This week is all about the romantic garden.  Shawn and Blinda talk about things they love in the garden, about their favorite moments in the garden, and about–what else?–heart shaped pools.

Yes, Shawn has installed a heart-shaped pool.  Listen to the show, because trust me, you’ll want to hear about that!

And, as usual, they pack in some great interviews!

There’s Brian Hill with the Houston Zoo to talk about toads, their champagne brunch, and the zoo Free Day!  Brian always has tons to tell about the wild events over there at the Houston Zoo, so be sure to listen to all they have to offer us this month.

Then there’s Marie Lincoln with the Chocolate Flower Farm and wow, they have some incredible photos on their website!  Marie creates/grows/sells chocolate-colored flowers.  Listen, I thought it sounded crazy when I first heard about it, too, but I have to admit that I went to her website and was delighted to find photos of flowers that looked good enough to eat!  And of course, Shawn loves that many of the flowers are considered maroon in color.  Aggies.  Anyway, check out Marie’s website and I promise you, you’ll dream about brownies tonight!

We also hear from Greg Harmison with Mercer Arboretum.  He talks about Mercer’s splashy Color Garden, their Endangered Species Garden, the Thelma Mercer Garden (with the waterwall), the Vine Garden, and their Desert Garden.  Turns out Greg met his wife in the garden, which I think may qualify as a truly romantic garden encounter…he may win the YLG contest for Most Romantic Garden Story!

And finally, we hear from Molly Fowler, the Dining Diva!  She shares with us “A Romantic Grilling Recipe”

First, you must create Ambience: choose non-harsh lighting (don’t use tapered candles! This makes a Halloween look of flickering light right in your eyes). Do a canopy of lights instead, line a table with Christmas lights, or use votives on the table (avoid scented candles so it doesn’t conflict with the food).

Continue that ambience with flowers on table, and keep it simple, keep it low; make the focus on your Beloved, not the centerpiece.

Catching and reflecting the light is key–use china or porcelein dishes, metallic gold or red chargers, clear or crystal glasses.

Music is important, but keep it soft and soothing, low in volume.

Keep an ice bucket handy to keep champagne chilled, and it’s important to open it table-side to really set the mood.

CREATE GREAT SMELLS–THIS IS WHERE THE GRILLING AND MENU COME IN.

-Make sure your table is UPWIND

-Start with a grilled salad: Grilled Head of Romaine.  Use the heart, slice in half, but keep core on, wash early in day to ensure total dryness so there is no wilting.  Key is having the grill very clean and very very hot.  Brush cut side of romaine with olive oil, put cut-side down on hot grill right on flame, just briefly, creates great aroma and visual.  Serve with bleu cheese dressing and homemade croutons (you can find these recipes on her website!)

-Entree: Applewood Bacon-wrapped Filet Mignon. Wrap filet with bacon and secure with toothpick or cotton twine, 1.5″ thick steak, season with salt and pepper, allow to be at room temperature first!  Then put on grill with high heat and sear on each side, 2-3 minutes, then turn off part of grill and put steaks on the “off” side.  Then put steaks back on the “on” side and let it cook the rest of the way through.  Serve with horseradish sauce (recipe found on Dining Diva’s website).

-Dessert: buy a frozen pound cake, slice inch and a half, brush each side with melted butter or olive oil, scrape grill so your dinner remnants are gone.  Put on grill very hot over direct flame.  Sugar in pound cake will caramelize and it’s going to give it that crunchy, sweet taste, top with sliced strawberries and Gran Marnier and chocolate sauce, serve with champagne.

Ahhh…well, I know I’m thinking romantic thoughts now!  What a great combination! 

There you are, folks, a perfect recipe for romance in the garden.  Let us know how it goes for you!

I know we’re all thinking about Sunday’s big game, but V-Day is right around the corner.  And we all know what that means: the Your Livable Garden Romance in the Garden Contest.

Yes, it’s a Valentine’s Day Giveaway! Send in your story about romance in the garden–to shawn@mirrorlakedesigns.com–and the best story will win a $1400 courtyard design. 

