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From a small shop to a garden of a ceramic ecosystem.
About a decade ago, this garden was just a small shop specializing in pottery. Each piece—cups, vases, jars, and pots—was brought from Binh Duong or Bien Hoa by waterway, then distributed throughout Saigon's markets. Over time, the shop grew, establishing its own workshop and expanding into a garden spanning over 1,800 square meters—a place that recreates a part of the memory of a once bustling area with boats carrying pottery back and forth.
Amidst the year-round scorching heat of Southern Vietnam, the garden grounds are covered with lush greenery, providing ample shade. A gravel path leads visitors to the exhibition area, where handcrafted ceramic products are meticulously arranged like an outdoor exhibition. Eel-skin glazed vases, crackle-glazed bowls, deep blue glazed jars, and hundreds of other simple yet exquisite household items are all handcrafted and perfected by the artisans in the workshop.
Lush greenery and a gravel path lead into the garden.
As the name suggests, every corner here displays ceramic products in a variety of colors and styles.
The space is divided into several areas: a finished product sales area, a workshop for hands-on experience, a workshop where artisans work, and an exhibition area for products displayed at events. The open layout allows visitors to both tour and experience the pottery-making process: from shaping the clay, glazing, firing, to painting patterns. Next to it is the "Garden of Pottery" general store, set up like an old-fashioned shop: old wooden cabinets, candy, cakes, fruit juice, and a glass box for customers to self-checkout – a charming touch reminiscent of the subsidy era.
An old-fashioned self-service grocery store is situated in the middle of the garden.
When three lines of pottery tell a story together.
The garden's vibrancy stems from the "Thu Bien workshop" area, a name derived from Thu Dau Mot and Bien Hoa – two regions renowned for their Southern Vietnamese pottery. There, artisans meticulously paint, decorate, and glaze each product. Ms. Yen, who has spent over half a century working in Lai Thieu pottery, is carefully painting Santa Claus and reindeer onto Christmas cups. In another corner, another artisan is decorating piggy banks with vibrant blue, red, and yellow glaze.
The artisans meticulously paint the glaze colors onto the ceramic products in the workshop.
From the workshop, everyday items associated with the lives of people in Southern Vietnam – rice bowls, plates, water jugs, storage jars… of the Lai Thieu pottery style – are displayed in the Lai Thieu pottery area, surrounded by lush green bamboo groves rustling in the sun. The glaze of Lai Thieu pottery has a rustic yet sophisticated look; many products are covered in white, brown, green, or eel-skin glaze, with floral, bird, and carp motifs that evoke a sense of familiarity and closeness. Each bowl and vase seems to retain the spirit of the century-old pottery kilns along the Saigon River.
The distinctive Lai Thieu pottery products are still being produced at the workshop.
Opposite is the ceramic zoo, where hundreds of ceramic models of animals are arranged in a delightful way. From buffaloes, cows, pigs, chickens… familiar animals from everyday life to foxes, elephants, horses, birds, turtles… all have cute and eye-catching appearances. Under the sunlight, the ceramic glaze shines with shades of blue, brown, and yellow, making each animal seem alive and dancing in the viewer's eyes. This is also an area that attracts many families with young children, where the kids can admire and touch these colorful "terracotta friends".
The ceramic animals are displayed in a separate area, appealing to younger visitors.
Beyond simply displaying its wares, the garden also serves as a place to preserve and promote the traditional techniques of three pottery styles: Lai Thieu, Bien Hoa, and Cay Mai. Each style possesses its own unique "character," creating an interesting dialogue between the products. Lai Thieu pottery is rustic, familiar, and deeply rooted in folk traditions; Bien Hoa pottery is sophisticated, rich in artistic merit, and features unique floral glaze techniques; while Cay Mai pottery evokes a sense of antiquity and nostalgia, reminiscent of old Saigon with its warm, muted glaze colors.
These elements are skillfully combined, preserving the traditional spirit while infusing contemporary design and usage. Many products have been reinterpreted: from cups, vases, glasses, and plates to decorative items such as masks, animal figurines, models of ancient houses, and reliefs… creating a vibrant and diverse ceramic ecosystem.
Color chart of ceramic glazes in the workshop.
The different types of pottery are displayed together, creating an interesting dialogue between traditional craftsmanship and contemporary life.
The flow of tradition and innovation
What sets this garden apart is not just its green spaces or the scale of production, but the way they respect and revitalize the heritage of Southern Vietnamese pottery. Seemingly separate pottery styles come together here in a "meeting" of glaze and clay.
Lai Thieu pottery originates from Binh Duong province and is renowned for its durability, diverse glazes, and rustic motifs. This type of pottery was once a symbol of everyday life: water jars, earthenware pots, and bowls used in the kitchen. Through the hands of skilled artisans, they take on a simple yet endearing appearance, "beautiful enough" for daily use while still being suitable for display on shelves.
The pottery garden area is dedicated to Lai Thieu pottery products.
Bien Hoa pottery, on the other hand, leans towards artistic expression. This style of pottery is influenced by European art and modern decorative styles from the early 20th century. The "flowering copper green" glaze – a characteristic unique to Bien Hoa – creates a deep emerald green hue, transforming each product into a work of art. In the garden, this pottery appears in carved vases, decorative statues, or glossy glazed flower pots, showcasing the sophistication and meticulousness of the firing technique.
The turquoise color and the incised carving technique are characteristic of Bien Hoa pottery.
Cay Mai pottery, an ancient pottery style from old Saigon, was once associated with the famous "Pottery Kiln Village." This style of pottery uses a muted glaze palette: blue, brown, black, and earthy yellow—few colors but rich in emotion. The products are often statues, reliefs, flower pots, or religious artifacts—items that were once found in temples, pagodas, and old houses in Southern Vietnam. Although rarely produced today, Cay Mai pottery still retains its collectible value and is recreated in the garden through reconstructed models, so that young people know that Saigon once had its own unique pottery style.
Today, Cay Mai pottery is produced in smaller quantities but has high collectible value.
Interestingly, when these three types of pottery are present together, viewers can easily recognize the blend of styles: the simple Lai Thieu glaze is embellished with exquisite Bien Hoa motifs; the classic Cay Mai color palette becomes brighter when placed in the open space of the garden. All blend together, like a new flow, preserving traditional roots while expanding creative possibilities.
Where the land tells stories of its people.
At the workshop area, visitors can try their hand at molding clay, painting glazes, and creating their own unique products. These creations, from scribbled drawings to perfectly round ceramic vases, are displayed in the common area, reflecting the diverse tastes of visitors: some come simply to relax, others to find creative inspiration, and some simply want to reconnect with childhood memories of old ceramic water jugs and rice bowls. Each vase and ceramic figurine bears a personal touch.
Some of the products made by workshop participants are displayed in a wooden cabinet.
In the garden, the sounds of brushes, laughter, and the scent of earthenware blend together. Employees diligently pack the products, while artisans are busy applying glazes and painting patterns. Here, pottery is not just about production; it's a journey of storytelling through earth, each product a unique tale about the craftsman, the fire, and the land that gave birth to it.
On weekends, many visitors come with their young children to experience the pottery garden.
Leaving the garden, holding a white-glazed Lai Thieu bowl or a small Bien Hoa ceramic turtle, one seems to carry with them the scent of the earth and the fiery spirit of Southern Vietnam. In the midst of a modern city where everything can be replaced by plastic and metal, ceramics retain their old value, both useful and soulful. And this garden, with patience and love for the craft, is silently preserving that soul – the soul of the earth, the fire, and the hands of the pottery makers who never rest.
