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.

Eye of the Day Installations at the Pasadena Public Library and Santa Barbara Museum of Art

Pasadena Public Library and the Garden Club

On April 23rd and 24th, the Pasadena Public Library was transformed into a botanical paradise. “Reflections – A Centennial Celebration”,  was presented by the Pasadena Garden Club. The purpose of the Garden Club of America flower show staged within the Library was to set standards of artistic and horticultural excellence. Judges from all over the United States offered their evaluation of the individual entries.

Myron Hunt,  one of the club’s founding members, was the architect for the Pasadena Public Library and the architect for the Casita del Arroyo, a community meeting house, with a water demonstration garden and butterfly sanctuary, which has been the major community project for the Pasadena Garden Club since it was conceived, designed and built as a public works project during the Great Depression.

An Eye of the Day favorite landscape architect and member of the Pasadena Garden Club, Sally Farnum of SE Farmun Associates, designed two succulent gardens for the front area of the library and chose two Gladding McBean Oil Jars in a vibrant blue green color to frame the library entry.

We think they should be there permanently!

Eye of the Day and the Buddha at The Santa Barbara Museum of Art

Recently our good friend Virginia Hayes, curator of Lotusland, sent Julie Jordan, Curator of Contemporary Art at The Santa Barbara Museum of Art to Eye of the Day to choose a container for an upcoming exhibit.  Julie chose the pot and Virginia planted it with lotus.  Now visitors entering the Museum’s historic Ludington Court will see the finished product next to which is the focus of the exhibit, a 26′ long and 6′ high inflatable, reclining Buddha.  The sculpture is the work of Lewis de Soto and is entitled Paranirvana (Self-Portrait) and the exhibit will be in place through July 31st.

We are so fortunate to be a part of this great installation!

THE OUTLIER’S GARDEN

Outlier: something that lies outside the main body or group that it is a part of; “different” than the rest, not better, not trying to fit in, just different.

This is how I describe my garden when I’m asked.

Even when big-time designers visit Eye of the Day, their jaws drop. We often hear, “I’ve never seen anything like this.” We are proud of our store and business. Most people assume our home must be some magnificent park or arboretum. We just laugh and smile and say it more resembles a garden on LSD, it’s definitely a trip.

My garden is truly my sanctuary, my go-to place; it is where I want to be all of the time. It is my laboratory, my test kitchen and I love every recipe I try. I learn about the plants, I learn how they function in different pots and soils. I propagate, I mix, I simply play all day.  I’m fortunate to have access to so many beautiful containers; yes, most are broken and rescued from the dumpster but I don’t care. I get to experiment and when the results are spectacular, I bring them back to Eye of the Day to share them.

Take a look at this Greek Pithari I planted five years ago with a miniature rose, spectacular if I say so myself.  Even landscape designers comment on it and we know how critical they can be. They make winemakers look good.

My garden is an outlier when it comes to design but I think it is far more interesting and it is definitely more alive than most.

I will be posting pictures of my private garden here on the Blog ongoing for those who are interested to see just how unarboretum-like my wonderful garden really is.

Antique Spanish Oil Jars

I get a call from Brent at Eye of the Day.  He’s stuck in traffic on the 405 freeway in L.A., and he could use a little help unloading a container that’s just arrived at the Port of Los Angeles. I get up from the potters wheel, wrap my clay in plastic and head to Carpinteria not knowing what to expect.

Typically, Eye of the Day containers are from Greece, Italy or France  and are packed to the gills, having made the arduous journey from the Mediterranean. I know from experience that shipping ceramics in any capacity can be precarious at best, so you never know what to expect when you finally open the door.  On this particular day I figured it was more of the same, the usual three-to-four-hour marathon of unloading fragile, heavy, awkward, authentic terra cotta. I was both right and wrong. To my great surprise, the container comes from Spain. Oh man, this is gonna be awesome!

When Juan cracks open the door ever so slowly, so as not to lose anything that may have shifted in transport, it is clear that this is perhaps a once in a lifetime experience. Before me lies the mother lode of antique Spanish oil jars, richly textured, impeccably handmade, and well worn from years of use. Some are stitched up with metal staples, some seemingly have bee’s wax in them, some look as if they were glazed by the hand of a two-year old, and almost all of them have some measure of olive oil still inside!

Each pot is a masterpiece. It’s as if each and every piece has its own unique story of function colliding with inherent beauty.  These oil jars are museum quality, some of the most fantastic pieces of pottery I will ever see in my life. Yours too, when you make the trip to Eye of the Day to catch a glimpse of these Spanish beauties before they are all sold!

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