PRESS:

Check out my interview, Designing Your Ideal Garden on Texas Homes, one of the top sites for Texas real estate, including Houston, TX homes for sale. Texas Homes also services New Mexico homes for sale and Georgia real estate.

EDIBLE AUSTIN,  Summer 2009, No.9,  In Your Own Backyard:  My Gardening Manifesto by Jason Minshew, photography by Jody Horton

AUSTIN MONTHLY, The Food Issue, November 2009,  by Rob Hodges featuring Jason Minshew’s work at Habitat Suites

MAXIMIZING YOUR GREEN LANDSCAPING by Megan Campbell May 06, 2009 Keye TV News, a news spot featuring Jason’s ideas about  transforming people’s yards from grass and ornamental to edible plants

TESTIMONIALS:

I bought a 1923 bungalow on Castle Hill a few years ago whose large front yard had been neglected for decades. It was famous in the neighborhood for being a place where every seed had a chance to grow! I saw the potential, though, and so did Jason. We agreed that the house needed a GARDEN, not a lawn. After a few idea sessions and some sketches I gave him free rein to let his creative genius guide him. The result of his work is magical; there are secret paths and lush plantings one can discover through serendipity. He planted with a sense for scent, as well as for texture and color, and things change with every season. All this, and yet the garden requires very little water! This little paradise Jason created in Old West Austin is a constant pleasure for me and for everyone who lives within view. Neighbors regularly thank me. I’m serious.

– Darla Hastings, residential design,installation & maintenance client

Jason Minshew/JBird & Co have worked with my landscaping for a little over 2 years.  I feel that his approach is more one of stewardship.  His connection is with the garden as a whole; his perspective is long range and in sync with the natural evolution that transforms our landscaping into a garden.  His attention is focused on moving toward a more native surrounding and away from the experimental approach that I began with 12 years ago. He is very aware of water conservation and works on all problems with a natural rhythm that is not only successful but inspiring.  jason and his family are treasures!

— Cissie Ferguson, residential maintenance client

Jason doesn’t just plant, he creates a personalized horticultural ecosystem for you and your property, and he educates. We have learned so much about seasonal planting, geographic varietal compatibility, herbs and vegetables we’ve never tried, recipes, and sustainability and stewardship of our land. Now, thanks to Jbird, we don’t just own our land, we are a part of our land, and that is a great feeling.

— SueAnn & Roy Crouse, residential edible garden installation & maintenance client

I lost a large post oak in my backyard and was terribly sad but, when life gives you a ton of sunshine, make vegetables! Jason designed a backyard vegetable paradise for me that included, redesigning the flow of the yard, removing some tiny beds and creating 3 large raised vegetable beds with accompanying trellis works.  I am currently in the midst of my first season and have realized, to my horror, that my garden may be a bit too big for my stomach. I have literally given away 50 cucumbers, mounds and mounds of green beans and am currently deciding whether eating the 40th absolutely delicious tomato is doable. (I say “Yes!”). I am currently looking into canning as a way of coping with the abundance, but as they say, it’s a nice problem to have.   Oh, did I mention Jason also did a fab job of redesigning my front yard and helping me put in a new lovely, pebble driveway?–Douglas Plummer, residential installation & edible garden client

When we first met Jason, he hadn’t yet begun JBird and Co.  We only got to have him with us on weekends, but the results he achieved even after the first month were significant.  Before starting JBird, we told him how excited we were to have access to him and his crew to grow more food, clean up the Permancultured grounds which hadn’t been revived in a decade, and to make our grounds an integral part of our guests’ and our staff members’ experience.  Jason was systematic in his approach:  he took the areas that needed the most attention first, and in making them beautiful, the whole property became more lush and vibrant.  He was always looking to move plants that had become crowded and re-locate them.  Not using chemicals was right in line with his own beliefs, so we had all sorts of fun deciding what to grow, what would be a good demonstration for our guests to see and learn about urban farming, and how to give our staff access to local, organically grown food.  We accomplished all these goals simultaneously and our gardens and landscaping are one of the most frequently complimented features of our property.  Jason took our vision and put it into the land itself.  Teaming with food and flowers, we thank JBird and Co. daily for the berries we pick, the okra we grill and the kale we saute throughout the year.

–Natalie Marquis of Habitat Suites Hotel, commercial design, installation, & maintenance client

JBird’s work at our condominium revitalized landscaping that residents had overlooked for years.  Jason’s design brought life and strong visual interest to dated and neglected areas.  As HOA manager, I truly appreciated the generosity he showed with his time and knowledge during the bid, design and plant selection process as well as his creative passion.  It was a pleasure working with JBird, and the community is so thrilled with the results that they have insisted that only they return to design and implement a second phase project.

-Lisa McTiernan of Perch Management/ Railyards Condominiums, commercial design & installation client