Seriously, it’s a better gift than a box of chocolates or a bunch of roses.  Both of those will be gone in no time, but a romantic courtyard where you may snuggle with your honey?  That’s going to be a part of your life where you can make memories!  Yes, it sounds like a greeting card, but that’s what we ladies like on this, the fluffiest day of the year.

But back to the sports theme.  Specifically, the football Super Bowl theme.  Now those who know Shawn are familiar with his tendency to make sports analogies in most of life’s situations.  Well, he’s at it again.

This time, the game is on…in the garden.  And he’s talking about different plays, different players, different formations, and it’s all about your plants, your design, and your maintenance.

For instance, you have your Star Player–that plant that just makes the rest of your “team” shine.  Blinda suggests the Evergreen Pear for its jet black bark, white flowers, and its lovely shape.  That fall color is awesome, too!

They also talk about doing Superbowl flower cuttings: for the Saints, you can do Evergreen Pear cuttings with something yellow, or for the Colts you can do just blue and white pansies.

They talk about your defensive strategies too.  Don’t let the renegades–weeds, bad drainage, overwatering–screw up your game plan.  Figure out how you’re going to outthink these opponents and get ready to do it.

They do intersperse these sports analogies with some lively interviews.  Like with Stewart Thompson, founder of Martha’s Bloomers .  Stewart talks about their beautiful little operation in Navasota, TX.  They have a tea room that attracts ladies from all over the country…like Huntsville and Waco.  

And, according to Stewart, since folks tend to eat more than they plant flowers, the tea room is a good idea–it’s a place where people may enjoy themselves and feel serene as they look out over the plants that Martha’s Bloomers has to offer.  

PS–It’s a really a good place to go if you’re not into watching The Big Game this weekend.

The interview with Randy Heinbaugh of the Houston Cactus and Succulent Society is my favorite.   He talks about succulents: there’s an endless variety to get involved with, and he’s seen them artfully displayed in mosaics before & even describes how you can create a succulent mosaic yourself.

The society  meets the v4th Wednesday of every month at the Houston Garden Club in Hermann Park.  

They also interview John Currence, contributing editor of Garden & Gun Magazine, the Big Bad Chef Himself, to talk about Bacon Explosion.  

Apparently this recipe is the result of a Twitter Challenge, and it’s a deliciously decadent, bacon pie-crust-style lattice layered with sausage, rolled up and smoked.  Whoa, yeah.

But John has his own version (not that there’s anything wrong with the original) and he does it with a mix of ground chuck and ground pork, then runs a strip down the center of Italian sausage, a pound of cheese, and then some boiled eggs…making it The Bacon Explosion meets The Scotch Egg.  

What you do is weave the bacon on some plastic wrap, fill it with the above-described ingredients, then twist it all up and let it sit a couple of hours so it holds it shape.  Cook it on a smoker for 2 hours to an internal temp of 135 degrees.  When it came off the grill, it will be delicious.  John said the first one he made just smelled so amazing that it looked…sexy. 

Really, John?  Perhaps I am lacking that manly part of the brain that would look at bacon and thank, “Sexy.”  Ah, well.

John says you may eat it however you like: with an ice cream scoop, a bayonette, a blowtorch.  No, really, just slice it.  Eat it immediately off the grill (it’s a glorified meatloaf, so eat it like you would a meatloaf–with ketchup, on bread, however!)

And if that doesn’t have you salivating, it at least should be making your heart pound a little.  Perhaps out of fear for your arteries, but no matter.  You’re a part of the Livable Garden community, so you like to get moving outdoors–no Bacon Explosion can slow you down!

Okay, I’m going to have to publicize a discussion Shawn and Blinda have been having around here at Mirror Lake.  Check it out on the YLG Facebook page and chime in, because I am curious as to what folks think: http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=12548&uid=182406596567#/topic.php?uid=182406596567&topic=12548

Is good design something you can evaluate objectively?

