Sunset Garden 2021

TH E GAR D E N I S S U E

Celebrate

Spring Healthy Recipes Home Decor Hacks Inspiring Gardens

PL

US

!

OUTDOOR ESCAPES EASY BUNGALOW UPGRADES CACTUS CARE 101

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THE GARDEN ISSUE

THOMAS J. STORY

52

The path at the top of the hill at L.A.’s Flamingo Estate.

GARDEN ISSUE 2021 • SUNSET

1

CONTENTS THE GARDEN ISSUE Stephen Carter runs the farm program at Scribe. Here he checks in on the harvest.

Food & Drink

65

Spring Supper Gorgeous garden-totable dishes from

Santa Barbara author Valerie Rice.

70

Sonoma Rising Next-wave winery Scribe hosts an alfresco family

feast starring roast lamb and the

freshest vegetables in Sonoma.

84

The Pantry Sweet and savory

plant-based snacks.

Travel & Escapes

87

Hotel Happenings New and noteworthy hotels to dream of visiting soon.

Picture Perfect

96 Garden Photography 101 Shooting tips from our staff photographer.

Editor’s Letter The beauty of dirty hands.

9

Best of the West

Home & Garden

13

ern farm style, cool

planters, and more.

18

32

Plant Pretty

SUNSET • GARDEN ISSUE 2021

living in Marin.

44

new garden gear.

36

Garden Checklist What to do in your

English Accents A DIY remodel on a

busy city street yields

Gold shovels, chic

garden now.

2

Next level outdoor

a serene urban family retreat.

We’ve got the best

Lily Cameron shows plastic habit.

40 Patio Goals

aprons, mod clogs:

The Zero Waste Kitchen how to kick your

An exclusive peek at cactus collection.

Justina Blakeney’s interior design.

Cactus Maximus L.A.’s largest private

How to Jungalow tips for maximalist

Top nurseries, mod-

22

52

Garden Party A tour of Flamingo Estate’s gorgeous gar-

dens, topped off with

dinner and a cocktail.

ON THE COVER

Stephen Carter and Silvia Bagnacani watch the sunset at Scribe Winery.

Photograph by TH O MAS J. STO RY

THOMAS J. STORY

6

Viewrail FLIGHT floating stairs say a lot about your love of openness and elegance.

From design to installation, we make it easy to make your statement.

FREE Design Starter Kit Includes material samples and our Viewrail FLIGHT Buyer’s Guide to help you get started.

Order yours today by visiting www.viewrail.com/Sunset

Delivering the Future of Stairs & Railing

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2/22/21 10:31 AM

EXPERIENCE THE AT GRAND CANYON WEST

$

59

GENERAL ADMISSION & SKYWALK EXPERIENCE

Visit GrandCanyonWest.com or call 888-868-WEST to Learn More!

Visit our website to learn more about our COVID-19 safety protocols.

(Skywalk Experience prices valid through 2021. Other restrictions may apply.)

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S PO N S O RE D C O N T E N T T RIP PLA NNER

GRAND CANYON WEST

The ultimate western destination can be an easy inspiring day trip or an epic immersion in nature and culture. Here are three ways to experience the accessible wonders of Grand Canyon West.

With jaw dropping views stretching to the horizon, the rich history and heritage of the Hualapai Tribe, and activities ranging from a superlative selfie moment to a multi-day rafting trip, Grand Canyon West is the best way to experience the West’s premiere natural wonder. Just six hours from Los Angeles, four hours from Phoenix, and two hours from Las Vegas, it’s a destination in it’s own right or an easy add-on to many classic Western road trips. Here are three trips for travelers of every taste. Pick one and go grand, grander, or grandest!

GRANDER: ADVENTURE IMMERSION THE PLAN: H I K I NG AN D RAFT IN G W IT H H UA L A PA I LO D GE AS HOME B ASE

If you have a little more time and want to go deeper into the Grand Canyon West experience, you should add at least an overnight stay in Peach Springs, Arizona.

Two hours east of the West Rim on historic Route 66, the town is the capital of the Hualapai Nation and a handy home base for active travelers who want to stay a day or more. For travelers seeking a literal and figurative immersion into the Grand Canyon, there’s no deeper an experience than a whitewater river rafting tour of the Colorado River guided by the Hualapai River Runners. Yes you’ll get all the bone-chilling, goosebump inducing thrill of riding the rapids, but all you’ll also learn the past and present traditions of the Hualapai first hand from tribal members.

GRANDEST: CULTURE MEETS NATURE THE PLAN: W E ST R I M TO P E AC H S P R I NG S D OU B LE DIP

GRAND: BUCKET LIST DAY TRIP THE PLAN: SELF IE O N TH E SK Y WA L K, B R AVE TH E Z I P L I NE, HELICOPTER BIRD ’S E Y E VIE W

To experience all the facets of Grand Canyon West, create an itinerary that checks all the boxes on the bucket list: Skywalk selfie? Check. Zip Line and helicopter tour. Check. Be sure to plan a visit to Eagle Point on the weekend to attend dances and musical performances by the Hualapai Tribe, take a self-guided tour of a historically correct Native American village, and support local artisans at the Native Hands Gift Shop. Round out your trip to the east at Peach Springs with a one-, two-, or five-day river rafting trip that includes an inspiring hike to Travertine Falls. Opt for a longer overnight trip in the canyon to fully connect with nature and reset your soul.

For more information and tickets go to grandcanyonwest.com

You’re 4000 feet above the floor of the Grand canyon, nothing between you but glass, and you couldn’t be happier. That’s the thrill of the Skywalk, the horseshoe shaped glass bridge you’ve likely seen on your instagram feed, and just 2 hours from Vegas it’s a thrill that tops the bright lights of the Strip. Yes it’s about having your mind blown by an amazing view of the Grand Canyon with that life changing scale and unparalleled beauty. And yes it’s about taking a killer photo you’ll share on your socials. But consider getting closer to the action on the Zip Line that speeds 40 miles per hour over a side canyon on Hualapai Ranch or splurge on a helicopter tour crowned with a pontoon ride on the Colorado River.

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Western Dirt

CHAIRMAN & PUBLISHER

Michael A. Reinstein PUBLISHER

David Steinhafel

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Hugh Garvey CREATIVE DIRECTOR

“Most good gardeners don’t wear gloves.”

That’s Sunset staff photographer Tom Story mak­ ing the case for a photograph to be included in this issue’s feature about L.A. urban farm fanta­ sia Flamingo Estate. In it, horticulturist Jeff Hutchison holds a backlit amber jar of essential oils extracted from the resinous leaves of black sage, his fingernails dirty in the way only someone who’s spent the day gardening can—and should—be. Tom would know what a gardener’s hands look like, seeing as he’s photographed every garden issue we’ve published since he joined the magazine 21 years ago. Typically you don’t show dirty nails in a lifestyle magazine. That is unless you’re Sunset, where gardens are in our DNA and dirt is under our fingernails if we’re doing our jobs right.

Feeling the warmth of topsoil, the cool earth just below, knowing just how healthy that dirt is by touch and direct contact with the soil: those are the lovely messy tactile realities of gardening, which is what makes it such a satisfying pursuit in a world where a crystal clear glass screen on our smart phones increasingly mediates how we experience much of the world. And what that dirt yields is often very specific to the passion of the gardener: the swaths of native plants that paint the hillside of Fla­ mingo Estate and end up in their culinary and wellness products (Garden Party, page 52). The rare cacti at L.A.’s Cactus Store where the team obsessively celebrates our xeric plant brethren, spiky survivors and metaphors for us all (Cactus Maximus, page 22). The Pinot Noir and Sylvaner grapes at Scribe winery in Sonoma where they’re commited to making quaffable wines. But it was the chicories I ate there that blew my mind (Sonoma Spring, page 70).

You see, Scribe’s head farmer Stephen Carter has a thing for chicories, endives, radicchio, and all manner of bitter salad greens (he’s the kind of guy who flys to Italy to attend chicory conferences). He runs the farm program that’s the botanical backbone of the tasting menu Scribe serves to guests. And it was a speckled leaf of chicory born of that Sonoma dirt and Stephen’s loving obsession that tops my list of most delicious things I’ve eaten all year. Bitter, yes, but also aromatically honeyed and sweet, crisp yet tender, with earthy flavors that can only come from love and attention and direct contact with the dirt, gloves off.

Michael Wilson PHOTO EDITOR

Christine Bobbish STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Thomas J. Story

SENIOR DIRECTOR, DIGITAL INITIATIVES

Matt Gross

DIGITAL DIRECTOR

Jasmin Perez

HOME & DESIGN EDITOR

Christine Lennon ASSISTANT EDITOR

Magdalena O’Neal DIGITAL PRODUCER

Nicole Clausing WRITER

J.D. Simkins

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR

Jamie Elliott

EDITORIAL INTERN

Teaghan Skulszki Sales SVP, MEDIA SOLUTIONS

Mort Greenberg VP, PARTNERSHIPS

Kathleen Craven HEAD OF TRAVEL

Pamela Coffey HEAD OF OUTDOOR

Kristi Rummel

VP, REVENUE OPERATIONS

Kelly Facer

DIRECTOR OF AD OPERATIONS

Kathleen Pratt

SENIOR ACCOUNT MANAGER

Isabel Lanaux Marketing

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Stephen Kamifuji

HEAD OF CUSTOM EVENTS

E D ITO R-I N - CH I E F

Tracy Seng

Sunset Publishing Corporation

JOIN THE SUNSET COMMUNITY SunsetMagazine

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Copyright ©2021 Sunset Publishing Corporation. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.

