Blog Posts by Sunset Magazine

Can't get enough of the delicious spring vegetable? Enjoy it in these quick and easy meals, made in 30 minutes or less.


Roasted Asparagus
Here's a quick way to cook asparagus with flavorful results. If you're making roast chicken, you can throw this in the oven in the last 20 minutes and have both ready at the same time.

Recipe:
Prep and Cook Time: 25 minutes. Yield: Makes 6 servings

Ingredients
• 2 bunches asparagus (about 2 lbs.)
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup packed freshly shredded parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 475°. Hold the end of an asparagus stalk and bend until it snaps off. Repeat with remaining stalks and discard woody ends.
2. Toss asparagus with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss well. Arrange asparagus in an even layer in a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake until asparagus is crisp-tender and cheese is

Turf grass-based lawns require a lot of watering-and therefore a sizable investment. See how to ditch the lawn in favor of beautiful, easy-care gardens.


Shady patio garden
A sycamore takes center stage in this lawnless yard. Shade created by the tree keeps the patio cool while permeable paving, potted plants, and other design details keep watering to a minimum.
> More: Get the design details for this yard


Low-water curb appeal
A variety of plants with low water requirements replaced the former sterile expanse of rocks covering the front yard of this home. They are all heat-tolerant and were chosen to provide year-round interest. Pavers take up most of the space where thirsty grass might grow instead.
> More: Get the design details for this yard


Succulents replace turf grass
A tapestry of succulents replaced the lawn in this front yard. Designer Kendra Berger of Revive Landscape Design used 5 kinds of aloes, two types of aeonium, Bulbine frutescens, Agave attenuata, and lots of

These crops are surefire bets for your edible garden. Get our tips on planting and growing, and lay the groundwork for a delicious harvest!


Slicing tomatoes
'Early Girl' bears tasty red fruits on vining plants, and sets fruit at lower temperatures than other tomatoes. It's a great all-purpose tomato. 'Tigerella', an heirloom type, has red- and-orange striped fruits with a tangy flavor. 6 plants grown in open ground can supply a family of 4 with enough tomatoes to eat fresh and use for canning or sauce.
> Related: How to grow the perfect tomato


Sweet corn
The plants may be too tall (5 to 10 feet) for some small gardens. But a sweet corn such as 'Kandy Korn', 'Sweet Symphony', and 'Silver Queen' is worth growing in a sunny plot―you'll never find a sweeter corn in markets. These types of corn are good enough to eat right off the plant when picked at peak ripeness. Once standard sweet corn is picked its sugar changes to starch quickly. By rushing ears from the garden to boiling water,

Get inspired by these ideas for a backyard kitchen equipped with everything you need for cooking alfresco.


Party food from garden to grill
Everything this homeowner needs to prepare meals outdoors is here in his countertop kitchen, and a few steps away is a stylish veggie garden that yields many of the ingredients he likes to use.
> See more of this outdoor kitchen


Warm backyard kitchen
A couple turned bare ground into an airy pavilion for feasting. They love to entertain outdoors, so they organized their garden around a covered pavilion, featuring a cooking center, wine-tasting bar, and dining area.
> See more of this outdoor kitchen


Cozy, curvy patio
Great shapes and native plants create a haven for all seasons. This outdoor living nook was designed as a modern version of the classic Southwestern barrio garden, complete with a mesquite-burning fireplace.
> See more of this outdoor kitchen


Build-your-own barbecue bar
Build a stunning bar for backyard cooking and entertaining.

See how a barely usable backyard can evolve into a cozy family retreat


Before
With no privacy, no personality, and-the biggest drawback of all-no place to sit, this 550-square-foot side yard had little to recommend it. However, with a few smart strategies, the space transformed beautifully.


After: Added height and a chic dining space
A truckload of salvaged redwood came to the rescue. Some of the boards were used to add height to the existing cement-block wall; others were turned into a sturdy dining table as well as the backs and bottoms of cushion-topped, built-in seating. What's more, the aged redwood brought with it the character the yard had been missing. With space to dine, gather, and play, the area is now the family's favorite hangout in the garden.
> Related: 21 idea-filled outdoor dining rooms


Fun furniture
A pair of red antique school benches are a perfect match for the distressed wood of the dining table.
> Related: How to develop an indoor-outdoor color palette


Plants

Get inspired by these ideas for beautiful container plantings for your deck, entryway, or yard.


One-pot vegetable garden
Not everyone has the room or time for a big edible garden. But even if you're limited to a lone container, you can still enjoy a summer's worth of homegrown produce for pasta, gazpacho, and even garden-fresh Bloody Marys.

> More: How to plant this one-pot vegetable garden


Plant a pot of living color
Like a canvas waiting for paint, an empty garden planter can become anything you desire: a meditation in violet, a carnival of oranges and limes, or a quiet study of leaf shapes and textures. Here, Seattle container designer Marsha Davis-Thomsen used Purple fountain grass, Zinnia 'Profusion Orange', Pelargonium 'Tango Violet', variegated English ivy (Hedera helix 'Gold Ripple'), Calibrachoa 'Liricashower Blue', and Acorus gramineus.

> More: See the planting plan


Vertical container garden
Containers don't have to sit on the ground. Here, cuttings of assorted

Traditional Italian dinner favorites get a tasty makeover in these tasty recipes.


Puttanesca meatball sliders
Transform classic puttanesca sauce into a topping for casual meatball sliders. These work well as a main course or as an appetizer. Close them with long toothpicks if you like.

Recipe:
Prep Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Yield: Serves 5 or 6 as a main course or 8 to 16 as an appetizer

Ingredients
• SAUCE
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed*
• 1 can (28 oz.) whole peeled tomatoes, puréed
• 1/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
• 1 tablespoon roughly chopped capers
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• MEATBALLS
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup panko (Japanese-style bread crumbs)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated pecorino cheese
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
•

Learn edible gardening experts' tricks and tools to giving your garden personality


FOR AN ECO-MINDED GARDEN:


Kitchen scraps collector
You can grow so much more per square foot with nutritious soil-and to make soil rich, it's essential to add compost.
> Where to buy


Affordable plant pot
No reason to spend a fortune on containers. Buy used ones at flea markets or shop at affordable retailers where ceramic pots look so much more expensive than they are.
> Where to buy

MORE WAYS TO CREATE AN ECO-MINDED GARDEN


FOR A MODERNISTA YARD:


Graphic pillow
Choose a better pattern selection than what's typically offered by outdoor fabric and bring in your pillows every night.
> Where to buy


Stretch gloves
Working in soil tends to dry out one's skin. These are made of a stretchy fabric with neoprene over the palm and fingers, so you maintain dexterity.
> Where to buy

MORE WAYS TO CREATE A MODERNISTA YARD


FOR AN URBAN GARDEN:


Teal beach glass
For a mod urban touch, mulch with beach glass or