After enjoying Suzi’s recipe for Pasta Meyer Lemon, use any leftover citrus juice to make this delicious cocktail.

Garden Cocktails: Meyer Lemon Sidecar

2 oz rye whiskey

1 oz triple sec

½  oz Meyer lemon juice

¼” wide strip Meyer lemon peel

Ice for shaking

Fill shaker with ice.  Combine rye, triple sec and lemon juice and pour over ice.  Shake well and strain into cocktail glass.  Serve garnished with the lemon peel.

Photo Credit: Cocktails, Creative Commons, Skylon, South Bank, London by Ewan Munro is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Valentine’s Day Gift Guide 2016

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. Check out the Eye of the Day Valentine’s Day Gift Guide for special and unique ideas for your sweetheart or loved ones this year.

1. Troutman Chair Company Rocking Chairs – Timeless in style and design. This lovely red pair is perfect seating for two.

2. Santa Rosa Beeswax Candles– Our most popular Gift Shop item for a reason. These creamy candles are made with layers of paraffin and cotton wicks. Perfect for a romantic evening home.

3. Chivas Beer Soap and Goat’s Milk Soap– We didn’t forget the gentlemen! Chivas Skin Care handcrafts soaps using farm fresh goat’s milk and high quality beer.

4. POPI Soap by Chivas Skin Care– Are you a fan of Orange is the New Black? POPI soap is inspired by the popular hit series. Delicious scents like Cucumber & Mint and Grapefruit & Basil are a sweet gift for that special someone.

5. Tula Palm Hats – Of course, we have something for the garden lover in your life. These beautifully crafted hats offer protection under the sun and keep you stylish in the garden.

Contact us today to get your Valentine’s Day Gifts.
sales@, 805-566-6500

In our continuing series of conversations with our favorite landscape architects, designers and contractors, we were really happy to talk to Paul Hendershot of Paul Hendershot Design, Inc. in Ojai, California.  All of us look forward to seeing Paul and his big, beautiful dog, Chief, walking through Eye of the Day.  Here are some things we found out when we talked to Paul.

Paul: I have great passion for landscaping.  I listen closely to what the clients want for their outside space and I am committed to creating a landscape that fits the style of the house. I have had great success with all my clients because I work to make their dreams come true and be sure the design fits the property

Eye of the Day: What do you consider your signature style?
Paul: I am very fond of courtyards; rooms and spaces that are meant to be lived in as opposed to spaces that are simply decorative and consequently unusable. I have been using permeable elements such as pea gravel for many years.

EOD:  Has there been anything in particular that has inspired your style?
Paul: I was inspired while traveling mainly in Europe where I saw courtyard settings that had a recurring use of the same and similar plants that I use now. This creates that lush look with very low watering and a permeable ground.

EOD: Have you encountered any obstacles with your clients during the drought?
Paul: My main obstacle with clients has been convincing them to give up their lawns.  But I show my clients many of the gardens that we have done throughout the years that have no lawn to help them recognize what it could be like to give up their lawn.  After they feel the lushness and peacefulness of these gardens, they are convinced that they can live without a lawn.

EOD: What do you see for the future in the world of California landscape design?
Paul: The next developments I hope to see is more courtyards, patios, tree plantings, and permeable grounds. In other words: spaces to live in outside.

EOD: What are your short and long term goals for your business?
Paul: We intend to continue to work closely with our clients and focus on their dream gardens.  During this process, we will continue working with the clients with lots of fun in mind. We want to continue to design gardens, courtyards, and patios that use very little water, keeping abreast of the latest permeable options. We are full of gratitude for the great clients that we get to work with.

…and we’re full of gratitude for Paul and Chief.  To contact Paul, see his website: Paul Hendershot Design

The Rogue Garden: Preparing for El Nino

Rain, rain, go ! No!  Rain, rain, please stay…we need you, desperately!  We all want it to rain here in California more than those outside the Southwest understand.  As I am in traffic in either Southern or Northern California, I often wonder how we can keep watering our landscape or even fill every commode tank in this state of over 39 million people. It is truly frightening.