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For assistance with your Sunset subscription, call 1-800-777-0117.

6

SUNSET • GARDEN ISSUE 2021

Tom Griffiths, Graydon Sheinberg

VP, AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT & CIRCULATION

Shawn Byers

THMOAS J. STORY

—Hugh Garvey,

virginia robinson gardens we’ll be here when it’s safe and you’re ready to visit!

Come visit this legendary landmark house and garden in 90210!

The very first estate in Beverly Hills, the Virginia Robinson Gardens is a public garden in the heart of the most glamorous city in California. In a remarkable public-private partnership, the former home & gardens of department store heirs Harry & Virginia Robinson is preserved, restored, & programmed for the benefit of the visiting public, open by appointment only for tours, lectures, and a rarified view of life at the turn of the last century as the new town of Beverly Hills was taking root as the entertainment capital of the world.

Please check our website for reservation updates

Virginia Robinson Gardens 1008 Elden Way Beverly Hills, California 90210 www.robinsongardens.org

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page

78

Three Distinct Idea Homes. Triple the Design Inspiration.

MALIBU

From the desert to the coast, Sunset presents the Idea Hub. The ultimate destination for design influence and creativity driven by the unique architecture and geographic beauty of Southern California. Find it all at Sunset.com/ideahub •Updates on our three Idea House projects

DESERT OASIS

•Ideas in architecture, home design, and living •Design trends •Smart homes •Appliances and fixtures •Expert advice from brilliant creative-design minds •DIY product reviews •Garden & landscape plans

SUNSET BEACH

Plus our new Idea House Workbook series will reveal tips, tricks, and hacks from home renovation experts.

Sign up for the Idea Hub newsletter: sunset.com/idea-emails Sponsorship opportunities: sunsetsales@sunset.com

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BEST

OF T H E

WEST

Green Dreams

Our favorite pioneering nurseries around the West that set the high bar for plant perfection.

Story by H U G H GARVE Y and CH RI STI N E LE N N O N

JESSE WALDMAN

Pistils Nursery in Portland. Turn to page 10 to read more.

GARDEN ISSUE 2021 • SUNSET

9

Plant Paradise

↙

PORTLAND, OR PISTILS NURSERY This Portland institution

VASHON, WA THE COUNTRY STORE AND FARM

necessities like staghorn

well-curated shop, plant

sells urban garden

For over 50 years this

ferns, stylish tools, and

nursery, and you-pick

even bantam chicks

from its “mothership”

location, pictured here

(a second location is in Slabtown).

PISTILSNURSERY.COM

FARMHOUSE STYLE Former Sunset senior home editor Daniel P. Gregory chronicles the world’s sleekest and most stunning rural architecture in this beautiful coffee table book. $45, PRINCETON

ARCHITECTURAL PRESS / PAPRESS.COM

10

SUNSET • GARDEN ISSUE 2021

↑

farm has served its

community of 10,000.

Here you can also pick up a Patagonia fleece and local coffee.

COUNTRYSTOREANDFARM.COM

↓

LOS ANGELES, CA PLANT MATERIAL California natives,

succulents, and cacti

abound at this gallerylike Eagle Rock nursery that also sells its own brand of garden

apparel, cool Japanese tools, and raw honey harvested nearby.

PLANT-MATERIAL.COM

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: COURTESY OF PISTILS NURSERY; LINDSAY FOSTER; CAITLIN ATKINSON (2); BRIAN WALKER LEE/ COURTESY OF FIELDWORK DESIGN & ARCHITECTURE, USED WITH PERMISSION OF PRINCETON ARCHITECTURAL PRESS

We’ve always considered nurseries essential businesses. Here are three that nurture and inspire.

be

a sho

t

e

u

1 o ut t o t h

e s!

HONEY DO In addition to excelling at all things culinary and saline, Oregon’s Jacobsen Salt Co. also sells top flight (pun intended) collections of single-origin nectar harvested in Oregon, Washington, and the high desert. 5 VIAL HONEY

2

COLLECTION: $38;

JACOBSENSALT.COM

Pots & Circumstance

3

Three cool ways to level up your garden game indoors

1

2

3

Does your golden pothos

Growing bonsai from seed is

Online plant store Horti

with this delightful palo santo and

for counter space? Go vertical

payoff of having this miniature

right plants for their needs.

that boasts a 100 hour burn time and

funnel planter, which doubles

$58; SKEEMSHOP.COM

HOLISTICHABITATCLT.COM

↑

BUG OFF

HANG UP

Repel little critters in the yard naturally

habitat have you scrambling

citronella-scented candle from Skeem

with this terracotta hanging

comes with a protective wood top.

as a suspended sculpture. $128;

TRIM DOWN

KIT OUT

not for the impatient. But the

redwood forest on your desk or windowsill may be worth the effort. $50; UNCOMMONGOODS.COM

connects humans with the

Order a hard-to-kill single pot, a curated kit, or cutting vases, like these . $18; HEYHORTI.COM

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The New Sunset Garden Collection

PHILLIPS Approx. top of flag

000000_PZ Garden Flag PZ Garden Flag approx. 12” x 17.625” The flags are PRESTITCHED by vendor and vary in size. Just the front will be sublimated. Template has 3/4” bleed on top, and the other sides have 3/8” bleed.

Line 1 Font: 50 Sailor Font Size: 102pt Characters: 8 Justification: Centered Color: Navy Hex: 2a3851 CMYK c88,m76,y44,k37 CAPS CASE Sample: HARRISON

**PRINTING...IMPORTANT!... Per Jeanie...When printing, line up on BOTTOM with 3/8” bleed. Top will have extra graphics that will overhang the flag, and will not print. **DESIGNER: Keep in mind when designing, there is 3/4” bleed on top, and 3/8” bleed on sides and bottom.

Image area (no bleed) guidelines: 1” in from side edges, and 3/4” in from top and bottom edges to allow for varience in size of the flag substrate (they vary horizontally from 11.25” to 12.5”.) It’s ok for background art to bleed off, but important items, and PZ should adhere to image area (no bleed) guidelines. See example.

HARRISON Sunset Garden Apron made from 100% organic hemp—a material that’s stronger than denim ($125).

Personalized 12” x 17” Garden Flag featuring vintage Sunset cover ($16.99). Garden Flag Stand ($14.99) .

Sunset Fisher Blacksmithing Hand Trowel ($62.99).

Our new collection of garden tools and decor bring functionality, sturdiness, and a bit of beauty to your backyard. Visit our online shop to see the ever-expanding line of unique items. shop.sunset.com

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HOME

GARDEN

In Justina Blakeney’s third and most personal book, the designer and artist shares the stories and inspiration behind her multicultural, more-is-always-more style.

Story by CH RI STI N E LE N N O N

PHOTOGRAPHY © 2021 DABITO

Extra, Extra

&

GARDEN ISSUE 2021 • SUNSET

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SUNSET • GARDEN ISSUE 2021

“I love starting

with a few amazing pillows and

throw blankets.

It’s the perfect

way to get your feet wet. Everything from a

tablecloth to a colorful textile

over my head-

board. It’s lowcommitment,

and a great way to gauge how

different colors

and styles make you feel. Once

you get a toe in,

maybe you want to go deeper,”

says Blakeney.

journeys around the world. Her point of view and experiences seem even more valuable seen through the lens of 2020 and the important conversa­ tions about race and ethnicity society has grappled with over the last year.

“As I was writing this [book], and with everything happening around the social justice movement, I was very sensitive to cultural appropria­ tion,” she says. “Think about what you’re buying, where you’re getting it from, and who is profiting from it.

Bring it into your home with respect.

As long as you’re doing that, I think it’s absolutely wonderful.”

PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY FOR JUNGALOW: DECORATE WILD, INCLUDING ALL INTERIORS SEEN HERE, BY DABITO.

CLAUDIA LUCIA

been twelve years since Justina Blake­ ney started her design blog, Jungalow, the platform she used to spin her de­ votion to eclectic maximalism into a beloved brand. Today, her name and “New Bohemian” trademark are syn­ onymous with global boho style, and an outsize appreciation for house­ plants (she has over 50 in her own Los Angeles home).

Blakeney has been generous about sharing what inspires her from the beginning, offering up countless ideas and how-to’s to her half-million social media followers. But it wasn’t until she started writing her third design book, Jungalow: Decorate Wild, that she started digging even deeper into the genesis of her aesthetic, the why that drives the what. Blakeney uses the book as an opportunity to unpack

her personal history, and her travel­ ogues, to explain the roots of her lay­ ered, exuberant perspective.

