Your Livable Garden

The Texas wine industry is exploding. Steven Morgan of the Bluebonnet Wine Trail joins the show to share the insides and outs of this bustling business and how you can enjoy the fruits of their labor (we couldn't resist the pun-ortunity.)

The principles of Islamic garden design have informed almost all of the work at Mirror Lake since Shawn first learned of the concepts in school.  Today, Shawn and Blinda chat with Emma Clark, author of The Art of the Islamic Garden.  Emma Clark designs gardens with a fundamentally spiritual and holistic outlook, undertaking them for private clients and public institutions, both in the U.K. and abroad.  She specialises mainly in Islamic gardens, focusing on contemporary interpretations of traditional principles. She is Senior Tutor on the post-graduate Visual Islamic and Traditional Arts  (VITA) Programme at The Prince’s School of Traditional Arts, London

Continuing from last week, Shawn and Blinda discuss the various elements that define and distinguish the quintessential southern garden.

Shawn and Blinda reminisce growing up in the south. Southerners have a unique relationship with their gardens, and along with guest "Skip" Richter, the three dish on zucchini-bikinis, black eyed peas, and more.

The kid are getting antsy! There are only a few more weeks of school left, and if you have little ones you know that they're ready for summer. Shawn and Blinda chat with Chris Kiewra of Nature Explore, a non-profit whose mission is to "to help children and families develop a profound engagement with the natural world, where nature is an integral, joyful part of children’s daily learning" Chris offers insight into how best to get your kids away from their screens and in front of nature.

A quick way to add curb appeal to your home is integrating a water feature to your front yard. It may seem like a bold or intimidating gesture, so Shawn and Blinda talk you through everything you need to know to create a welcoming space around the water. 

If you need some attractive ground coverage at a great value, Shawn and Blinda have the answer for you. Are you looking for low maintenance and beautiful coverage with low maintenance? One of these options may be a great solution. Listen on!

Over 30+ years, Shawn has designed thousands of backyards and swimming pools. And he has noticed one fascinating phenomenon within these designs: our response to circles.  Sounds strange? Hear the man out...

There's a trend within newer planned neighborhoods: larger lots - much larger than the neighborhoods we've been familiar with the last thirty years or so.  With this increase in property and real estate comes a unique design challenge. Mainly, how do you design for so much more acreage??  Shawn and Blinda dish out some design solutions for these larger lots. 

The front yard is a unique area in our homes. It is where our private property intersects with our neighbors and communities. Too few people homeowners realize their front yard's potential. Shawn and Blinda discuss how to make the most of this neglected real estate. 

Before you build a pool there are some things you should consider: Mainly, most of your time will not be spent in the pool; It will be spent around it. This consideration should inform a solid, comprehensive backyard design.  ​​​​​​​Shawn and Blinda discuss...

Shawn and Blinda have made a name for themselves owning and operating Houston's premiere landscape design firm, Mirror Lake Designs. But more and more, homeowners are turning to YouTube, Pinterest, and other sources to facilitate their need to DIY their own backyards. In this episode, Shawn lays down the basics of sand-laid paver patios. 

Google and the internet has been a wonderful source for the 21st century gardener. Often times, the solution to our garden scourges can be found with a little self-investigation and a internet connection. However, other times our problems are more daunting. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the average homeowner could send in a sample of a disease-ridden plant, and get a professional diagnosis?  This is where Sheila McBride enters the story...

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Shawn and Blinda discuss this years' favorites. Favorite plants, shrubs, memories... It's a feel-good episode where Shawn and Blinda just talk about all those things that make us warm and fuzzy inside.

"Use your lawn as a design element." Michael Shawn Kelly breaks down exactly how to make the most of your front yard, and how to use specific design elements to create a livable garden in your own front yard.

Shawn and Blinda experience electrical problems with their Christmas lights, and Texas A&M professor of Horticulture, Monte Nesbitt, gives us the dirt on a terrific and unique Christmas gift for the green thumbs in your family.

Shawn and Blinda tell the story of how they put together one of their favorite landscape designs for a client who had already "auditioned" several pool builders. So how does a trained and experienced landscape architect approach a new design? It begins with asking the right questions... and perhaps some rather blunt observations.

With enough children and grandchildren to fill an entire baseball roster, Shawn and Blinda know a thing or two about how to entertain and delight children in their garden. From wacky Dr. Seuss-like plants to delicious edibles, you too can introduce your children to the wonders of your own garden.

Shawn and Blinda chat with John Ferguson of Nature's Way about how to best create your own at-home compost pile. After all, now is the time to do it in preparation for spring plantings. Plus, you'll be surprised how composting can affect how much and when you water your plants.

Shawn and Blinda chat with a client about his experience with Mirror Lake Designs

Shawn and Blinda discuss a clever trick to integrate your favorite football team into your flower arrangements.

Brock Wagner from Houston's own St. Arnold's Brewery joins the show to discuss the inner workings of our favorite beer.

