in hardened concrete to expand and contract during freezing and thawing conditions. Our concrete pottery mfg also uses a volcanic rock mix that is harvested in Sedona, Arizona. Arizona Pottery offers 16 color choices and 2 finishes. The finishes are sandblasted (which shows the volcanic rock mix) or natural which is a full colored product.
Concrete is a preferred medium for garden pottery in Arizona and across the United States. Because most clay products are porous, concrete is the choice for durability and beauty.
Poly Resin - Our poly resin line of decorative plant containers are handmade from a unique formula of blended resins to bring out the best qualities that can Not be found in plastic containers. Our containers are extremely durable, lightweight and will not crack or break. Poly Resin is a type of plastic resin. When polyester resin is mixed with a small amount of styrene (a hardener or catalyst) a chemical reaction occurs and causes the resin to change from a liquid to a, once hardened, is very durable, waterproof, and lightweight. Resin is usually semi transparent in color, so a pigment or coloring agent may be added.
The unique service provides the look and feel of clay pots but won't break chip, fade (because of a UV protectant) or crack like a clay or ceramic, even plastic pot. The range of sizes available are extreme, from 8" to 60" diameter. Clay pottery has to be formed and then baked in a kiln. Since kilns are limited in size anything over a 36" pot must be made from Poly Resin, or another molded product. Also, large clay pottery is hard to transport without breakage. Poly Resin is the way to go!