“It all goes back to the story of my childhood home and my parents, and my style reflects the story of who they are,” says Blakeney, who grew up in Berkeley with academic parents who filled their home with a love of ideas, culture and travel. Blakeney’s father is Black and Native American, and her mother is Jewish of Eastern European descent. She understands better than anyone that two seemingly disparate cultures can come together and cre­ ate something wholly original and unique in its beauty.

“It’s a healthy, beautiful way to ap­ proach the world, and it’s almost ca­ thartic for me to think about it this way. We’re all mixed. I often felt like an outsider coming from two differ­ ent cultures, but we’re all a mashup of so many different things,” she says.

To illustrate the point, Blakeney chose a handful of disparate-seeming styles and combined them to create new looks that challenge conventional labels. All of which are explored with stunning photographs from her own

HOW TO MIX-ANDMATCH LIKE A NEW BOHEMIAN

NEW MEXI-COPENHAGEN

Once you get past the obvious

aesthetics aren’t as opposite as they

palette, the dusty red clay of the arid

architecture meshes nicely with that

differences in climate and natural

American Southwest compared to

the wet and wintry forest greens and icy whites of Scandinavia, the two

seem. The stark simplicity of adobe famous Danish modern point of

view, and the two styles embrace

down-to-earth, hand-woven textiles.

START SLEEK

ADD TEXTURE

To get the look,

Toss in a rustic

boxy Scandin-

locally spun

start with the

vian-inspired

Sven chair from Article.

$849 / ARTICLE.COM

pillow made of wool from

Chama, New Mexico. $145 /

HANDWEAVERS.COM

GARDEN ISSUE 2021 • SUNSET

15

SIT TIGHT Blakeney sug-

gests anchoring the room with

rustic Equipale chairs from Mexico.

$950 ONEKINGSLANE.COM

GO BRIGHT Layer in vibrant hand-sewn

Suzani textiles such as this

throw pillow. $200 CHAIRISH.COM

TURK-ICAN

Turkey and Mexico, two countries on

Hand-stitched Turkish Suzanis and

surprisingly simpatico decorative

similar in style, featuring floral and

opposite sides of the globe, have

styles. Both are known for romantic,

hand-painted ceramics, rich colors,

detailed rugs, and rustic furnishings.

16

SUNSET • GARDEN ISSUE 2021

Mexican Otomi embroidery are very fruit motifs in hand-stitched

designs. Combine the styles for a colorful and cozy sitting room.

GO CAL Begin with

beachy wicker

accessories like this lamp from Serena & Lily.

$295 SERENAANDLILY.COM

PUNCH IN PATTERN Add a stool or bench

upholstered with hand-dyed

African mudcloth. $350 ETSY.COM

WEST AFRI-COASTAL

On Blakeney’s list of must-see

with in California.” Both styles cel-

want to explore the continent,”

and the color blue. “I wanted to

places, Africa is at the top. “I just she says. “My own heritage

comes from West Africa. And

coastal décor is what I grew up

ebrate found natural materials

figure out how to blend these two

design philosophies with artifacts and ideas that feel really fresh.”

GARDEN ISSUE 2021 • SUNSET

17

The Zero Waste Kitchen

We can all get behind the idea of wast­ ing less and recycling more, but come garbage day our bins often overflow with trash, much of it destined for landfill. Like many of us, Lily Camer­ on wanted to do better and set off on a path of reducing waste in her life. She and her husband now run the pioneer­ How shop, cook, clean, ing low-waste housewares shop Wild Minimalist in San Rafael, California. and eat well, according to Oakland-based sustainability While we’ve all heard the stories of ex­ treme paring-down that yields a single expert Lily Cameron jar of waste in a year, that sort of sus­ tainability is, well, not very sustain­ able. In her new book, Simply Sustainable: Moving Toward Plastic-Free, Low-Waste Living (Ten Speed Press; $25), Cameron lays out an achievable plan for wasting less and living cleaner. The trick is to start small but with the big cul­ prit: plastic. Only 9 percent of plastic produced has ever been re­ cycled. The remaining 91 percent ends up in landfill or leaching into our water as microplastics, which make their way into our bodies, the oceans, seafood, and soil. While the book breaks down how to reduce waste throughout the home, here Cameron shares suggestions for how to set up a greener, cleaner kitchen. “The easiest way to reduce kitchen waste is to prevent it from even en­ tering your home,” she writes. That means nixing anything that can’t be reused in near-perpetuity: plastic and paper bags, food that comes in boxes, tubes, or tubs, as well as sponges, paper tow­ els, and plastic bottles of soap and detergent. Here are Cameron’s tips for reducing waste in your pantry, fridge, and at the sink.

18

SUNSET • GARDEN ISSUE 2021

REPRINTED FROM SIMPLY SUSTAINABLE. COPYRIGHT © 2020 BY LILY CAMERON. PHOTOGRAPHS COPYRIGHT © 2020 AUBRIE PICK. PUBLISHED BY TEN SPEED PRESS, AN IMPRINT OF RANDOM HOUSE. PORTRAIT OF LILY CAMERON BY NICOLE MORRISON

WHEN IN DOUBT, LABEL IT

Rice and pasta are easy to identify at a glance, but jars containing hard-to-identify items, like baking powder and flour, might benefit from a label.

DECANT IT

Zero-Waste Pantry

Buy dry goods in bulk using cloth bags, then transfer into jars at home.

For messy-to-decant items, like sugar and flour, bring jars to the store to fill directly.

STOCK THE STAPLES

Having staples such as grains, legumes, and nuts is handy for lastminute meals and snacks during a busy week.

KEEP IT VISIBLE

Storing pantry essentials on open shelves in glass jars makes it a cinch to see what you’re running low on so you can add it to your grocery list.

PREVENT PESTS

Storing foods in airtight latch-top jars helps prevent spoiling and pest contamination.

SHOP YOUR PANTRY

Plan meals around the items in your pantry to free up storage space and minimize food waste.

ORGANIZE

BY THEME

To keep your food tidy and accessible, organize sections by theme. The top shelf is mostly breakfast items, the middle is leftovers and snacks, and the bottom and crisper are for whole and partially used produce.

STICK IT IN WATER

Keep asparagus and carrots crisp by placing them in a jar of water.

MAKE A FRUIT BASKET

Zero-Waste Fridge

Place fruit in a basket or bowl at eye level so it is more likely to be seen and consumed.

KEEP IT CLEAR

HYDRATE GREENS

Store delicate greens and herbs, like lettuce, dill, and cilantro, in a cotton produce storage bag. The bag keeps produce hydrated and crisp while wicking away excess moisture.

Storing foods in transparent glass containers makes it easier to see what you have at a glance.

WRAP IT UP

Preserve half a melon or avocado with a beeswax cloth wrap instead of plastic wrap or a disposable bag.

LINE YOUR DRAWERS

Keep crisper drawers tidy by lining them with folded tea towels. Then add loose fruits and vegetables for plastic-free storage.

FIFO

Practicing the first-in, first-out rule, place older and perishable foods like yogurt and leftovers toward the front so they’re less likely to be forgotten.

RACK IT UP

Place a recyclable metal or wood dish rack on a cotton tea towel for drying dishes.

BRUSH UP

Zero-Waste Sink

KEEP IT CASTILE

Clean dishes with a wood dish brush instead of a plastic sponge.

Wash dishes and hands with Castile soap bought in bulk in a glass bottle.

CLEAN WITH COPPER

DECLUTTER

A minimal countertop makes it easier to cook and tidy.

Use a copper scrubber to loosen stubborn bits of food from castiron skillets and pans.

GRAB A RAG

Use a cloth rag to wipe counters after food prep and crumbs after meals.

GARDEN ISSUE 2021 • SUNSET

21

CACTUS MAXIMUS AN EXCLUSIVE SNEAK PEEK AT ONE OF THE WORLD’S GREATEST COLLECTIONS OF CACTI. PLUS, THE ULTIMATE CACTUS-GROWING GUIDE. Story by H U G H GARVE Y Photographs by TH O MAS J. STO RY

GARDEN ISSUE 2021 • SUNSET

23

IN a world of Instagram plantfluencers and pandemic plant parenthood new­ bies and trending Monstera and fa­ mous florists, the Cactus Store in Los Angeles stands out for its lovingly ob­ sessive, time-tested engagement with all things hardy and spiked. While most folks know founders Carlos Morera and Max Martin and crew from their little shop in Echo Park, the majority of their time is spent at a semi-secret HQ studio in Atwater.

Housed in an old brick warehouse with an adjacent 2,000-square-foot greenhouse, their private collection of cacti lives and is tended by, as Martin calls him, “resident plant whisperer” Billy Ramirez. This appointment-only space has never been photographed, and we’re thrilled to share an exclu­ sive peek inside this indoor garden of xeric wonders.

