Summer Preparations

It's about that time--time to dig in, push forward, pull out all the stops and just make things happen out on the job sites of Mirror Lake.

...and then throw Jose Luis in the pool, eat some birthday cake, and enjoy the lovely summer flower arrangements Michelle and Blinda formed from pure, feminine inspiration.  Well, that inspiration was helped by some handy Mirror Lake property plantings.  And a pair of scissors. And Dad's love for the Shrimp Plant (see below).

Okay, so this time of year is not really out of the ordinary at all.  And it's not all hard work or all hard play around here; as usual, it's a whole lot of both!  As the days grow longer and hotter, we take advantage of the relatively cooler morning hours by beating the sun to work and accomplishing most of the outdoor tasks before 2pm. 

Meanwhile we ladies keep the crews inspired with summer flower arrangements, gatorade, and birthday cake.  But for the weekend, we're putting up all the shovels and kicking back by the Mirror Lake pool...umbrella drinks in hand and Jimmy Buffet playing in the background.  Now that's a 4th of July!

Cranberries and poinsettias...two of the plants that are pretty much guaranteed to make you think of Christmas.  That's why Dad and Blinda interviewed some of the most informed experts on both plants during this week's Your Livable Garden.  Mr. LeFleur of the Cape Cod Cranberry Association (www.cranberry.org , and PJ Ellison of Ellison's Greenhouses (www.ellisonsgreenhouses.com )told us everything we could ever hope to know about these lovely crimson crops.

As if that weren't enough, we also heard about some of the best gardening gloves out there: foxgloves.  With so many designs and colors to choose from, every gardener out there is guaranteed a set of very fashionable hands when using these products! www.foxglovesinc.com

We also heard some more local gardening dilemmas described in letters to Blinda.  Dad and Blinda are always ready to help the confused homeowner create a liveable space in his or her backyard.  From helping someone entertain a large family outdoors to describing how to identify a pool leak, the dynamic duo of Your Livable Garden walk everyone through even the muddiest of garden messes.

We also heard from a local Houstonian who also happens to be president of the Houston Rose Society.  He filled us in on winter care for your roses, then Chef Chris filled us in on winter care for our tummies.  It was certainly another fun, informative show, so be sure to tune in next week so you don't miss out!

Christmas Gifts for Gardeners

This Christmas, what can you buy for the gardener in your life?  Another pair of gardening gloves?  A bag of mulch?  Yaaaaawn.  Surely there are better gifts out there!

Well, yes, there are.  And don't call me Shirley.  That's right, Dad and Blinda gave us all kinds of ideas for gifts for gardeners on this week's Your Livable Garden. They had representatives from Arbor Gate (www.arborgate.com ), Garden Gate (www.gardengateco.com ), Buchanan's Native Plants (www.buchanansplants.com ), and a local Christmas Tree Farm (www.springcreekgrowers.com )giving us all the information we need to buy something truly special for that gardener in our lives.

Of course, if you're not too interested in buying something, you can always try to win a gift instead.  Yes, this week's Your Livable Garden Challenge will allow you to win a very cool, very ergonomic garden tool.  All you have to do is name all the garden implements you can think of.  Write 'em down and email them to Dad at shawn@mirrorlakedesigns.com .  If you can name the most, you'll be giving the best, most ergonomic gardening gift this year!

Remember to listen in on Saturday from 6-8am on KSEV 700AM!  Can't get that frequency where you live?  That's okay.  Just go to www.ksevradio.com to listen live.  Don't miss out on the best gifts for gardeners!

A Garden of Thanks

The Your Livable Garden Challenge is still on!  Until Wednesday, November 21st, hosts Shawn and Blinda will continue to receive your entries to win a Mirror Lake design!  Remember to compile your list of plants with animal names (and they have to be able to grow in Houston or they will be disqualified) and email it to shawn@mirrorlakedesigns.com to be eligible to win.  The person who sends in the most Houston-hardy plants with animal names will win a Mirror Lake design!

Whew, well, now that I'm all excited, I have to let ya'll in on the rest of the show's excitement.  This week, Shawn and Blinda are reflecting on the things for which we are most thankful--especially the things in the garden.  From gardening tools that make toiling in the soil a little less painful (check out www.radiusgarden.com ) to the beautiful memorial garden built by Mirror Lake at St. Ignatius Loyola in Spring, Blinda and Shawn covered just about everything that would make you want to give thanks.

They also interviewed Linda Gay of Mercer Arboretum, one of the most beautiful public parks in all of greater Houston (http://www.hcp4.net/mercer/).  I myself used to visit Mercer with Dad when I was much younger, and Linda informed us that it is not only educational for adults and children alike, it is also a very romantic backdrop for marriage proposals.  Not bad for a public park, right?

Of course, what could make you more in the mood to give thanks than hearing from the most expert of all pumpkin gurus, Bob Matthews?  Certainly his interview with Shawn and Blinda about the juiciest details of those glorious orange gourds is exciting enough, but you haven't really experienced pumpkins until you've visited his website: http://www.pumpkinnook.com/.

Top it all of with Chef Chris' amazing fondu recipes, and you've got a show to be thankful for!  So be sure to listen in Saturday mornings from 6-8am on 700AM KSEV.  Not in range for that frequency?  Check it out for a live stream at www.ksevradio.com. 

Call of the Wild

To be honest, I thought the most exotic garden pest was something along the lines of a termite with a foreign accent.  Who'd have thought it was something far worse, something that thrives on innocent, unsuspecting roses (and dozens of other Texas argicultural staples)?

Well, if you're feeling a bit dim on the subject, fear not, for Gaye Hammond explains the ins & outs of Chilli Thrips on this week's Your Livable Garden.  It turns out the Houston chapter of the Rose Society has a very knowledgeable president, particularly where Chilli Thrips are concerned.  Our hosts were filled in on this relatively new pest by President Hammond, and her interview gives a lot of good information.

Of course, YLG doesn't like to disappoint as far as information is concerned.  So this week's show includes interviews with the Houston Zoo's own marketing guru and horticulturalist, a representative from Contech to speak about the best product for preventing larger pests in the backyard, and of course, Chef Chris.

So be sure to tune in to 700AM Saturday morning from 6-8am (or stream at www.ksevradio.com ) to hear the wilder side of landscaping.  And be sure to gather as many plants with animal names that grown in Houston and email them to shawn@mirrorlakedesigns.com to win a free design by Mirror Lake Landscapes, Pools & Waterfalls!