Shrink Your Lawn or Ditch it All Together

Spring Equinox ushers in longer days and with  the recent arrival of the first day of spring and Daylight Saving Time just kicking in this means more time to devote to our outdoor spaces and gardens. We need to be sure to take time to enjoy our roses’ first flush of blooms, the most glorious of the whole year.

Assess Your Garden
Take a look at your yard. Do you really need that plot of water-guzzling lawn? Across California, lawns are the leading consumer of outdoor residential water use. Let’s be honest, with very little to offer in the way of habitat value, thirsty traditional lawns could be smaller in favor of providing habitat for butterflies, birds, and bees.

In our mild climate, consider the many relaxing benefits of a water feature in your turf-free zone. Many no-turf options combine the use of local native plants, inviting paths, seating areas, perhaps a small meadow of flowering perennials, and water features.

Thoughtful Design
Think about your outdoor activity needs and limiting turf to places where you really need it (like a kids’ play areas). Some types of grassy lawns require less water than others so consider this when combining drought tolerant plantings alongside a lawn. Or, try eliminating it altogether—it’s the most effective way to reduce your outdoor water use (plus it gets you out of the mowing grind).

So if you don’t use it, why not ditch it? Beautiful landscapes that replace turf with easy care, drought-tolerant plants will make you wonder why it took you so long to make the change.  Eye of the Day has over two acres brimming with pots converted to fountains, multi-tiered fountains, beautiful statuary, antique wrought iron, birdbaths, patio furniture and staff who will happily guide you through making the switch to ditch your lawn, and to create a beautiful, peaceful outdoor space.

Photo Credit: Bee, Creative Commons, Pollen covered Bee by Bill Damon is licensed under CC by 2.0 

Garden Cocktails: Pinky’s Paloma

Pinky is a fantastic floral designer in Los Angeles () and fills her clients’ homes with color from the garden.  We like her so much we’ve named a cocktail for her.

PINKY’S PALOMA

Serves 1

2 oz. blanco tequila

1 1/2 oz freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice

1 1/2 oz freshly squeezed tangerine juice

1/2 oz Pierre Ferrand dry curacao or Cointreau

1 oz sparkling water

Tangerine wheel and a sprinkle of sea salt for garnish

Mix first 4 ingredients in a mixing glass with ice, strain into a rocks glass filled with crushed ice, top with sparkling water and sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt.  Garnish with tangerine wheel.

Photo Credit: Grapefruit Cocktail, Creative Commons, cocktail shaker, cocktail glasses, cutting board, and fruit including lemons and grapefruit by Pro Flowers is licensed under CC by 2.0 

The Simple Art of Collaboration: An Introduction to Sempleware

 As an artist, if there is one thing I have always believed in it’s been the concept of collaboration. There is something very powerful, very organic that comes from two or more people coming together on one idea, like a symphony. Or consider the hundreds of ceramic pieces that Pablo Picasso produced towards the end of his life with the help of the Madoura Pottery workshop. Both the process and the outcome can be engaging in unexpected ways that keep fresh the evolving cycles of creation.

My name is Scott Semple and I’ve been contributing to this newsletter for about two years now, but my day job is ‘large format potter’.

This year I am celebrating forty years in ceramics by announcing my newest collaboration with Brent Freitas and the team at Eye of the Day, entitled “Sempleware”. Our concept is to offer in-house, hand made ceramics, based on an artisan pottery and sustainability model.

Beginning in April, I will be throwing pots right there in the store using custom designs and shapes to fit the needs of the ever widening garden design community. Together we want to allow homeowners and designers alike—all customers who come through the doors—direct access to the artistic process, while providing a local option. Very local in this case. We see this partnership as not just collaboration between Brent and me, but as a movement between Eye of the Day and the community as a whole, combining performance art with retail design needs.

Sempleware is an offering as much as it is a line of products and I believe it will be an engaging component when considering sustainable product awareness. And quite frankly, I’ll jump at the opportunity to share what I love most with anyone who will listen, I’m selfish that way.

We’ve been talking about this for a while now and it seems that all the pieces have finally landed in place.

So that’s the big news! Beginning in April, I’ll be at Eye of the Day throwing down! Come by and say hi, watch me spin some pottery, see what you think! Your favorite Central Coast ceramic supplier for all your authentic garden design needs.