Everywhere there are spikes; in some spots there is fuzz and fur, and needles, and draping leaves. It’s an alien garden of cudgels, spheres, ele­ phantine paddles and columns, fan­ ning starbursts, and 87 shades of green—and pink, blue, purple, and red. To walk inside is to be over­ whelmed by the sheer diversity of what reductively can look like a car­ toon cactus in one’s imagination— and to be hyper-aware of the delicacy of one’s skin. Cacti are so unlike us we can’t help but stare.

Even to people who will never own anything beyond a $15 Home Depot ball cactus, the Cactus Store as a brand is many things: a shop selling cacti and beautiful cactus-propaga­ tion gear, a signifier of a kind of artadjacent cool, handsomely packaged cactus-care tools and soil, a lifestyle brand selling apparel and accessories (including an “International Opunti­ oid Society” sweatshirt, a “Honk if You Love Zygomporphic Flowers” sticker, and a $330 limited-edition

24

SUNSET • GARDEN ISSUE 2021

Clockwise from top left: Carlos Morera, Audrey Turner, Max Martin, C Cummings

gardening gi that sold out online in seconds). They also offer landscape design services, counting among their clients John Mayer. Yes, that John Mayer, who visited the store, got bit by the xeric bug, and hired the crew to design a cactus garden at his house.

The deadpan stickers, shirts, and sweatshirts are as much an act of con­ servation as cool: “It’s a way to share our love of the plant without actually selling plants,” says Morera. Plus it’s practical. “People would come to the store on their way to the airport, and it’s just that much easier to buy a Tshirt than a cactus.”

Cactus time might be the biggest differentiator—and connector—of all.

“Cacti operate on a completely differ­ ent time scale than people are used to,” says Morera, pointing out that many outlive their owners. “They’re the true survivors. The Atacama des­ ert in Chile is the driest place on Earth. It’s where the Mars rover was tested, and you see nothing else alive but cacti.”

So maybe they’re not so alien after all. In a year where time stood still and survival was top of mind, our kin­ ship with cacti only deepened. Let’s take a tour of this spiky microcosm.

WHEN IT ALL BOILS DOWN, CARING FOR PLANTS IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE DO. – M AX MARTIN, CO-FOUNDER

“Lithops are a fascinating twoleaved diminutive succulent from southern Africa.

Lithops are known for their ability to mimic the stones that they grow amongst. In the cultivation tray shown, we’re growing 12 different species of Lithops.” —M.M.

GARDEN ISSUE 2021 • SUNSET

25

CAC T U S CA R E BAS IC S

By T HAD O RR

Many people profess that they could never keep plants alive until they started growing cacti and other succulents. These plants want to stay alive. With ample drainage, plenty of sun, and protection from freezing temperatures, they are generally easy to grow. They are also droughttolerant, pest- and disease-free, and evergreen, so they’re eye-catching in the garden yearround. Here are the essential tips for helping your cactus garden thrive.

Fill in around the plant

moisture levels. If

system twice a week.

because it can help

drains well. Tamp soil

you don’t need to water.

can be minimal. Then

and better flowering.

with amended soil that down lightly and water.

The best time to plant is

PROTECTION Whenever you are handling cactus that have spines, protect your

hands by wearing thick

spring or late summer

(if your climate experi-

Also, be sure your irrigation system stops

watering when it rains.

and cactus still need

adequate water every 3

POTTING

gloves inside rose

tainers that have holes

succulents, use con-

gloves—leather work

GIVE THEM SOME SPACE Those small cacti and succulents you buy at the nursery can turn

into large plants, so be

lents can be planted

similarly to any other

plant. Dig a hole that’s

sure you give them

plenty of space. Many

also produce offshoots or pups that turn into colony-like clumps.

about as deep as the

can sprinkle granulated

rot. In order to make

plant food into the hole and mix it with the

backfill soil if needed.

prevent the drainage hole from becoming

clogged. Be sure to use a cactus mix that has pumice when plant-

ing—the pumice helps with drainage. Cover

year. Once plants are

getting too much water, put a finger a few inches into the soil to check

SUNSET • GARDEN ISSUE 2021

is a commonly used liquid plant food that can be applied in spring

and fall. If you’re fertilizing regularly, it’s also fine to dilute the mix

before applying. Water the plants after fertilizing.

need to water as fre-

PROVIDE PROTECTION IN FREEZING TEMPERATURES

lents and cacti can

Many succulents and

taken off irrigation after

temperatures down to

quently. Many succueven be completely the first year or two.

They will survive, and

often perform better, on

rainfall alone. Avoid watering, especially during fall and winter.

cacti can handle cold around 25 to 30 de-

grees without damage.

Plants such as Yucca

rostrata (big bend yucca) and Fouquieria

splendens (ocotillo), though, can handle

temperatures down to

zero degrees. If freezing

temperatures are com-

kill a cactus or cause

sure your cactus aren’t

Grow More Cactus Juice

tion is reaching the root.

established you don’t

large gravel to help

produce faster growth

make sure your irriga-

DRAINAGE Too much moisture can

succulent and cactus

water your plants or

es of broken pots or

in place.

glasses). Place your

plant in the hole. You

getting rain, be sure to

Water less after the first

the container with piec-

effect; it also keeps soil

from the container

to 5 days. If you’re not

age. Fill the bottom of

rock for a decorative

its width. Remove plants

gloves and safety

at the bottom for drain-

the soil with a layer of

root ball and 1.5 times

(wearing protective

months.

climates).

When potting cactus or

Cacti and other succu-

needed in hotter

tablished, succulents

fall (in warmer

wearing two pairs of

PLANT WISELY

hand water plants as

Until plant roots are es-

gardeners recommend

gloves.

The amount of water

ences freezes) or early

leather gloves. Some

26

there’s any moisture,

mon in your garden, be

FERTILIZING WATERING Give plants a baseline

of water through a drip

You don’t have to fertil-

ize succulents and cacti, but some people do

sure to select hardy varieties or grow plants in

pots that can be moved indoors during the winter.

“This plant was given to us by the daughter of a man who worked security at a glue factory and cultivated rare xeric plants in his spare time.”

CACTUS STORIES Every cactus tells us a story. Join us as Cactus Store co-founder Max Martin takes us on a guided tour of some of the rare cacti in their private collection.

1.M A MMILL A R I A

“We acquired this old grizzled Mammillaria from a collector in Italy, of all places. We’re everywhere.”

2 . EPITHEL A N TH A MICROMER IS

“Our counterpart in Japan used a two-foot-tall grafting stalk for growing this Epithelantha. When we asked him why, he said, ‘For more power.’ ”

3 . C L E I S T O C AC T US STR AUSII

“Not your grandmother’s Cleistocactus, this remarkable specimen boasts a super-fat stem with a shock of extra-long white fur.”

4. EU PHOR BI A OBESA

“Gosh, what’s not to love?”

5 . A L O E E R I N AC E A “This Namibian aloe is pollinated by sugar birds and insects, who seek it out for its sweet nectar.”

6. DORSTENI A L AV R A N I

“Named for our friend, the late Greek botanist John Jacob Lavranos, this little Dorstenia is quite lovely, but a bit more sensitive to rot than its similar counterpart, Dorstenia foetida.”

7. M Y R T I L L O C AC T US GEOMETR IZ A N S (C R E S T E D)

“ ‘Cresting’ is a mutation that occurs when the growing tip of a plant grows linearly instead of radially, giving the plant a coral-like appearance.”

8. ASTROPH Y T U M HYBRID

“What makes this Japanese Astrophytum hybrid unique is the chevron shapes growing vertically along the stem.”

The sun-yellow apex of Weberbauerocereus Johnsonii.

28

SUNSET • GARDEN ISSUE 2021

9. E N C E P H A L A R TOS A RENA RIUS

A species of cycad from South Africa’s Eastern Cape. Also known as the Alexandria or dune cycad.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

3 WAYS WITH CAC T U S GA R DE N S In addition to selling cacti and cactus paraphernalia, the team at the Cactus Store have designed xeric gardens throughout Southern California.

Max Martin gives us a survey of three projects.

1 DESERT WAVE “Stayner Architects

commissioned us to design a garden for the

Miles C. Bates house, a

nearly lost 1955 masterpiece that Stayner had undertaken to lovingly

restore in Palm Desert.

The project was led by Marinna Wagner, our

head designer (frankly,

the best designer of botanical spaces we know of); 80 percent of the

plants Marinna selected were local species, half

of which were grown by

the amazing folks at the

Mojave Desert Land Trust, number of years working in conservation, restoration, and research.”

30

SUNSET • GARDEN ISSUE 2021

JED OCHMANEK

where Marinna spent a

2 JOHN MAYER GARDEN “The space he gave us to work with was an old

putting green built by the previous owner. We imagined a cartoonishly dense desert land-

scape rising up out of the turf, as if nature were

reclaiming her territory: a massive 20-foot Cardon cactus emerging from between two

4,000-pound boulders, a 12-foot Organ Pipe

cactus, a 15-foot Boojum tree, a 9-foot Cephalocereus senilis. Our head designer sprinkled

the garden with Mojave native wildflower seeds,

JOHN MAYER GARDEN: SAM MULLER; EL CENTRO: ANNA BEEKE

like a chef salting her creation to taste.”

