Stay away from ceramic tile. Stick to glass or porcelain. Ceramic is porous and will expand/freeze/crack in frosty temperatures. As for adhesive, you want to use thinset. I use sanded grout that I mix with an additive.

If you go to one of the home improvement stores, tell them you want thinset and grout for exterior work. They SHOULD be able to tell you what to buy. Every store carries different products, so it's hard to recommend specific brands.

Sounds like a fun project!

Hi! I had a difficult time understanding what thinset was, and when I went to Lowes to buy it, they acted puzzled. I now know that thinset is also called mortar. Hope this helps.

Go to the tile department for Thinset-it is a special tile mortar-comes in boxes and bags. Get some latex additive to mix it with.