I’m just so interested in what people think about this.  We don’t all agree about what looks good and what doesn’t, but we can often get a majority opinion.  Most women think Brad Pitt is attractive.  Well, maybe not with that little beard he’s been sporting lately.

So is it possible to look out at a waterfall that someone had installed on a pool and say, “Oh, that is objectively awful.”  Well, yes, it’s possible to say it, because I’ve been hearing it at work all week.  And a certain designer around here is personally offended when he sees poorly designed work, which makes sense: Shawn wants people to enjoy their yards while surrounded by the most beautiful design possible.  So he really hates it when people spend a lot of money on bad designs.

Anyway, check out the discussion, and tell us what you think!

And in the meantime, check out the show this week.  Shawn and Blinda stress the importance of having a plan for your outdoor designs (and this discussion is in the wake of them seeing a really ugly waterfall this week and wondering how they can help folks not buy bad designs).

They also have some really great interviews lined up with experts on dirt. 

Ahem, excuse me…experts on soil.

The first is with Karin Wallace of the Junior Master Gardeners’ Association. This association introduces children of all ages to gardening, community service, and volunteerism. They want kids to understand more about growing their own food and want this knowledge to help produce healthier adults in the future.  They organize simple, pre-made lesson plans that’s easy for kids and really helpful for teachers.  It’s probably always good for kids to know more about where their food comes from, so it sounds like this is a great organization!

They also talk with Nellene Harvey of Warren’s Southern Gardens in Kingwood. Warrne’s has the dirt, literally–and they even have it in bulk!  They offer potting soil, mulch, manure, compost, organic topsoil, and rose soil all sizes of bags.  And then they offer a great variety of materials in bulk, too.  And they deliver!  

Next up is John Ferguson with Nature’s Way. Shawn and Blinda ask him how to know what is right for the plants where soil is concerned.  Well, it turns out you don’t want really raw stuff in your soil, because your plants will be forced to give nitrogen to help break it down.  He also talks about how a bark mulch helps give nutrients back to the soil, and how a biological system is better for the soil than a chemical one.  Pretty cool stuff, and it’s all just dirt!

Dr. Joe Masabni of the Texas A&M Department of Horticultural Sciences talks to us about how soil is not just a physical support for plants, but the first thing you need to consider when planting, either at home or commercially.  He also answers some interesting questions, like: Are there any native soils left?  Why is clay bad for planting?  And then he reveals some interesting facts, like that the biggest fertlizing polluters are home gardeners, not commercial producers, because of their overuse of chemicals.

Dr. Joe explains that most soils have plenty of phosphorus and potassium–so test for them first!  Usually all you need in a fertilizer is nitrogen.  He is not for or against organics or synthetics, but rather in favor of a healthy soil.  

And then he shares this little pearl of wisdom: If your garden isn’t doing well, it’s probably because of the lack of your shadow.

Meaning spend some time in your own dirt if you want to see it produce something!

Finally, Shawn and Blinda speak with Chef Bruce Molzan of Ruggles Grill  .  Chef Bruce tells us about cooking pork with brine.  His recommendation?  One gallon of water to 1 cup sea salt to 3/4 c sugar.  (You can add peppercorns, onions, garlic, whatever; this is just the basics of the brine.)  Submerge the pork in water for 24 hours.  Then grill it–the brine increases the moisture of your pork up to 15%.  

Well, as usual, the end of the show has me salivating!  But really, I’m just chomping at the bit for spring to get here, because I’ve had enough of this silly cold weather!  I want flowers and warmth and butterflies again. 

Or maybe just a little romance in the garden…remember, this is one of Shawn and Blinda’s favorite radio contests!  Send in your most romantic garden experience and win a free design!  Just describe your romanic garden encounter in an email to shawn@mirrorlakedesigns.com in time for Valentine’s Day, and you could win!

Okay, that’s all the dirt for this week!

Talk about a great topic for the new year!  Shawn and Blinda are talking about growing nuts and fruits on this week’s Your Livable Garden.  Considering the number of new year’s resolutions people have made concerning diet and nutrition, I’ll bet everyone’s interested in growing their own health food!

