Blog Posts by Sunset Magazine

Start your garden:
Your get-started guide
No-fail spring planting
Garden border ideas

Thomas J. Story
Put the right plant in the right place
Add low-water-use plants. Group plants with similar water needs, so nothing gets over- or under-watered. For what works in your region, use the Sunset Western Garden Book, the Sunset Plant Finder, and our plant list.

E. Spencer Toy
Water efficiently
Irrigate deeply and infrequently, then allow the soil to dry out a bit between waterings. Water early in the morning, when the air is calm and temperatures are cool. If you have sloping ground or clay soil, water more often but for less time to minimize runoff.

Norm Plate
Shrink the lawn
Across the West, lawns are the number-one consumer of residential water outdoors. Reducing their size, restricting them to spaces where you actually need them (like kids' play areas), or eliminating them altogether are the most effective ways to reduce your own outdoor water use.

E. Spencer Toy
Mulch, mulch, mulch
Organic mulches (ground bark, wood chips, compost)

Touches of nature reign supreme in this unique Mother Earth-inspired décor fit for every season
More from Sunset:
30 living room style tips
14 key decorating strategies
54 home decorating projects

Andrea M. Gómez
Coastal chic
Vintage glass bottles are like treasures that washed ashore. Paired with seashells, they help create a coastal organic look inspired by Southern California's natural and simple beach lifestyle.

Thomas J. Story
Fancy florals
Violet anemone and hyacinth blooms, seeded eucalyptus, and green berries are displayed like rare specimens in bell jars and catch the light streaming in from a window.

Thomas J. Story
Fresh centerpiece
When cut to the length of your dining table, a piece of weathered barn wood can function as a runner (no ironing required). Use the plank as a stage for seasonal produce, such as plums, pears, apples, figs, and pattypan squash. Weave crabapple branches throughout for added texture, and stagger candles nestled in pebble-filled votive holders for ambience.

Thomas J. Story
Nature-inspired bar
A bar is

Who doesn't love a good cupcake? From classic to creative varieties, these treats will be the hit of any party.

More from Sunset:
12 best morning bun & coffee cake recipes
25 decadent brownies & bars
Amazing chocolate treats

Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcakes
Vanilla Buttermilk Cupcakes
The same basic ingredients that make the cupcake recipe simple also ensure that it is over-the-top delicious. Dress this cupcake recipe up or down for showers, parties, or friendly neighborhood gatherings.
Ingredients
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking bowder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup buttermilk
Preparation
1. In a bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat butter and all the sugar until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla and beat on high speed until well blended.
2. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into another bowl.
3. With mixer

Gone are the days of discount buffets dominating the Las Vegas culinary landscape. See how Sin City has become a foodie's paradise

Downtown3rd Farmers Market
Fresh fare
Not every leafy morsel of organic goodness comes to Las Vegas in the back of a FedEx truck. The Friday morning Downtown3rd Farmers Market takes over a repurposed transit terminal where local producers sell jerky, jams, honey, mushrooms, and more.
More: Downtown3rd Farmers Market

Chocolate & Spice Bakery
Downtown dessert
Chocolatier Megan Romano sculpted desserts at Charlie Palmer's Aureole for more than a decade before decamping to Chocolate & Spice Bakery on the Westside. You'll find the usual assortment of indulgent creations (like dark chocolate hazelnut bonbons), but also a first-rate lunch menu with surprises like a Black Forest ham and cheddar panini with sun-dried tomato aioli.
More: Chocolate & Spice Bakery

Downtown Cocktail Room
The local hang
Downtown Cocktail Room feels exactly like a downtown cocktail room, with a slight speakeasy vibe, harlot-lipstick red walls, and mildly

Don't write off dahlias as your granny's flower. Here are 15 jaw-dropping varieties that will knock your socks off

More from Sunset:

20 gorgeous peonies

20 favorite perennial flowers

10 ways to kick-start your spring garden

In a weekend or less, transform your bathroom from standard to stunning with these easy and inspiring projects

1. Apply tiled backsplash to your bathroom counter
2. Build a wood-framed bathroom mirror shelf
3. Paint a striped bathroom floor

Paint your bathtub
4. Paint your bathtub
Materials
Rust-bonding primer (only if there's rust)
Shellac-based primer
Latex enamel, 1 quart
Tools
Drop cloths
Rubber gloves, bucket, and sponge-type scrub pad
Household cleaner, or deglosser if existing paint has a gloss finish
Painter's masking tape, 1 inch or wider
Synthetic-bristle brush, 1½ inch
Paint tray
Mini roller
Steps
1. Wash. You'll be painting only the exterior of the tub. Check that any existing exterior paint is intact and not flaking off. (If it is flaking, you'll need to have the tub stripped or sandblasted first so the new paint won't peel.) Position the drop cloths. Wearing gloves, wash the exterior of the tub with water and the cleaner. Clean as much of the

The next time you're looking for an arts escape, or a good burger, why not try a park? They're the cities' hippest hangouts
Digital Orca sculpture at Jack Poole Plaza

1. Art in open spaces: Jack Poole Plaza, Vancouver, B.C.
The surprise here is the life-size Digital Orca sculpture breaching vertically from the Jack Poole Plaza, a triangular slice on the waterfront. And no, the whale isn't fuzzy; it's pixelated into Lego-like blocks. Also on the plaza is the Olympic cauldron--where the flame burned during the 2010 Winter Games--now on display permanently. North end of Thurlow St.; 866/785-8232.

2. Lessons in gardening: Hayes Valley Farm, San Francisco, CA
Plunked down on what used to be a freeway off-ramp, Hayes Valley Farm is the urban equivalent of the back-to-the-earth experience you used to have to drive to. Just a block from a strip of boutiques, city farmers are growing kale, snap peas, and beets. Drop by to learn composting or take a yoga class. Free yoga; soil classes from $25; 450 Laguna St.;

When taken beyond a garnish, fresh herbs have the ability to transform a dish. We've gathered 8 of our favorite herb-incorporated recipes for you to add to your repertoire.

More herb recipes:
6 dishes with fresh oregano
13 dishes with specialty herbs
8 tasty tarragon recipes

Dill
Grilled Fingerlings with Dill
Ingredients
6 pounds fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise (if very small, keep whole)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh dill
Coarse sea salt, for finishing (optional)
Preparation
1. Prepare a grill for medium heat (350° to 450°). In a large bowl, toss potatoes with oil, kosher salt, and pepper.
2. Set out 4 sheets heavy-duty foil (each about 12 by 26 in.). Oil foil; divide potatoes among sheets, arranging them cut side down in a single layer on the short half of each sheet. Fold other half of each sheet over potatoes and crimp edges to seal.
3.