3 EL CENTRO “Our concept for the El Centro Hollywood project was to

make botanical space a central priority of the architecture, and an amenity for its inhabitants, a departure from the

conventional use of landscape design, as a way to fill in unused edges. With one full city block in the heart of central

Hollywood, El Centro provided us with the space and microclimate conditions necessary to bring in a huge variety of plants native to habitats from around the world.”

GARDEN ISSUE 2021 • SUNSET

31

GROW TH

Smart and stylish gear in metallics, raw leather, bold color, and poppy florals stand up to long, happy days filled with sun, soil, and seedlings.

Story by CH RI STI N E LE N N O N

MINDSET Photographs by TH O MAS J. STO RY

1

2

3

1. GET A GRIP

Heirloom Garden Arm Saver Gloves by Woman’s Work offer a pop of color and protection from thorns and branches. $38 / SHOPTERRAIN.COM

2. HOUSE PROUD The sustainable and stylish Pitch Modern Birdhouse is made from recycled milk jugs. $125 / LOLLDESIGNS.COM

4

3. HIP SNIPS

These high-carbon-steel Ergonomic Snips in turquoise are easy to spot in the dirt. $28 / SHOPTERRAIN.COM

4. CAN DO

This handsome navy watering can is made in Sweden and sports a brass spout. $68 / NICKEYKEHOE.COM

5. FLORAL FINGERS

7

6

5

Every garden glove collection needs floral flair, and this pretty pair comes in a William Morris print from the Victoria and Albert Museum collection. $30 / AMAZON.COM

6. THE BEE’S KNEES

Extend your sessions in the yard with these thick, foam garden kneelers from legendary brand Smith & Hawken, now available at Target. $15 / TARGET.COM

7. CLOG DAYS

Water-resistant and easily washed polyurethane Super-Birki clogs boast a non-slip sole and come in a rainbow of 9 colors. $79.95 / BIRKENSTOCK.COM

GARDEN ISSUE 2021 • SUNSET

33

1

4

2

3

6

5

1. SEED ROUND

Designed for smallspace gardeners, these vegetable and herb seed collections for Urban Leaf thrive in little pots.

FROM $15 / GETURBANLEAF.COM

34

2. STRAPPED

This super-stylish vegetable-tanned leather belt made by Building Block can be customized with add-on “half” and “full” moon holsters designed to hold shears, pruners, knives, scissors, or folding saws. FROM $50 / PLANT-MATERIAL.COM

SUNSET • GARDEN ISSUE 2021

3. SMOCK AND AWE

Made from hemp, recycled polyester, and organic cotton, this roomy minimalist work shirt shields skin from sun and thorns. $110 / PLANT-MATERIAL.COM

4. SCISSOR ACT

These English snippers look right at home in a rose garden, and are more rugged than their dainty lines suggest. $14 / SHOPTERRAIN.COM

5. BUCKET LIST

Made from cotton duck with copper rivets and leather handles, this buy-it-once bucket tool bag improves with age. $140 / PLANT-­M ATERIAL.COM

6. THE BALM

Fat & the Moon’s sunflower-oil-based cure-all salve is free of petrochemicals and heals scrapes, scratches, and overworked hands. $14 / OTHERWILD.COM

STRAW POLL

A straw hat with a wide brim is as essential to gardening as soil and sun. This Pinto Canyon Road Hat is

by Communitie Marfa. $69 / PLANT-MATERIAL.COM

CHAMBRAY FOR DAYS

Kitchenwear company Hedley & Bennett makes this tie-free 100% cotton chambray smock, shown in Saffron Salt, with deep pockets for tools (or your phone). $80 / HEDLEYANDBENNETT.COM

SPRAY ANYTHING

A simple plastic-free Fanhao spray nozzle is rust-resistant and built-to-last. $21.80 / AMAZON.COM

KNIVES OUT

If you invest in one new tool, make it a Hori Hori knife, a garden polymath that breaks soil clumps, cuts out weeds, replaces a trowel for digging, and can cut all manner of stems and branches. $33, PLANT-MATERIAL.COM

GOLD DIGGER

Strong, sharp, and in it for the long haul, this Japanese-made steel spade is surprisingly light and easy to handle. $49, PLANT-MATERIAL.COM

LIQUID ASSET

Made in Oregon, feather-light, and built for taking long drinks on a summer day, this Water Right Hose is BPA- and lead-free. $65, PLANT-MATERIAL.COM

All Regions PLANT Place a big pot of basil right

outside the kitchen door for convenient picking.

Site heat-loving vegetables

carefully. All need full sun. Put tall

growers (pole beans, corn, tomatoes, etc.) on the north side of

shorter varieties (such as cucum-

finished product—castings—

a covered patio, for a week or two.

and squash) so they won’t shade

Learn more at calrecycle.ca.gov/

help them acclimate to the

ber, eggplants, melons, peppers, them out.

M A I N TA I N Before they set seed, till in any

cover crops you planted in your vegetable garden last fall.

Learn to vermicompost (worm-

box compost). Boxes are easy to make and maintain, and the

serves as fertilizer for your garden. organics/worms/wormfact

For easiest removal, hoe weeds

in early morning the day after watering.

PROTECT Harden off nursery plants that

Cover with an old sheet at night to outdoors.

Fill a glazed pot saucer at least

12 inches wide and 2 inches deep with water. Place it under a shrub or tree to protect birds from predators.

were grown indoors by placing

them in a protected area, such as

YOUR

SPRING

Peak gardening season is officially upon us. Here's what to plant, tend, grow, and maintain no matter where you are in the West.

Contributors: K ATH LE E N B RE NZ E L , M I KE I RVI N E , JO HAN NA S I LVE R , NAN STE RMAN , AN D MARCIA TATRO E Compiled by N I CO LE CL AU S I N G

36

SUNSET • GARDEN ISSUE 2021

© CAITLIN ATKINSON FROM UNDER WESTERN SKIES

GARDEN

Carefully collect and destroy all

Use plastic baskets from cherry

foliage affected by peach leaf

tomatoes or strawberries to pro-

compost these leaves or use

from birds. By the time the seed-

curl or other maladies. Don’t

them as mulch, as this will spread disease.

Check for birds’ nests before

pruning shrubs and trees; leave them alone until eggs have

hatched and baby birds are out of the nest.

tect newly sprouted seedlings

lings have grown tall enough to reach through the tops of the

baskets, they are no longer as tender as the birds prefer.

Mountain PLANT Oriental and trumpet lilies

brighten the night with blooms

air, and attract pollinating moths.

Start seeds of Idaho fescue

White selections like ‘Black Drag-

(Festuca idahoensis), a tufted

and ‘Serene Angel’ stand out in

meadows and rock gardens.

on,’ ‘Casa Blanca,’ ‘Proud Bride,’ dim light. Place in pots or fertile

beds in full sun or partial shade.

Attract pollinators to the yard by

planting a variety of perennial

flowers. Favorites include aster,

coreopsis, false indigo, Mexican

hat, penstemon, purple coneflower, rudbeckia, and yarrow.

bunchgrass that’s perfect for dry Available from seedstrust.com.

Grow potatoes in Smart Pot fab-

ric containers (smartpots.com) one-third full of potting soil

amended with a balanced fertilizer. Cut seed potatoes into pieces (ensure each has two eyes) and bury 2 inches deep. As stems

that glow in the dark, perfume the

CHECKLIST

BOOK WE LOVE The new book Under Western Skies: Visionary Gardens From the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Coast

(Timber Press; $50) is one of the

most inspiring compendiums of

exquisitely landscaped gardens

we've come across in years. Written

by Jennifer Jewell and photo-

graphed by Caitlin Atkinson, the

book is both poetic and practical

and celebrates the diversity of garden design throughout the West.

lettuce, spinach, and Swiss chard.

Sow seeds of carrots, peas, seed

potatoes, and radishes; give them weed-free, well-amended soil.

Plant hardy olive trees, such as

‘Arbequina’ and ‘Leccino,’ west of the Cascades. Give them good drainage and sunny south exposure.

Plant cool-season flowers early

in April and warm-season varieties later in the month. For intense color in a container, try the red Calibrachoa ‘Pomegranate

Punch’ or the white-and-yellow ‘Lemon Slice.’

Plant permanent landscape fa-

vorites, including cherries, cra-

bapples, dogwoods, lilacs, rhodogrow, gradually add more soil until the bag is full. Keep evenly

moist but not soggy, and spray

clover, sedum, and yarrow. These

flowers are also drought-tolerant.

NorCal

with liquid kelp every two weeks until flowers appear.

M A I N TA I N Aerate your lawn, leaving the

plugs in place to decompose.

Prune roses by cutting canes to

just above a fat green bud that faces outward.

Water and turn your compost

pile every time you add 2 to 3 inches of material.

Pull seedlings of Canada thistle,

a tenacious weed, before it gets established. Watch for rosettes with sharp spines that pop up

over winter. Dig them out, using care to get the entire taproot,

PLANT Start cosmos, sunflower, and

zinnia from seed. All are easy to

grow, make nice cut flowers, and attract beneficial insects.