Once El Niño begins, all hell may break loose.  Flooding, mudslides, standing water, highways washing out and roofs leaking are just a few of the problems being anticipated. A positive is all of the rainwater we can capture.  I have over 40 five-gallon pails strategically located to capture roof runoff. I’m working on a collection system to store this runoff for later in the Spring to use on all of my container plants.  Another thing to deal with is mosquitoes breeding in that stored water. I use mosquito dunks, sold everywhere.

If you have a lot of plants in containers, as I do, a wet winter can drown plants in containers that do not drain well. If your containers have mature plants it is possible that the root system has clogged the drain holes. During a wet period this can mean that your plants are sitting in a swimming pool of water unable to drain out of the pot and the root system begins to rot. Here are some suggestions for maintaining a balanced environment in you container plantings:

1. If you can manage it, turn the container onto its side (usually by laying it down on something soft like a tire or thick cardboard). Then with a screwdriver or something sturdy and sharp, clean any roots clogging the drain holes. Use a rod to poke into the hole to clear a drain path through the hole further into the pot or container.
2. While the container is on its side, use a concrete/ceramic drill bit to add additional holes to the bottom. Be careful not to fracture the pot or to place the holes too close together, weakening the bottom structure of the pot.
3. If you can’t get the container onto its side think about drilling an extra drain hole into the side of the pot at or near the bottom. This will allow for more drainage.  Many pots are made with drain holes in their sides so this isn’t something unusual.  You can place the side of the pot with the drain hole to the back for aesthetic purposes.
4. You can move pots under eaves or downspouts under cover and use the water captured during the downpour to water the pot appropriately.
5. If you are up to the challenge, remove the plant from the container and trim the roots/root ball (best done in the dormant period for the plant), add some new soil and repot.

Too much water can drown your plants, so be careful, and make sure you have good drainage even if they are planted in the ground and PRAY FOR RAIN!

Photo Credit: Rain in the Garden, Creative Commons, Let It Come by Lotus Carroll is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

The holidays are for eating, drinking and perhaps dreaming and planning for some future Spring garden. On these cold winter mornings, it’s nice to get up early and bake something that will make your house smell like your childhood holiday.

CINNAMON BREAKFAST PUFFS

1/3  c. unsalted butter
½ c. sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 ½ c all purpose flour
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
¼ t nutmeg
¼ t allspice
1 pinch ground cloves
1 pinch ground ginger
1 tsp finely grated orange zest
½ c whole milk, room temperature

CINNAMON SUGAR COATING

6 T butter, melted
½ cup sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

In a heavy bottomed saucepan, melt the 1/3 cup of butter and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until browned and nutty smelling.  Pour into a medium mixing bowl and allow it to cool to room temperature

In the meantime, heat the oven to 350.  Grease and lightly flour a 12 cup muffin tin.

Add the sugar and egg to the cooled butter and beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 6 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, spices and zest.  Add the dry ingredients in increments to the butter-sugar mixture, alternating with the milk and beating until fully combined after each addition.

Divide the batter evenly into the muffin cups.  Bake until golden grown about 20-25 minutes

While the puffs are baking, put the melted butter into a shallow bowl and combine the sugar and cinnamon in another one.  When the puffs are finished baking, use a knife to take them out of the muffin tin.

One by one dip each I the melted butter, covering the entire surface and then roll in the cinnamon sugar.  Transfer to a festive platter and serve warm.

Photo Credit: Cinnamon Breakfast Puffs, Creative Commons, the return of the egg puffs! by Jessica Wilson is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Garden Cocktails: Holiday Edition

You have so much going on during the holiday season, but you need something special for yourself while you sit down, relax and enjoy all the work you have put into making everyone happy.  You could make a second one for someone and continue to spread the happiness.

WINTER  ICE CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL

Serves 1

¾ oz Hendricks Gin

¾ oz freshly squeezed lemon juice (from your garden!)

½ oz simple syrup (1:1 sugar to water)

3 oz your favorite champagne or sparkling wine

Shake first three ingredients with ice.  Strain into a coup or champagne glass and top with champagne.

Photo Credit: Champagne Tower, Creative Commons, champagne tower by kenichi nobusue is licensed under CC by 2.0