Question
Hello.

I live in the Sherman area in Texas (lots of rain lately) and we just got through roasting our marshmallows and hot dogs in our small grill. We didn't burn normal stuff in our grill because it had just rained so there wasn't much burnable wood. Instead we burned newspapers and a few leaves and used easy starting Kingsford charcoal (wood   charcoal in one briquette). We used about 5 or 6 briquettes. In the newspaper there were some plastic-coated ads (which we forgot to take out before burning... XD). We live in a residential area, with a small lawn surrounded by concrete curbs. Our grass contains lots of clovers that like to grow 5 inches in a few days (could be exaggerated). Our garden is centered around a bird bath (that we seldom fill) and by our house is a huge bucket filled with water where we grow some aquatic plants (water lilies and a dark green type of lily pad). Obviously I am also wondering if our little pond could be a good source of fertilizer too. In it we have a small rock that kills mosquito larvae and a large brick to keep the plants from falling over. I'm thinking our lawn is pretty rich in nutrients because the fern tree growing by our house is growing very quickly and it's even blooming! Nice puffball flowers that look very Japanese! Anyways, sorry about the length of this but I've learned that over the internet if you don't specify things can go wrong quite easily! Thanks.

Answer
So you think your question is long?  You should see some of my answers.

Fortunately this one will be abbreviated mainly because I am not exactly sure what question you had -- Roses and the ashes from the grill?  Wood is EXCELLENT -- wood ash gives the fertilizer mineral Potash its name, due to being high in Potassium.  From what I have heard, charcoal briquets DO NOT contain anything that would help your soil or your plants; self-starting coals (as well as some other types) can be downright negative ... I THINK.

Not everyone agrees.

University of North Carolina Cooperative Extension gave an answer to that very question just a few months ago in an article 'Charcoal ash OK for plants, mostly' by Gary L. Pierce:

http://www.newsobserver.com/105/v-print/story/508973.html

Here's what they said: 'It is the additives that cause the charcoal to either bind together or burn quicker.  The most harmful additive is usually added by the cook -- lighter fluid.'

As they see it, if you let the lighter fluid burn off, you're out of the woods.  That's the only imoprtant thing to worry about, they say: 'Petroleum-based lighter fluid is not good for plants (or people).'

The Worldwise pet supplies group discourages use of coal, coal ashes or barbecue briquettes for composting (http://www.worldwise.com/soilferandfe.html).  University of Delaware Cooperative Extension merely declares: 'Sulfur dioxides and other chemicals in BBQ ashes or coal are toxic to microbes and worms' (http://ag.udel.edu/extension/horticulture/pdf/hyg/hyg-97.pdf).
And Greenthumbs website says used Charcoal Briquette Ash is heavy on Sulfur and on Iron (http://greenthumbs.tribe.net/thread/1b14d0c5-6536-4b62-80ed-29adad25144b#270bd92...).  

Purdue University's view on burning logs as a fertilizer source is posted as 'Wood Ash in the Garden' at their website:

http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/woodash.html

'The largest component of wood ash (about 25 percent) is calcium carbonate, a common liming material that increases soil alkalinity.'

But this is a different question.  Wood Ash is not the same thing as Briquette Ash.  Not by a long shot.

About your Pond, where you say point blank: 'am also wondering if our little pond could be a good source of fertilizer.'  But of course!

Every water change, you can dump right on your lawn or your plants.  This is EXCELLENT and worth its weight in gold.  You are lucky to have these things around.  I suspect it's less of an accident than you let on.  Birdbath -- you do need to fill that, it is a great idea except for that one detail.

I hope I did not miss anything here.  Please repost if you need clarification.  Thanks for writing.  Keep me posted.