But first, I have to mention a few of the nutty, fruity ideas they’ve had in the past few years.  Most of them have to do with garden design, but this one is just for office morale: Birthday Dunking.

See, at Mirror Lake (where Shawn and Blinda draw on years of landscape design experience for all these great Saturday morning shows), we like to celebrate employees’ birthdays with a litte splash of fun.  In our display pool.

This week, it was our foreman’s birthday.  I have never, ever seen Ramon go in the pool.  Here is the incriminating photo from the last time I saw people thrown in–see how he’s darting away?  That was the closest I ever saw him get; usually he hides in his truck on the other side of the property while people get thrown in the pool.

Ramon on his way to the pool

But this time, Shawn made sure he went in!  And he commented afterwards that the water must have been right at 32 and a half degrees.

This Time, Shawn Takes Control

Anyway, a few of their other nutty ideas have turned out to be pretty successful, even popular!  Like this one they have been implementing in some of their designs–the Man Cave.  Blinda says it’s often called The Doghouse.  Well, call it what you want–Man Cave, Doghouse, Cigar Courtyard–it’s that space outside where guys who ordinarily weren’t interested in the landscape are now excited to be!  It can include fire pits, and games of extreme skill like…darts. Or Who Burps Loudest.  It is a place of No Fluffiness, a place where a man might hang his tools on back of garage.  Where he might convene with the other men and grunt a little, reflecting on the successes of his fine life.

They also come up with a new nutty idea–name all the songs/artists of the music used in the show this week (emailed to shawn@mirrorlakedesigns.com) and you can win free fruit trees!  They’re picking 3 winners, so don’t hold back!

They also interview several area experts about fruit tree growth and availability. The interview with John Matthews of Shades of Texas covers some of the benefits of this recent freeze for fruit production! And here are some of the trees available from his store: lemon, avocado, guava, citrus, apples, pears, nectarines, pomegranites, peaches…and they’re big, like 30 gallon containers!  Some may even already have fruit on them when you purchase!

They also interview Dr. Carol Brouer about the fruit trees, berries, and nuts available at the Harris County Ag Extension fruit tree sale today!  Carol explains that we can grow apples around here, which ones, and why.  Anna and Dorset Gold both do well here, and there are typically enough chill hours in this areas to make flowers and even set fruit.  Make sure you plant another tree with either of these so that you get pollination, though, otherwise you might be waiting a loooong time for an apple.  But just check out the fruit tree sale and you’ll also encounter enough experts to answer all your fruit tree growing questions.

Carol also talks frankly with us about growing fruit trees.  They are a high-maintenance item, and do require a lot of care and attention.  But if you don’t want the hardest thing to grow around here, do citrus!  They don’t even really require very much pruning, and if you get a Satsuma, the blossoms smell awesome.  She also likes growing grapes–in containers–on a trellis, and likes them as a patio cover in the summertime.

And she really likes saying “orangequat.”  Gosh, who wouldn’t?

They interview Natasha Schischakin from Buchanan’s Native Plants and talk about some of the more interesting fruit trees offered at Buchanan’s…they also talk about some of Buchanan’s more typical fare, like Myer Lemon and Mexican Lime, the latter of which Shawn enjoys planting for a Pico De Gallo Garden (or, as Natasha points out, a Margarita Garden!)  Pay attention to their conversation about growing figs, too, because they are perfect for growing here in Houston.

Finally, the interview with Scott Thomas, one of the Grillin’ Fools, covers cooking with wood from fruit trees.  Check out his web site for a mass list of items to use for smoking on the grill.  Mmm–then he covers his Beer Can Chicken, cooked in a roasting pan with everything you’d use in a stew, over apple wood, which gets in the sauce and the potatoes.  It’s like a manly crock pot meal!  He also recommends doing it with a chuck roast.  Both of these feed tons of people, are easy to do, and pretty inexpensive!

