In the relatively short time Lisa Cox Landscape Design has been working in the Santa Barbara area and Santa Ynez Valley, she has become the go-to for anyone wanting clean and sharp designs with a focused point of view. This is clearly evident in her design for the brand new Zinke Wine Co. tasting room. Lisa says she can’t take complete credit for the beautiful design as she worked closely with Thierry Fraye of Paysage Landscape and the Zinkes who have impeccable taste and a clear vision for their brand.

Michael and Ashley Zinke are Zinke Wines. Michael Zinke is a self-taught winemaker that apprenticed at Girouard and Sans Liege wineries before venturing out on his own. They opened their state-of-the-art tasting facility in the wine country township of Los Olivos, CA this past May. They create single vineyard Rhone varietal wines sourced from a handful of Central Coast vineyards. They needed a venue befitting their precious creations and Lisa was the one to deliver.

Lisa incorporated Eye of the Day products throughout her design. As you approach the building you are greeted by two ‘aged’ Greek Bottle pots customized by Eye of the Day standing guard aside the main entrance. Each pot is planted with drought tolerant growth. While enjoying your first taste of Viognier you overlook an impressive Asian carved granite trough bursting with colorful succulents. You can also admire the lovely Italian San Rocco Giara Liscia pot that flanks the bocce court while waiting for your next throw. After taking it all in, we had some questions for Lisa:  

What was your inspiration for the design?
My Inspiration came from a few sources.  First and foremost, the owners, Michael and Ashley Zinke have distinct, incredible taste.  They were looking for a look that felt something with a rustic/industrial look and a warm welcoming feeling from the street that would draw in customers who were looking for something a little different.  Also, with the existing Cape Cod style structure of the Tasting Room, we wanted to keep that charm, but infuse it with a bit of modern charm!

Did the Zinkes have strong opinions on what they wanted or did they leave it up to you?
I would say they gave me a direction as stated above, but pretty much let me design what I felt would present both function and form to the space.

What were the particular challenges with this project?
We needed an area that would allow furniture placement which I accomplished with the DG cutouts that are surrounded with lush green grass. There was some existing hardscape that we “improved” with either widening pathways or substituting new flagstone stepping stones. With a mixed plant palette of natives, lush perennials and color, the end product turned out quite pleasing to the eye…and of course the succulent filled planters are incredible!

What do you most like about designing in the ‘Valley’?
I can honestly say, what I like most about designing in the valley are the people! Since my husband and I have only been here for 1½ years, we can honestly say we are overwhelmed with the warm, friendly and caring SYV community!  And of course, how can you beat our gorgeous natural landscape of rolling hills, oak trees and vineyards…it’s hard to beat! A special thanks to Rich Cox Photography for the images!

Eye of the Day Garden Design Center recently welcomed some members of the San Diego district of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers. Headed by Koby Hall of Koby’s Garden Alchemy, Inc., the group of landscape designers hit the road for a weekend of visits to major garden influencers throughout the Santa Barbara area.

They stopped by EOTD here in Carpinteria for some tea and tours by owner, Brent Freitas, and sales rep, Mitch Walker who were happy to share information about our company history and an in-depth overview of our various product lines. This included our Italian terracotta from Terrecotte San Rocco and American pottery from Gladding McBean. The APLD group walked our showroom to see our extensive collection of fountains, statuary, and containers. Brent also spoke about our customization services including coloring, aging, and fountain conversions.

We were happy to see some EOTD items find new homes in future San Diego APLD designs. Special thanks to you guys and we’re happy you could visit!

If your group would like a tour of Eye of the Day, please contact us at: trade@

Click the slideshow for more of the San Diego APLD visit at Eye of the Day:

Eye of the Day Garden Design Center is proud to announce the launch of our first-ever Brand Book. When you visit our store you meet the unforgettable people and see the authentic pottery that we’ve built our business on, and now you can have that Eye of the Day experience by viewing digital publication on any device.

Why a Brand Book? As our clientele becomes more nationwide, we have felt people were missing out on the core idea that we are a local, family business with a visually spectacular array of products. Some of our long-standing customers and friends wanted the opportunity to see our ever expanding selection as well.

“Coming to Eye of the Day is about finding design inspiration,” says Brent Freitas Owner and CEO. That inspiration is conveyed via the Brand Book by breathtaking photos of products in and out of the landscape settings, coupled with informative text that has the depth and richness you’d expect from Eye of the Day. “If you are drawn to a container but unsure as to how you could use it in your garden, there is probably an answer for you in the Brand Book.”

The Brand Book is as helpful to the novice as it is to garden professionals, some of whose profiles and projects grace the digital pages. Rick Button and Carol ‘Puck’ Erickson are just a couple of the featured designers that share their thoughts on our containers and fountains are incorporated into their projects.

If you are looking for quality and durability but have been unable to get that finish that you need for your project, the Brand Book also touches upon our customization process. This release is intended to be an important digital resource for anyone who loves or is involved with creating exceptional outdoor living spaces.

