More Shopping!!!

Thanks for all the pointers on finding outdoor furniture. That should keep me busy for a few days.

In case I actually have a few pesos left after the Christmas bills, can I get some more recommendations for sourcing....

Outdoor pots and planters both glazed and unglazed for plantings around the yard and pool

and

Garden centres or nurseries for plants, flowers and trees

and

Mexican styled glazed tableware - plates, bowls, serving pieces

Thanks in advance for what I'm sure will be excellent advice.

SunFan

Glazed pots - Tonala
Vivero - Flora Exotica - Libramiento
Tableware - Casa Mexico, Chapala

While everyone's tastes vary, I cannot imagine not being able to find just the right assortment of pots in Tonala! In fact, Tonala is famous for its pottery and one can probably find at least 500 manufacturers and shops selling an incredible variety. A couple of words of caution:
1) There is a great deal of pottery produced/sold that isn't designed for planting live plants since Mexicans often use pottery with dried arrangements for interior decorating.
2) When choosing pots for the garden, pay careful attention to the type of exterior glaze or decoration since many pots may look great at the start but with the altitude and high UV, they will fade rapidly.
3) You will find many pots that do not have an interior glaze but some will have an interior coating of various types which help reduce drying out from the inside - another consideration with the altitude and dry climate.
4) You will find pots without drain holes in the base. These can be problematic in that they can be prone to over watering or flooding during the rainy season.

As for tableware, your best selections are probably to be found in either Tlaquepaque or Tonala. One typical problem with tableware in Mexico are all of the varieties that cannot be classified as lead free (if you might be concerned about this). While Talavera style tableware is quite popular, a very high percentage cannot be accurately labeled as lead free. Talavera produced in Puebla and licensed by the Government of Mexico to use the mark "Talavera" on the bottom is tested to be lead free and allowable for export to the US & Canada. Some Talavera manufacturers in the State of Guanajuato has jumped through the necessary hoops to label their product as lead free but most simply haven't bothered due to the expense and all of the ongoing paperwork involved. Again, depending on taste, most people should be able to find a pattern that appeals to them.

All the table ware at Casa Mexico is lead free.

"All the table ware at Casa Mexico is lead free."

It may be marked and advertised as such but all "lead free" is not created equal and there is definitely product in the marketplace improperly marked as such. A couple of months ago, I had extensive conversations with two different Talavera manufacturers in Dolores Hidalgo on this very subject. One manufacturer jumped through all of the FDA hoops to get certified a couple of years back and then they received notice that the standards had been tightened up requiring re-certification. Based upon their volume exported NOB, they made the decision to drop it. While they haven't changed their previously approved methodology, they now mark all export product with a disclaimer saying for decorative purposes only. The other manufacturer chose to comply with the new FDA standards but cannot export to the State of California because they have different standards. Pewter is another product affected by these regs. All of these regs are a royal PITA for those of us who choose to import Mexican Product!

Personally, I am not sure at our ages that a product being certified lead free is a big thing! Just another thing that we can add to our growing list of things that may contribute to our deaths at some point.