GARDEN COCKTAILS: DAISY’S TEQUILA COBBLER

2 oz Silver Tequila

.75 oz simple syrup

1 strawberry sliced

6-8 blueberries or blackberries

Club soda

Instructions:

1. Put the strawberry and simple syrup in a double old fashioned glass and muddle lightly
2. Add tequila
3. Fill glass half way with crushed ice and lightly churn
4. Add layer of blue or blackberries
5. Pack the rest of the glass of crushed ice
6. Top with Club soda
7. Garnish with a mint sprig

I’m picturing this in my hand on a lazy Sunday…or any Summer day, in fact.

Photo Credit: Daisy Ryan

Father’s Day is just around the corner. Check out some gifts dear old Dad might like. Perfect for new dads, grandfathers, uncles, brothers, and the other father figures in your life.

Eye of the Day’s Father’s Day Gift Guide 2016:

1. Troutman Rocking Chairs – Made in the USA, these rocking chairs are perfect for that afternoon siesta or catching the game in style
2. Gladding McBean Reclining Nude – Dad an art lover? This classic beauty is made right here in California.
3. Chivas Beer Soap – If you already love the Goat’s Milk soap from Chivas, this line incorporates creamy ales. There might be some fights in the bathroom over these.
4. Succulents – The ladies usually get flowers but dads shouldn’t miss out. Succulents aren’t only beautiful, they’ll last longer too!
5. Tula Palm Hats – A favorite for everyone. These Palm hats are perfect for the dad who likes to garden or just likes to look good in hats.

Happy Father’s Day to all!

Contact us today for pricing and availability! 805-566-6500 or sales@

Jennifer Voss of Gardefacts Designs Thoughtful and Practical California Gardens

In our continued series, Blueprint, that covers the work and projects of landscape and garden professionals, we are happy to count Jennifer Voss of Gardefacts in Santa Barbara, California as one of our most loyal designers. She has been using Eye of the Day as a primary resource for over a decade and she uses our products to highlight and enhance her California garden designs.

Jennifer’s love of horticulture began with visits to the Los Angeles County Arboretum with her grandparents, where they wandered through the garden and bamboo forests, feeding the plentiful peacocks and learning the names of the plants.

With Jennifer’s knowledge of plants, she became interested in design and plant care and studied botany in college and Landscape Design at UCLA.  She has visited hundreds of gardens throughout England, France, Italy and the United States and these influences help guide her in her designs.

Jennifer finds that the best method for working with a new client is to listen closely to how they describe their vision for their space and translate that to a design that is both beautiful and practical.  Check out the photos and you’ll see how Jennifer seamlessly incorporates Eye of the Day pots into her designs.

See more of Jennifer’s work at Gardefacts including more container gardens, design projects, and even edibles!

The Clay Authority – Debunking the Myth of Impruneta Clay 

If you don’t have a subscription to Garden Design magazine, you really should do yourself a favor and get one. This new issue, Spring 2016, has a beautifully presented article about the legendary pottery artisans of the small hill commune of Impruneta just outside of Florence.  If only as a travel guide to garden lovers, it reads like a NYT Travel section “36 Hours” of what to do and where to go in this tiny historic commune.  Of course, you always can pick up a copy at Eye of the Day.

For a long time I have complained that many Italian pottery manufacturers have falsely used the name “Impruneta” to sell their Italian pots, often at an inflated price. This wonderful article helps to debunk this misnomer and offers a wonderful guide to visitors and lovers of quality Italian garden pottery, abundant throughout the country. Besides, after pasta, what does one think of when Italy is mentioned but double rolled-rim planters?  Well, maybe shoes and olive oil might come up…

The essential part of the article was the brief mention of the actual terra cotta clay material found and used by these artisans in Impruneta. Many would have you think that Galestro clay can or is only found here and this is not the case as it is prevalent throughout the Sienese countryside. Francesco del Re was so adamant that his production of what many consider the finest Italian terracotta produced today be trademarked as “Terra Forte” clay so as not to be confused and wrongly named Impruneta. But the simple fact is still: All of the high quality, long lasting and frost proof terra cotta pottery found in Italy uses Galestro clay and does not have to be found within the commune of Impruneta.

At Eye of the Day, our main Italian terra cotta product is made with 100% Galestro clay manufactured for us by Colorobbia of Montelupo, Italy, and the largest Terracotta manufacturer in the world. Sounds impressive, doesn’t it?