Plant tomatoes outside once

daytime and nighttime temperatures stay above 55°.

Early in April, sow seeds of cool-

season veggies such as carrots,

M A I N TA I N Mow the lawn when it’s dry, set-

ting your mower at ¾ inch for Bermuda grass and 2 inches for fescues; leave clippings where they fall to fertilize the lawn.

Fertilize tomato plants weekly

with a diluted solution of organic fish emulsion.

Thin out clusters of marble-size

fruit on apple, apricot, nectarine, and peach trees. Gently twist

them off, leaving 4 to 6 inches.

Collect seeds from annual flow-

radishes, spinach, and Swiss

ers that have finished blooming,

seeds of warm-season crops

omile, cosmos, love-in-a-mist,

chard. Late in the month, sow

such as beans, corn, and squash.

Soften rock walls by planting

creeping thyme, nasturtium, and

velopes, and sow next fall.

of-the-way places to attract

H A RV E S T

shine’ yarrow, Russian sage

ter hibernation—before they build

vest schedule to keep herbs and

queens as they emerge from winnew nests.

If rabbits are eating your flow-

ers, try growing blooms they don’t like, including catmint, penste-

mon, prairie zinnia, purple prairie

38

Establish a twice-weekly har-

vegetables growing vigorously.

Pick pea pods as soon as they’re plump; pull radishes from the

Keep deer out of the garden by

as Erigeron karvinskianus, ‘Moon(Perovskia), santolina, and Spanish and English lavender.

Northwest

ground as they fatten up; and

PLANT

mint, and parsley.

bage, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi,

regularly pinch leaves off basil,

SUNSET • GARDEN ISSUE 2021

and wisteria.

M A I N TA I N While soil is cool, give vegeta-

bles and flowers a quick

boost with organic liquid fertilizer, or apply bloodmeal—it has both quick- and slow-release properties.

Mow lawns often enough that

you never have to cut off more

than a third of the blade at once.

As daffodils and other spring-

foliage in place until it’s com-

them to dry, stash in labeled en-

adding plants they ignore, such

Hang yellow jacket traps in out-

gea, honeysuckle, passion vine,

nasturtium, and sweet peas. Allow

each space, then tuck in plants.

PROTECT

bia, clematis, climbing hydran-

flowering bulbs finish blooming,

PROTECT

stones. Push a handful of soil into

climbers, check out fiveleaf ake-

such as bachelor’s button, cham-

sedum in spaces between the

which can regrow if broken off.

dendrons, and roses. Among

Plant seedlings of broccoli, cab-

prune out spent flowers. Leave the pletely brown, so it can send nutrients back down to the bulbs.

Raspberries spread by runners,

often far from mother plants. If

they’ve spread to unwanted areas, dig them out, including the underground runners that produced them.

PROTECT Aphid populations explode on

new growth. Blast them off with a jet of water every week or so.

Slugs do maximum damage in

spring by mowing down tender

M A I N TA I N

them or kill them as you see them

als such as arctotis, penstemon,

seedlings as they emerge. Bait for (they’re easy to spot in damp weather or after you water).

SoCal PLANT Coastal gardeners can contin-

ue planting quick-maturing coolseason crops, including chard,

leaf lettuces, radishes, and spin-

and salvia to prolong their bloom.

Fertilize stone fruits, including

apricots, peaches, and plums,

with an organic low-nitrogen fertilizer, such as 3-12-12 with trace

elements. Follow directions on the label.

Prepare your irrigation system

ach. Inland, switch to warm-sea-

for summer watering: Flush drip-

cucumbers, eggplant, melons,

misaligned heads. Then adjust

son crops such as beans, corn, peppers, summer and winter squash, and tomatoes.

Create an herb meadow by

sprinkling seeds of cilantro, dill,

and parsley in sunny garden beds that are close to the kitchen for easy access. © CAITLIN ATKINSON FROM UNDER WESTERN SKIES

Clip spent flowers from perenni-

For a low-water alternative to

lines and check for any leaks or

watering times so irrigation fin-

ishes early in the morning, before

the demand for morning showers.

Spread a 3-to-4-inch layer of

mulch to protect plants from drought, heat, and weeds.

PROTECT Combat powdery mildew by

Southwest

M A I N TA I N Replenish organic mulch on

PLANT Gardeners in the low deserts

can grow tasty blackberries. The

best selections for the low desert include ‘Brazos,’ ‘Brison,’

For instant impact, plant

Mexican fire barrel (Ferocactus pringlei) for red spines; for

yellow, go for the ever-popular golden barrel (Echinocactus

For long-lasting color, plant

low-growing native perennials such as Blackfoot daisy

(Melampodium leucanthum),

Put in summer-blooming bulbs,

such as cannas and irises, and tubers, including dahlias and tuberoses.

spoon baking soda plus 1 tablespoon canola oil to a gallon of water.

Control ants with sticky Tree

Tanglefoot Insect Barrier or traps containing boric acid.

Divide overcrowded clumps of

ornamental grasses by cutting

rootball into sections with a shovel. Transplant divisions immedi-

ately and water regularly until the grasses are reestablished.

PROTECT

trailing indigo bush (Dalea

with insecticidal soap. Spray the

prairie zinnia (Z. grandiflora),

Treat outbreaks of whiteflies

whole plant (including the under-

greggii), and verbena.

and tomatoes near the

lawn look.

frost-damaged branches.

Sierra gold dalea (D. capitata),

away fungus spores. Treat out-

a meadow, or mow for more of a

size or to remove any remaining

back their tops and slicing the

grusonii).

sedge (C. praegracilis). Leave the

breaks with a formula of 1 table-

not pile it around plant stems.

in May to control their shape and

durable barrel cactus. Try

In the low desert, plant seedlings

deep green blades unmowed for

mulch layer 2 to 4 inches deep. Do

mesquites and palo verdes, early

hosing off foliage in the morning several times a week to wash

ration of soil moisture, aim for a

Prune desert trees, including

‘Rosborough,’ and ‘Womack.’

traditional turf grass, try dune sedge (Carex pansa) or field

planting beds. To prevent evapo-

of artichokes, eggplant peppers,

sides of leaves) every three days until the flies are eradicated.

Stop flea beetles from eating

beginning of May.

tiny holes in the leaves of young

H A RV E S T

water in the middle of the day

veggies by spraying plants with

Collect the seeds of spring-

flowering wildflowers to spread next year, or leave them for the

birds and see what comes up in the next year.

(flea beetles prefer dry condi-

tions). Or use beneficial nema-

todes like those from Arbico Or-

ganics (arbico-organics.com) to dispatch them.

GARDEN ISSUE 2021 • SUNSET

39

THE

FLOW

Each room in the home has access to the outdoors, and every bedroom has a small patio, sheltered by overhanging branches and slatted wood privacy screens.

Poured concrete slabs, decreasing in size until they’re as small as paving stones, create a walkway from entertaining areas to quieter spaces.

OF

THINGS

A PLAYFUL GARDEN WITH UNCUT GRASSES AND ROUNDED EDGES SOFTENS AN ANGULAR MID-CENTURY HOME IN MARIN COUNTY. Story by C H RI STI N E LE N N O N

STEPHEN KENT JOHNSON/OTTO

A patch of fescue, a hardy nomow grass, is surrounded by planting areas. A tight edit of plants, like aeonium and agave, keep the yard feeling sleek, not busy.

A large patch of no-mow fescue grows long and windswept under a Giant Se­ quoia in the yard of this 1953 modern house, recently remodeled by the mod­ ernist masters at Marmol Radziner. It sig­ nals to anyone who wanders past that de­ spite its pristine lines and mid-century pedigree, this house wants to play it a little loose.

“The owners’ wishes were to create a park-like environ­ ment that could accommodate a new guest house and am­ ple space for recreation,” says Ron Radziner, one of the principles of the Los Angeles–based design-build firm known for its show-stopping new construction and expert way of updating classic mid-century architecture. Their work has become so synonymous with sleek, chic Los Ange­ les style that few people realize that they have an office in the Bay Area. The team is clearly just as adept at carving out playful living spaces hidden in the forests of Marin County as they are creating minimalist sanctuaries in the blazing sun further south.

“From inside the home, the view outward of the canopy of trees creates the feeling of being inside of a treehouse,” says Radziner. “It was important that the landscape honor the site and its existing character, while creating moments of focal interest where the family can gather and enjoy the property, spaces to run around, play, and entertain without being fussy or too formal.”

The trick to creating a streamlined, contemporary gar­ den is to use fewer varieties of plants in larger mass. By sticking to a smaller range of finely edited textures and blocking out large areas devoted to just one type of plant, the vibe is minimal without feeling austere. Throughout the property, Japanese maples provide spots of seasonal color, like punctuation marks in a sea of green. A decades-old ap­ ple tree planted by the original owners remains untouched.

Areas for larger gatherings and quiet conversation are tucked all around the garden, furnished with mushroomshaped side tables and Italian cork furniture that lean in to the quirky, organic-modern feel of the house and its surroundings.