Click here to be among the first to preview our brand new book.

As a professional designer you have to visit your clients and job sites. You cannot put together a credible working document without physically walking the site.

That said, when my clients (landscape designers, architects and builders) are surprised to see me get out of the truck when their orders arrive on their job sites, I’m always just as surprised by their surprise. There’s no better way to understand what they have created and how Eye of the Day was included in that process than to be there walking their design. Without the in-person visit, there’s a disconnect.

By the time the containers and other decor elements are placed, the rest of the garden is close to completion. That means Eye of the Day’s delivery puts the finishing touch on the garden. I call it the jewelry.

When the Tommy Bahama store designer for their new flagship location on 5th Avenue in Manhattan specified our Greek Terracotta done in a custom whitewash, I decided to fly to New York to meet the shipment. Because delivery is the trickiest part of my business, I wanted to be there to answer questions in person and sort out any problems if there was breakage en route, for example. In the more likely event that there were no shipping problems at all, I just wanted to show my face and make sure my clients knew I stood by my products in the most literal sense.

The man who held the door open for me at Tommy Bahama turned out to be the company’s CEO. When he found out that I was the owner of Eye of the Day and had made the special effort to come all the way from California, well, to say the least, he was impressed. It’s rare for vendors of custom, authentic products in niche industries to be so present, and it must have been a welcome change because we got the job for their Chicago store, too.

I won’t lie: travel isn’t only a sacrifice. I enjoy the perks, too. It didn’t hurt that I got to have lunch at one of my favorite restaurants, Gramercy Tavern. I just wish Cooperstown and the Baseball Hall of Fame was closer, but such is a traveling man’s plight.

I like to think of Karen Chapman and Christina Salwitz’s new book as the stylist’s guide to plant combinations. That’s not a leap, as a combination of plants devised by Salwitz—who is known for couture plants—graced the cover of this year’s March issue of Better Homes and Gardens. Serving Seattle clientele through her company Le jardinet, Chapman’s container designs have been described as transformative.

Fine Foliage: Elegant Plant Combinations for Garden and Container does much more than celebrate gorgeous foliage specimens, which by now are enjoying the popularity once reserved for blooming plants. The book groups foliage plants (and the occasional bloomer) that have complementary and contrasting features–and can live together happily in the climate they were meant for.

If you are looking for groupings based on color, texture, light needs, zone or any other characteristic, Fine Foliage makes it easy to find what you need. More importantly, these combinations have been proven successful by the authors themselves, who have tried many mixes before narrowing to these ones.

Designers needing for inspiration will find it here, especially in the busiest seasons when time is of the essence. Sometimes a bright idea from a book has the power to crystalize a designer’s approach to a client’s garden, or at least launch a solid vision board. Fine Foliage is a reference of that type, and should be kept within arm’s reach during client meetings and office hours.

Guillaume Bimar, the dynamic son and partner of Vincent Bimar, founding owner of Poterie de la Madeleine, is a proud man.  The Anduze Vase, long considered THE representational icon of French pottery is the foundation of his business, which actually produces pottery in a variety of designs and colors at their factory in the community of Anduze in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France.

Poterie de la Madeleine was founded by Vincent Bimar over thirty years ago when he decided to produce the classic vase first made in the 18^th century by the potter, Henri Gautier. During this time, there were many “free markets” in the South of France, near Marseilles.  In one of these markets, Monsieur Gautier saw Italian pottery decorated with garlands of flowers and fruit which inspired him to design his own interpretation which included the macaron gracing every Anduze Vase today. Extensive gardens in Vauvert and Anduze were decorated with Gautier pottery and soon they were being replicated throughout the area, used primarily as citrus planters.  After a time, the “Gautier” pot fell out of fashion,  and for a few centuries were made sporadically throughout Southern France by artisan potters.   When the “Anduze Vase” once again started reappearing, small family-run factories sprang up in the village of Anduze, some of which survive today.

Poterie de la Madeleine was the first Anduze manufacturer to export to the U.S. and is now the largest producer of the classic vase.  Guillaume and his father employ 46 people, thirty of whom are making pots in ten different styles and 33 different finishes.  If you were to visit the factory, Vincent Bimar might be one of those working on the pots,  he is a quiet man and stays out of the spotlight.  His son, Guillaume graduated from San Diego State University and received his Masters Degree in International Business at the University of Madrid before becoming a partner to Vincent.  Father and son share their infectious enthusiasm for their work, designing both traditional and contemporary lines of pottery.  The traditional Anduze Vase, available in classic colors, is being used in garden design throughout the United States, lending its inherent grace to a multitude of applications, but new, ultra-modern designs in exciting colors developed by Guillaume and Vincent  provide sheer compliment to mid-twentieth design.

Guillaume is proud of his family’s success in preserving a traditional French product and proud that he and his father have made it available to those of us living outside the foothills of the Cevennes.  He has his father and himself to thank.