What is really impressive is that our high quality, frost proof Italian terracotta will not only last for centuries, it is affordable when compared to similar pieces stamped with “Impruneta”. And please, don’t get me wrong, I have beautiful Impruneta pots, Francesco del Re pots as well as pots from other artisans of fine quality Italian terra cotta in my garden but all are manufactured using 100% Galestro Clay.  That’s why I’m the Clay Authority.

What to Plant? The California Garden Checklist

Many of the landscape architects, designers and trade professionals  that have been frequenting Eye of the Day over the years are now friends and we asked a few of them what plants they like to use and why when designing for their clients.

Rick Button of Rick Button Landscaping

Some of Rick’s favorites:

• OLIVES – They are simply beautiful in leaf, form and symbolism. I can make a case for them matching up with any vernacular of architecture.  They belong here.
• AGAVES – Where I am allowed to include them, I am always pleased. They are pure sculpture. Beautiful color. Put them with anything.  They steal the show.
• CURRY – That gorgeous little shot of silver. Put it right next to a vibrant yellow green and you do not need another color in the garden. I keep them cut close without ever blooming and they become big billowy mounds.
• ROSES – Always.
• BOUGAINVILLEA – Always.
• CITRUS – Always.

Puck Erickson of Arcadia Studio

I am going for Aristida purpurea.

• PURPLE THREE-AWN – One of my favorite California grasses, it is worth the weight as it settles into the landscape. A great substitute for the invasive Mexican Feather Grass which should never be planted. Its delicate texture and subtle color picks up our afternoon light and it moves easily in the wind.

Bridget Walker of Arcadia Studios

Bridget also asked some of her colleagues for their favorites:

• FRUITLESS OLIVE – A beautiful evergreen tree with silver green foliage. Olives are a great choice for drought tolerant landscapes; they are low water usage, love full sun and can be planted in many forms.
• CLUSTERED FIELD SEDGE – A low-growing native grass commonly used as a drought tolerant lawn alternative. Perfect for informal lawns and meadow gardening
• GIANT ORANGE NODDING PINCUSHION. A low mounding South African Native with course green foliage. Spring brings spectacular orange blooms 4-6″ wide.  Great in the green or for cut flowers for the home.

Sally Farnum of S E Farnum Associates

Sally gave me a list so long I had to make my own choices from her list:

• CEANOTHUS “RAY HARTMAN”. Pale blue, fragrant blooms, it requires little water, no soil disturbance, no fertilizing, no drip and no application of soil amendment.
• LANTANA “CONFETTI”. A shrub-type Lantana that loves the sunshine, it produces masses of flower clusters in yellow, pink, purple and wine-colored hues, it is drought and deer-resistant.
• Many roses are cultivated for low water use, such as Meidiland, drift roses, knockout roses and some David Austins

If you are interested in more suggestions for drought-tolerant plants, please let me know: I have more recommendations for our friends.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Arcadia Studio 

Garden Recipes: Shrimp and Green Peach Salad

Stone fruits are in season! Arugula is going wild in the garden!  If you have a peach tree, it’s hard to wait for all of them to ripen. We made this for my 92-year old mom and she loved it too.

SHRIMP AND GREEN PEACH SALAD

Serves 2-4

1 pound small or medium wild-caught shrimp, cleaned
1/2 c dried chorizo , cut into 1/8″ slices
1/2 c mayonnaise
1  large clove garlic, crushed and finely chopped
1 tsp lemon juice
2 scallions, thinly sliced
2 handfuls baby arugula
2 1/2 pounds unripe peaches , sliced
2 T mint, chopped

Bring a medium saucepan filled with heavily salted water to a boil.  Add the shrimp and turn off the heat.  Let the shrimp rest in the water for 3 minutes, then drain and run under cold water for 15 seconds.  Slice into 1/4″ pieces.

Whisk together mayonnaise, garlic and lemon and add salt if you wish.

In a large mixing bowl, combine shrimp, chorizo, scallions and half the mayonnaise mixture.  Taste and adjust seasoning, add more mayonnaise mixture if necessary.

Make a bed of arugula on each plate, then a layer of unripe peach slices and mound the shrimp salad on top.   This is also great as a sandwich filling using a Ciabatta.

Photo Credit: Peach, Creative Commons, Unripe peach by Mary Madigan is licensed under CC by 2.0