“This garden serves as a reminder that it’s best to work with what you have. Allow some of the quirkiness of an ex­ isting home and garden to help tell the story of the site,” Radziner adds. “Find ways to enhance the existing land­ scape. Don’t try to fight it.”

GARDEN ISSUE 2021 • SUNSET

41

42

SUNSET • GARDEN ISSUE 2021

STEPHEN KENT JOHNSON/OTTO

Bay area design firm Chroma chose outdoor furniture with curvilinear shapes inspired by stones and mushrooms, like these Vondom stone lounge chairs. $875 / lumens.com

A grouping of six identical cork chairs and reclaimed wood stools, arranged around an open fire pit on a kidney-shaped patio, is a wholly unique approach to outdoor conversation seating.

TOP: STEPHEN KENT JOHNSON/OTTO; SITE PLAN: COURTESY OF MARMOL RADZINER

GET THE LOOK The garden design allows the owners, a busy family with young children, to experience nature: There’s a pool and entertaining zone, some woodland paths, a soft lawn to play in, and peaceful areas for quieter gatherings.

CHAIR

Gervasoni cork chairs designed by Paola Navone are a splurge worth considering ($1043, milanclick.com).

But an armless wicker chair, like a curved Danish sidechair from Safavieh ($375 for 2, homethreads. com) has a similar S-curve appeal.

FIRE PIT

The Paloform fire bowl above has a rustic patina (price on request, paloform.com), which makes a new garden feel like it’s been there forever.

Sunnydaze makes a cast-iron fire bowl with the same old feel (starting at $120, sunnydazedecor.com).

TABLE

The Australian outdoor-furniture maker Jardan carved these mushroom stools from reclaimed timber ($1,123, jardan.com.au). A cedar-root mushroom side table by Greenage ($90, overstock.com) is a more affordable alternative.

ENGLISH

ACCENTS A FAMILYFRIENDLY REMODEL OF A CENTURY-OLD CRAFTSMAN YIELDS A CALIFORNIABRITISH MASH-UP PERFECT FOR HUNKERING DOWN. Story by H U G H GARVE Y Photographs by TH O MAS J. STO RY

45

n a not unbusy street in Los Angeles on any given afternoon, if you listen carefully, beneath the thrum of traf­ fic you might hear the ping of a kick­ ball, the woosh of wheels on a skate­ board ramp, or kids laughing and bouncing on a trampoline.

When Anna Lodder first walked through the doors of a recently flipped Craftsman, creating a haven big enough to contain all that life and ruckus and beautiful noise was front and center in her mind. She just didn’t know it would serve her so well in the future during the lockdown days of the pandemic. Situated on a cut-through street, the house had sat on the market for months, unloved, but with so much potential. It had the solid construction you can only find in a 100-year-old house, a turret in the converted attic with views of palm trees in the distance, and an ex­ panse of scraggly lawn in the back begging for something to make it come alive.

Anna, her husband, Doug, and her children, Lucy and Winston, had been living in a tidy bungalow not far away that strained a bit at the seams when extended family, and the occasional rescue dog, came to stay. To

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acccommodate her generous opendoor policy, Anna had converted the bungalow’s one-car garage into a multi-use guest house, but when calen­ dars clashed, guests (and dogs) would compete for a spot on the liv­ ing room couch.

With dreams of scaling up this cozy commune, Anna and Doug bought the house and set about adding the elements that would make the Crafts­ man a more expansive retreat.

Anna had been born in Eng­ land and would return every summer. Childhood memories of visiting relatives’ well-tend­ ed but relaxed gardens in the verdant south of England in­ formed her remodel. She add­ ed little details that channeled Britishness without being twee: a wooden laundry dry­ ing rack with pullies in the kids’ bathroom, a scaled-up version of a scullery, complete with her grandma’s old copper tea ket­ tle, and cabinetry with the look of be­ spoke Plain English built-ins, but with­ out the premium price. Anna’s inspiration wasn’t Instagram but rath­ er actual photographs of her family’s kitchens back in the U.K. It’s the backyard where nostalgia and balmy Los Angeles coalesce. They put in a pool and built a guest house, this time with a kitchen and sleeping loft to house more guests. Anna hired Nick Dean, an English-born landscape designer, and gave him a fantasy muse as inspiration: “I told him I want my aunt’s British garden who regularly visits the south of France.” She ringed the pool with benches for sitting and lavender to scent the breeze and at­ tract pollinators. And for two years, exchange students, parents, and friends filled those benches and swam in that pool. Then the pandemic ar­ rived, and they hunkered down, Doug and Anna taking turns working out back or up in the turret, a babbling fountain blending with the splash of the kids working off Zoom school in the pool. And if you listen very careful­ ly you’ll hear the thrum of the city un­ derneath the beautiful noise of life in the backyard.

Sound Ideas

Clockwise from left: The backyard fountain does double duty: it’s a focal point you can see all the way from the front door and also intercepts the sound of the busy road out front; Anna, Doug, Lucy, and Winston on an outdoor sectional from West Elm (Anna bought the furniture first, then had the gazebo built around it to ensure a perfect fit); Small benches dot the yard and offer shady spots to sit no matter the time of day.

GARDEN ISSUE 2021 • SUNSET

47

“ The kitchen is a scaled-up scullery inspired by relatives’ homes back in England”

Think British

Opposite page: Butcher-block shelves and counters are echoed by a vintage butcher table bought for $700 at the Rose Bowl flea market.

Base cabinets are painted in Dropcloth by Farrow & Ball, and the peninsula is painted in Lone Cypress by Portola Paints & Glazes. This page: Anna’s grandmother’s tea kettle and a Dualit toaster accessorize the space. The guest cottage and its bathroom echo the English aesthetic.

GARDEN ISSUE 2021 • SUNSET

49

Not Kidding

Anna customized an IKEA bunk with constellationthemed wallpaper from the Wall Garnish Company and had a photo of Lucy swimming printed on engineer paper by Parabo Press for just $30.

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Indoor Outdoor

A doorless office was transformed into a reading nook/chillout room. The gazebo at the back is big enough for ten people to congregate— or the entire family to stretch out and nap on a lazy weekend day. It’s a true outdoor living room.

GARDEN ISSUE 2021 • SUNSET

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GUTTER CREDIT

GA RDEN PA RT Y

GUTTER CREDIT

HIGH ABOVE LOS ANGELES ON SEVEN ACRES OVERGROWN WITH CITRUS, WILD HERBS, AND FLOWERS, A FANTASTICAL ESTATE PRODUCES SOAPS, CANDLES, JAMS, AND TINCTURES TO DELIGHT THE BODY AND FEED THE SOUL.

Story by H U G H GARVE Y

Photographs by TH O MAS J. STO RY GARDEN ISSUE 2021 • SUNSET

53

he gardener and the herbalist pack fresh masa around the seal of a vintage copper alembic still on the porch of the goatherd’s cabin. We’re at Flamingo Estate, high up in the hills of Eagle Rock on the east side of L.A., and, believe it or not, this is the first step to making a cocktail. The masa will keep the steam from escaping and the distillate pure. The still is loaded with the resiny leaves of black sage, a variation of common sage that is intensely peppery and lemony and earthy. As the steam passes through the aromatic thatch of leaves it will take with it the concentrated essence of the herb, ampli­ fying its power in oil that will trickle through the serpentine copper coil and into a jar, drip by drip. Later today the resulting tincture will add earth and backbone to a citrusy garden-to-glass tequila cocktail that will kick off a feast celebrating the spring harvest at L.A.’s coolest urban farm.

Flamingo Estate is seven acres of botanical delights crowned by a 1940s hill­ top Spanish house that’s been been meticulously reimagined by French design firm Studio KO (they count Musée Yves Saint Laurent in Marrakech, Chiltern Firehouse in London, and the Chateau Marmont refresh among their high-­ design projects). And so at Flamingo Estate there are hand-painted ceilings, a monolith of a bathing pavilion with walls of blue stained glass, a dramatic office wrapped in green Moroccan tile, countless globally sourced one-of-a-kind

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objets d’art, a David Hockney screen, stunning furnish­ ings. There has been well-deserved breathless coverage of the house in architecture magazines, but the gardens are the soul and the engine of the Flamingo Estate brand, which sells soaps, candles, jams, olive oil, chocolate, and other products inspired by the dozens of varieties of herbs, flowers, and fruit and nut trees growing on the property.

The magic of the place cannot be overstated. First it’s hard to get to, at the end of a steep and narrow road.

There’s an imposing steel gate that creaks open with a groan to reveal a path curving up and around to the house and pool, and a set of some 110 stairs cascading down the hill, steep as a pyramid, to the gardens below. A swath of native plantings paint the side of the hill, chickens cluck by the herb garden, macadamia trees sway in the breeze, and up to the left stacks of pink-painted beehives house the insects that produce the estate’s bio-­intensive honey, the sweet con­ centrate of all the pollen of the hillside.

Flamingo Estate owner Richard Christiansen was born in Australia to horticulturist parents, and his love for the land is palpable. While he also runs a thriving creative agency, he’s been known to till the earth himself and hand-write notes that he tucks into the farm boxes his estate started distributing during the pandemic.