Okay, well, I’m pretty hungry and have places where I can buy trees that produce fruit!  See ya’ll there!

$9 Christmas trees?

Apparently you can buy a Christmas tree for under $10!  Today, if you go to  Plants For All Seasons(Louetta location) and tell them that Shawn & Blinda with Your Livable Garden sent you, they’ll give you a tree for $9.

I guess they know it’s been a tough year for everyone, and they don’t want anyone to have to miss out on one of Christmas’ sweetest traditions–the tree.

Good for you, PFAS, for really getting into the Christmas spirit!  It’s almost a Christmas tree giveaway, and that’s just the kind of thing that warms my heart this time of year.

It’s also pretty heartwarming to see how much the kids enjoy this time of year–and especially to see how much they enjoy the non-commercial aspect of the holidays.  Listen to some of the great ideas that Charlie with the National Gardening Association has for kids out in the yard, and check out the details at www.kidsgardening.com

Shawn and Blinda also talk with Brenda Beust Smith, aka the Lazy Gardener of the Houston Chronicle, about absurd things in the garden. Brenda notes that after this past freeze, her rain tree did well, and so did her roses.  But Shawn will comment on how many things did not do quite so well…like our annuals, which we’ll now have to call “daylies” or our xanadus, which are now “xanadon’ts.”

Stay tuned for some updated photos of the office, of Shawn and Blinda’s pool, and Mirror Lake’s  Christmas party!

This week, our dear hosts of Your Livable Gardencover a lot of ground.  So to speak.

This is, after all, the longest-running landscape architectural show in the nation.

Anyway, to begin, Shawn and Blinda are still trying to settle into their new house while simultaneously designing and installing their front and back yard.  While simultaneously running a business.

They are feeling the weight of all these projects, and that’s understandable.  They’re closer than ever to having a completed pool.  Plans are being made to eat turkey and dressing for Thanksgiving, and then relax in the spa after The Pie Eating.

So the whole project will be complete soon, along with pictures.

And in the meantime, they have a show full of fabulous interviews.  Like the one with John Thomas of the Bartlett Tree Experts.

Or the interview with Patsy Williams of the Houston Rose Society.

Or the interview with Brian Flaherty of Plants for All Seasons discussing plants that give great color in the winter.

Of course, my favorite may be the interview with Scott Thomas…better known as the Grillin’ Fool.   He gives us great instructions on cooking a whole turkey on the grill (and the salt water marinade you’ll use to make it so delicious!)

So be sure to listen in this Saturday from 6-8am on KSEV 700AM to Your Livable Garden!

This is definitely the time of year to be outdoors in Houston.

The weather is amazing.  Chilly in the mornings, warm in the afternoons, and often times so low in humidity that I have a good hair day or two every week!

So Shawn and Blinda are keeping busy with installing outdoor living spaces (through their company, Mirror Lake).   And, as they have been discussing on Your Livable Garden (every Saturday from 6-8am on KSEV 700AM), they are really keeping busy installing their very own project: their front and back yards.

Here are some updated photos of the pool:

The freshly-gunited pool from the corner of the yard

The new brick work on the 6' wall

And another view of the brick work

Yet another view...so you can really get the full idea

Of course, Shawn and Blinda are perfectionists when it comes to…well, everything.  So some of the brick work is being redone, even as they broadcast the show.  I’ll give you new pictures as they become available!

In the meantime, check out the audio link for this week’s show to hear interviews with Chef Chris and Kevin at Riley Fuzzel Farm.  And don’t forget this week’s contest:

Email your guess as to the poorly worded sentence in the show’s opening to blinda@mirrorlakedesigns.com to win a free design from Mirror Lake, a $1400 value!

There’s plenty to be afraid of these days.  Walking around at night, identity theft, mullets…so much strikes fear in our hearts in this day and age.  It’s a wonder we have the guts to venture outside.

Especially when there is so much scary stuff going on in our very yards.  Or our neighbor’s yards.