My Annual European Expedition

This year I did something different, not only did my wife Suzi accompany me but my daughter Daisy and her husband, Greg, came along for the first two weeks. As I get closer to looking for some sort of exit strategy I’ve been thinking of why not blending our business with theirs. For years the English have expanded their garden centers from being just plants, pots, soils and amenities into restaurants, outdoor sporting goods like fishing tackle, wine bars and other miscellaneous shopping. So, off we went (Daisy has experienced traveling and buying with me for years), to show them a firsthand experience of what it’s like to GO AND SEE.

In many ways food and drink is different in Europe than the USA but they are not always ahead of us. Sometimes, for example with beer and coffee, it’s our opinion they are way behind. Greg made this very clear to us as we tracked down cutting edge coffee providers in the major cities we visited. As he explained “third tier” coffee and how it is different from the typical, Starbucks type coffee. I was amazed at the differences.  Should Eye of the Day add a coffee machine?  What about a cafe?

From world class tapas in San Sebastián to crepes in Montparnasse or simple but classic Tortellini en Brodo from Bologna, what would the impact be on EOD’s future?  So many questions, so many calories so we walked and walked and looked and as you may already know, Eye of the Day is about authenticity, quality and real personal service.  How would this type of expansion affect us?  How would we approach such an idea? A lot of questions coupled with a lot of ideas.

Milan to Bolzano to Bologna

The number of food oriented businesses in Italian cities is extraordinary like most large cities.  Density equals bars, coffee shops, take-out, pizza, burgers everywhere in Europe and restaurant on restaurant. The key to being different beyond the norm is the atmosphere and the that have exterior space as comfortable as the inside have a much better chance to succeed, just look at your typical Paris bistro with its tables on the Rue. Sausage and beers in big steins in Bolzano on a large open piazza covered with a tent let in the sunshine but the environment could have been so much more. Throughout Italy it looked as though most restaurants had nowhere to go when it warms up in the Spring.

I hope that someday soon our goals come together and we can blend our passions into one exciting, vibrant and delicious venue. Eye of the Day, Garden Design Center with the Eye of the Day Cafe.  Stay tuned…

Photo Credits:

Creative Commons, French quarter patio dining by Janice Waltzer is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Creative Commons, Une pizzeria rustique by Stephane Mignon is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Know Your Soil: Geology to the Fore with Each Passing Storm Front
By Puck Erickson Lohnas

The sky is grey, a light mist is covering the ground and I hear the earth singing as each molecule of blessed rainfall works its way into the soil, winds between the rock, and trickles become flows. Our vintners celebrate the terroir of their vineyards and the pattern of our spring wildflowers reflects the ground below. Geology gives us the foundational knowledge about our soils, how they were created and what lies beneath them. Now is the time to study your soil to get ready for spring planting.

Do you live on a mesa with a sneaky substrate of clay or caliche that refuses to drain? Or perhaps you are tucked in a valley filled with alluvial gravels that drain like a sieve? The chemical makeup of the soil is important as well. If you have never done a soil test in your garden, you might want to try. Take a sample from your most troublesome spot and send to one of our local labs*. Building the soil leads to improved plant vigor and garden sustainability. Remember as you look at the beautiful peaks and rolling folds of our valley, they share a history with your garden you might want to explore.

*LABORATORIES FOR SOIL TESTING:

Wallace Labs, (310) 615-0116

Fruit Growers Lab, (805) 783-2940

General Soil Science Information:
Marin Master Gardeners: How To Build Healthy Soil 

Photo Credit: Soil Photo, Creative Commons, [untitled 1] by David Goehring is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Garden Recipes: A Taste of Summer with Pasta Meyer Lemon

Citrus fruit has a way of tricking us into thinking a corner of summer is with us in winter.  At Eye of the Day every one of our citrus trees are decorated with orange, gold and yellow fruit and I am HAPPY to harvest a few pieces every day. Get yourself some of the little golden, smooth skinned lemons that are on the trees and in the markets right now and make this: (don’t worry yourself silly about the cream, just do it!) And since you will have plenty of these yellow gems, make a cocktail too!

Pasta  Meyer Lemon  for 4-6 dinners

1 lb pasta, fettuccine or tagliatelle: perfect

2 C heavy cream

2 t Meyer lemon juice

1 sprig fresh rosemary leaves, chopped

Zest of 2 Meyer lemons

½ c freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

Flaky salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil  and cook pasta until perfectly al dente.  While pasta is cooking, put cream and lemon juice into a large skillet and bring to a boil…reduce to a simmer and reduce to half.

When pasta finishes cooking, drain in a colander.  Add rosemary, lemon zest, Parmigiano, red pepper, salt and pepper to the cream mixture and stir until the cheese has melted.  Add the pasta to the skillet and toss to coat.  Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed.  SERVE IT RIGHT NOW!