Blog Posts by Sunset Magazine

Add a dramatic pop of color to your home or garden with these vibrant choices for containers.

Florists' chrysanthemum
Florists' chrysanthemum is a go-to staple for cool-season color.

More: How to grow florists' chrysanthemum

Heuchera
Heuchera comes in a wide variety of colors, and many will keep their leaves all winter long.

More: How to grow heuchera

Nemesia
Nemesia brings cheer (and fragrance) through the cooler months.

More: How to grow nemesia

Snapdragon
Plant snapdragon in a pot for instant impact.

More: How to grow snapdragon

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Calendula
Calendula comes in shades of apricot, cream, and soft yellow.

More: How to grow calendula

Flowering kale & cabbage
Flowering kale (and cabbage, too) has interesting rosettes that really pop in containers.

More: How to grow flowering kale and cabbage

White cyclamen
White cyclamen are stunning and provide the ultimate classic winter

It's autumn's most beloved--but expected--icon. Let's see what the pumpkin can really do.

Whip up a happy holiday with pumpkin carving ideas and tricks the neighborhood will love.

Get it right in your yard this season by using these rules to grow by.

At the nursery: Buy the best

Look for plants that have healthy foliage and no roots creeping out of the nursery container's bottom drain holes (which means they're probably rootbound).

Small is smarter

When you have a choice, buy little plants (in 4-inch nursery pots); they're less expensive (usually under $5), easier to handle, and will catch up to the larger ones with winter rains. Smaller plants are your best bet if you need multiples to fill out a bed. Gallon-size plants, on the other hand, start around $10 each but can provide instant effects.

Check plant tags

Find out how big the plants will grow, and whether they need sun or shade. Then choose plants that will thrive in the spot you have in mind for them. "Full sun," for example, means you should plant in a spot that gets at least six hours of sun a day.

Consider compost

Unless you have your own compost pile

Want to try your hand at baking bread? Use these easy step-by-step instructions for making the perfect loaf.

More from Sunset:

Baking with unusual wheats

How to make fresh cheese

Summer canning guide

Bring on the magic of fall with beautiful pumpkin arrangements (no carving!)

Our picks for the very best bulbs, greens, trees, and more to set out now for a vibrant garden come spring.

Take advantage of fall's beautiful colors with leafy decorations for your home and garden.

Make a wreath

When trees are freshly painted with their burnished fall hues, take advantage of their splendor. Gather some leaves and clippings to create wreaths or swags for your gates, doors, or mantels. For a quick update on your porch, fill a pot or window box with the colors of the season.

Bunches of Chinese pistache leaves cover this 8-inch straw wreath base (about $10 at craft stores).

How-to: Wreath

Make a swag

This gracefully curving swag creates a leafy half-moon on a garden gate. Japanese maple clippings and liquidambar leaves are tucked into a base of twiggy stems.

If you have a birch or similar tree that drops wispy branches, you can gather several into a bunch and tie them in the middle with florist's wire. Otherwise, buy a twiggy swag base at a craft store (about $10 for one 16 inches long).

How-to: Swag

Fill a window box