Between running an award-winning landscape design company, producing a horticulture podcast, and keeping up with their grandchildren, it came as a surprise that Shawn had some downtime. And when Shawn has downtime, odd things can occur.Here are a couple of the radio spots that made their way on the air over the years... courtesy of an overactive imagination, and a few spare minutes of time in the studio.

Your livable garden is about to get a little weirder. Shawn and Blinda chat with expert botanist of the bizarre, Larry Mellichamp about his discoveries while writing "Bizarre Botanicals: How to Grow String-of-Hearts, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Panda Ginger, and Other Weird and Wonderful Plants""There's no reason to forsake lilies and petunias. But after reading Bizarre Botanicals, gardeners will want to take a walk on the weird side and try a few of these peculiar plants for themselves."

Ah the smell of rain! But what are we smelling exactly? And why do some people love the fragrance of Carolina Jasmine, and our hosts can't smell it at all? Charles Wysocki breaks our sense of smell down to a molecular level, and reveals what he thinks a skunk smells like... you won't believe his answer.

It may be 105 degrees out, and you may be looking for a cool retreat out in your backyard. Is it possible? Yes! With a little imagination and the right materials, you too can enjoy your backyard in these dog days of summer. a

The Islamic garden is regarded as one of the highest forms of visual art in the civilization of Islam, and this guide explains these gardens' history and symbolism.

Not everyone lives onacres of land out in the country. Many of our designs take advantage of very limited real estate. A small yard doesn't mean you can't have great design.Shawn and Blinda discuss the different varieties of courtyard designs that Mirror Lake specializes in.

Fire Ant Expert Dr. Paul Nester digs deep and explains why fire ant mounds pop up when they do.

Darrin Duling from the Mercer Arboretum offers choices for color in your yard, even as the heat persists...

Most folks don't even know that a Landscape Architect is a profession. Their only experience, after all, is with pool builders and pool contractors. But there is a huge difference between the landscape architect, and a guy with a shovel. Let Texas Registered Landscape Architect No. 869 (Michael Shawn Kelly) explain the difference.

One element of great design technique is creating a focal point in your yard. But, you may be asking, what creates a great focal point? Glad you asked...

Sometimes it feels like we have to coax our children to get outside and play. Luckily there are programs like Nature Explore that help make this a little easier on us adults. Chris Kiewra from Nature Explore tell us more... 

There once was a time when we would spend our evenings out on our front porches. We would enjoy a beverage as the sun set, and wave as the neighbors took a stroll around the block. Smart, beautiful landscape design can help you reclaim your front yard. Shawn and Blinda tell you how. A front yard design by Michael Shawn Kelly & Mirror Lake Designs

Uh oh, Easter is coming up. And there are going to be a lot of kids coming over! How do you keep them busy?How about Easter Egg coloring with a twist! Blinda explains more...

Azaleas don't get the credit they deserve. Shawn and Blinda discuss the missed opportunities that azaleas offer.

Looking for a fun day-trip around the Houston area? Somewhere you can enjoy a local wine, some dancing, and great food? Take a little trip down to Santa Fe, TX where Raymond Haak tends to his three acres of grape vine at Haak Vineyards & WineryShawn and Blinda interview Raymond and learn more about this local vineyard.

We are surrounded in the Houston area with subdivisions of two-acre lots. Typically, these homes are built up several feet above native elevation. The intention is good - to keep the home dry. But too often, the homeowners and the builders themselves do not know how to mitigate the unforeseen consequences. Shawn and Blinda explain...

The American Porch: An Informal History of an Informal Place (Part II)

Shawn and Blinda interview the delightful Michael Dolan, author of The American Porch: An Informal History of an Informal Place

Shawn and Blinda interview the photographer, Charles Kruvand, the artist behind the gorgeous photographs in The Living Waters of Texas.See some of Charles's beautiful artwork at his website: www.CharlesKruvand.com “In ten impassioned essays, veteran Texas environmental advocates and conservation professionals step outside their roles as lawyers, lobbyists, administrators, consultants, and researchers to write about water. Their personal stories of what the springs, rivers, bottomlands, bayous, marshes, estuaries, bays, lakes, and reservoirs mean to them and to our state come alive in the landscape photography of Charles Kruvand.”

Scott Thomas offers his killer Jerk Steak recipe for a fun weekend grilling recipe.

Don't dig it up! Shawn and Blinda save you the hassle of removing ugly and dying plants.

Shawn and Blinda recall a time when Shawn was saved by a giant Aloe Vera in their backyard...

Which offers better shade: a giant tree, or a gazebo? Your Livable garden hosts, Michael Shawn and Blinda Ann Kelly, explore the strengths of a shade tree in a backyard design.

Sometimes shifting your perspective will allow for design possibilities to flourish.

Designers and contractors are not the same thing. Shawn and Blinda discuss the difference between the two, and how to best communicate with a contractor.

Maybe that giant plastic play set isn't the most reasonable choice for your children...

Shawn and Blinda share the story of a client narrowly avoiding a very costly mistake.

A few helpful pointers before you throw your back out transplanting that tree...

Shawn and Blinda discuss how a well designed backyard can be the perfect environment for raising a kid.