We grow flowers in large pots in our front garden and we collect pine cones to put on the surface of the soil to deter slugs and snails from getting to the plants. They help to keep the soil moist in the summer as well.

We found this pine cone with tiny mushrooms growing in it in one of the pots, something I've never seen before. I took it out of the pot and put in on the grass to take a photo and then returned it.