This week on Your Livable Garden, Shawn and Blinda explore some of the more frightening aspects of garden design that can be seen up and down our streets.  I invite you to enjoy their stories (check out the show on KSEV 700AM from 6-8 Saturday morning, or just click on the link for the audio file at www.livablegarden.com ).

They also speak with the Houston Museum of Natural Science about this Saturday’s event: Tricks, Treats, & T.Rex (http://www.hmns.org/generic/trickstreats.asp?r=1).  The museum always puts on great events, so be sure to check this one out!

But enough of the show review.  I know what you’re really after.  You want to see photos of Shawn and Blinda’s Super Special Project…their own yard!

The darn weather has held up the progress of some of this installation, but the front is now planted and the bubbling fountain flows.

Shawn surveys his domain

The Architect Pays Careful Attention to Every Pebble's Placement

Her Ladyship is Pleased!

They chose a Mega Bergerac paver for the driveway/walkway...good for the large scale

But the real genius lies in the trees they planted in the driveway. Not next to it, but in it!

Along with Blinda's well-nurtured Texas Mountain Laurel, this front yard is indeed something to just stare at for awhile.

The summer shade from the oak will make for a perfect little seating area on the top terrace.

So it looks like things are wrapping up in the front…but be sure to check back here, because  we’ll be posting photos of the tile and coping on the pool!

It’s a familiar story: boy meets girl, boy marries girl.

Boy designs a front yard patio for girl, girl coordinates aspects of installation of new pool, boy and girl suddenly learn what it is to be The Clients in a Landscape Architecture Project.

Hm, okay, not such a familiar story.  But wow, intriguing, no?

A familiar story...sort of...

Especially when Boy and Girl are Shawn and Blinda of Your Livable Garden, Houston’s most exciting 2 hours of weekly radio programming (available Saturdays 6-8am on KSEV 700AM, or anytime on www.livablegarden.com).

This week, besides recounting all the interesting aspects of having their new house landscape redone, Shawn and Blinda discuss that ever-popular herb, cilantro, with Janice Teas.  It’s about that time of year when you can plant cilantro, and it’s just the perfect herb for all sorts of cooking. 

My favorite way to serve cilantro?   Chop it up and put it on the table in a little bowl next to some chopped onions and a little salsa for any sort of dish meant to be South of the Border.  There’s really nothing so deliciously fresh as chopped yumions and cilantro on top of a taco.  Simple, vibrant, and crunchily delicious.  You must try it!

But that’s not all the deliciousness going on with the show this week.  Shawn and Blinda also interview Scott, purveyor of incredible grilling recipes through that magnificent blog, www.grillinfools.com . 

This week, Scott shares his Best Fall Grilling Recipe Ever, along with that tasty Halloween treat, Pig Candy.  The latter is not for the faint of heart, and I mean that in an arterial way.  Brown sugar and bacon are definitely foods of the gods, but gods that must spend time on the treadmill to keep their cardiovascular systems in check.  Drooling already?  Check out his site, or better yet, click on the audio file for this week’s show and listen to him describe it himself (again, that’s www.livablegarden.com ).

But back to the meat of the story.  Shawn and Blinda are on the other end of the landscape design/build spectrum now, and it’s really fun to see.  Not only was the gunite shot in this morning for their pool in the back yard, the sprinklers for the front were installed while Mirror Lake’s crew worked on their hidden basin fountain. 

Oh yeah, and the garage door guy showed up.  It was a regular party of subcontractors.  I think the neighbors are going to start dragging chairs out to their front yards to watch.  Or even better, they’ll call Mirror Lake to have a front courtyard installed where they may gather in style and comfort to watch all of this unfold.

But for those of you who can’t see this happening in person, here are a few photos to enjoy!

Shawn discusses the finer aspects of plumbing with Marcos

The foreman of Mirror Lake inspects Shawn's hidden basin fountain

Definitely the most exciting part of building pools

Loud, messy, and powerful...what's not to love about a gunite shoot?

Anyway, there will be more updates as the project unfolds…stay tuned!