The goatherd’s cabin is decidely un­ derdesigned compared to the meticu­ lous house up the hill. It’s a witchy space festooned with drying herbs hanging from the ceiling and vintage garden tools strewn about on rough tables. Jars of distillates and tinctures and hydrosols line rustic shelves.

Here is where the estate’s head horti­ culturist Jeff Hutchison collaborates with herbalist Ash Cornejo to extract the flavors and fragrances that per­ fume the beauty and culinary offer­ ings in the company’s product line.

Hutchison’s introduction to the es­ tate was as organic as the garden it­ self. After working in New York as a private gardener and in the Ramble in Central Park, Hutchison moved to L.A., where he watched the slow build out of the estate from a hill across the

Opposite page: A basket of roses sits by the iron doors leading out to the gardens. Flamingo Estate sells a rotating collection of flowers in addition to its bath, body, and culinary products. This page (clockwise from top right): Herbalist Ash Cornejo

tends to the vintage copper alembic still on the porch of the goat keeper’s cabin; the powerful essential oils drip into a jar.

Soon they will make their way into a celebratory seasonal cocktail.

Black sage grown downslope from the bathing pavilion is irrigated with graywater.

GARDEN ISSUE 2021 • SUNSET

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“The gardens are the soul of the estate and the inspiration for its culinary offerings” way. One day he wandered over out of curiosity and struck up a conversation with the crew installing the garden.

They needed a hand, his résumé was perfect, and he was hired.

Ash Cornejo is an herbalist and UC Berkeley Ph.D. candidate studying, as she puts it, “plants and capitalism,” and she tends to the still as it works its magic. After an hour or so, the dis­ tillate has dripped its last drop into the jar and is ready to add the finish­ ing grace note to the cocktail.

Back up at the house, chefs are pre­ paring dishes that parallel the mashup of global influences that converge on the grounds. Food stylist and writ­ er Saehee Cho is making a vivid beet hummus that will provide a saturated

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backrop for a platter of just-picked seasonal crudités, salmon onigiri into which slim coins of pink and purple radishes have been pressed, and a pretty fruit meringue studded with the first strawberries of the season.

Josh Buckwald, co-owner of fresh pasta kit delivery company Orso, is cooking up handmade cavatelli sauced with mint pesto and enriched with a lobe of local burrata. He’s as­ sembling a counterpoint crudités platter: baby radishes and an herby butter topped with flaky salt. Mean­ while Hutchison plays both horticul­ turist and mixologist with his take on a tequila sunrise: the Flamingo Sun­ set, an herbaceous and floral drink of Meyer lemon juice, estate-made rose

The patio at the top of Flamingo Estate—once a neglected 1940s Spanish hillside bungalow and now the site one of L.A.’s most beautiful not-so-secret gardens.

syrup, and Champagne, finished with a spritz of black sage mist. The essen­ tial oils that were teased from the sage leaves earlier today are so power­ ful they need to be diluted with water.

The piny fragrance commingles with the citrus and floral notes, and even before the first sip the aroma itself is intoxicating.

The cocktail is a poetic reward for a successful spring harvest. As any gar­ dener knows, teasing deliciousness from the land is laborious, and the steep slopes add to the effort. At one party at the estate, Hutchison clocked ten miles. Now, for the first time this season, the horticulturist, the herbal­ ist, and the chefs sit down, toast the harvest, and drink from the garden.

Clockwise from top right: A collection of vintage Baccarat crystal decanters in the bar; chef Saehee Cho sets the table for the spring harvest lunch; edible flowers will adorn the table along with the roses.

“ As the sun sets, the gardener, the chefs, and the herbalist toast the harvest”

GARDEN ISSUE 2021 • SUNSET

59

Beet Hummus With Seasonal Crudités SERVES 4

You can buy hummus at the store, but it will never be as vibrantly colored or silky smooth as this easy homemade version from chef Saehee Cho. Serve with seasonal market crudités (fava beans, snap peas, asparagus are all ideal for spring) and grilled pita or bread.

Spring Radishes With Herby Meyer Lemon Butter S E R VE S 4

Butter and radishes are a classic springtime combination. Josh Buckwald folds in copious amounts of chives and thyme to add freshness. Serve with flaky salt on the side to suit your taste at the table.

1 large bunch of spring radishes

lemons with a microplane or box

1 small bunch of chives, thinly sliced

much of the bitter white pith be-

8 oz. European-style salted butter

6 sprigs fresh oregano, stems removed 4 sprigs fresh thyme, stems removed 2 Meyer lemons

1 large pinch kosher salt Black pepper to taste

3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1. Wash the radishes and cut any large ones into bite-size pieces.

2. Cut the butter into small cubes and leave out at room temperature to soften, about 30 minutes.

3. Finely chop the thyme and oregano leaves and set aside.

4. In a large mixing bowl, zest the

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grater, being careful not to get too neath the yellow skin. Juice the lemons into the bowl and set aside.

5. When the butter is soft, add it to the

mixing bowl with the salt, herbs, and olive oil. Fold all of the ingredients

together using a rubber spatula or a

large wooden spoon until fully incorporated. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed.

6. Plate the butter on a serving dish

and top with some cranks of black pepper and a drizzle of olive oil.

Scatter the radishes in another bowl and serve.

2 red beets

4 cloves garlic ¼ cup tahini

8 oz. canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Juice of 2 lemons

1 Tbsp. kosher salt 1

3

cup extra virgin olive oil

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F. 2. Cut off beet tops​(​ keep and stir fry or make a pesto later) and wash. No

need to peel the beets because you can slip off the skins once roasted.

3. Wrap beets tightly in foil with a generous amount of olive oil and a

Salmon Onigiri SERVES 4

Onigiri is the ideal celebratory springtime snack: It’s filling yet light, thanks to the vinegared sushi rice, and can be prepared in advance and served or eaten whenever the mood strikes.

1 cup short-grain sushi rice (uncooked) ¼ lb. salmon filet Pinch of salt

SUSHI RICE SEASONING: ¼ cup rice vinegar 2 Tbsp. sugar ½ tsp. salt

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. 2. While the oven is heating, cook your sprinkling of salt.

4. Bake 35–45 minutes or until you can easily slip a fork straight

through the beets. Slip off the beet

rice by your preferred method,

whether it be a rice cooker or on the stove top.

3. In a small saucepan, heat the sushi-

skins easily with a paper towel.

rice seasoning ingredients until the

pletely, add beets, garlic, tahini,

aside to cool. This is more seasoning

a food processor. Turn on food

your fridge until you make your next

5. When beets have cooled com-

sugar and salt dissolve, then set

chickpeas, lemon juice, and salt to

than you will need but this will keep in

processor and drizzle olive oil in

batch of sushi rice.

gradually in a thin stream until the hummus is creamy and shiny but

4. Place the salmon on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or alu-

still thick enough to scoop.

minum foil, then bake until the center

the refrigerator for up to five days.

pending on the thickness of your fish.

6. Serve with grilled pita, or store in

is opaque, about 10–15 minutes, deWhen the fish has fully cooked,

remove from oven and season with a pinch of salt.

5. When the rice is cooked, transfer to a

mixing bowl and quickly add 3 tablespoons of your prepared sushi seasoning

6. Fold the seasoning in without breaking up your rice grains. If you have an extra hand, have someone fan

the steaming rice for you while you stir—this makes the rice shiny and appetizing looking.

7. When the salmon is just slightly

cooled, break up with a fork and gently mix in with the rice.

8. Using either an onigiri press or your own hands, shape the rice into the

desired shape (traditionally either a

triangle or a ball), occasionally wetting your hands with water to make

the rice more manageable. The key

is to compress the rice enough so it won’t fall apart—but not so much that you’re smashing the kernels.

9. Garnish with pickles or edible flowers and serve with ponzu or soy sauce.

GARDEN ISSUE 2021 • SUNSET

61

Fresh Pasta With Mint Pesto and Burrata S E R VE S 4

Chef Josh Buckwald of Orso Pasta in Los Angeles created this verdant dish enriched by creamy burrata. “At Orso,” he says, “we love campanelle, cavatelli, or corzetti for this one—but no wrong answers here.”

1 large bunch mint, stems removed

1 large bunch basil, stems removed 1/4 lb. fresh spinach

2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 shallot, chopped 1

3

cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus a little

more to finish

1 large pinch kosher salt 2 ice cubes

1 ball of burrata

1 Meyer lemon, juiced

1 handful of your favorite nuts: Walnuts, pecans, pistachios, or pine nuts all work really well here

Black pepper to taste

1 lb. fresh pasta such as cavatelli

1. Preheat your oven to 325°F. Place

nuts on a sheet pan and bake 5–10 minutes. The timing will be a little

different for each, but as a rule of

thumb, when the smell of toasted

nuts starts to take over the kitchen,

pesto to blend, add a little more ol-

to cool.

aside.

they’re done. Remove and set aside

2. Roughly chop the mint, basil, and

spinach, and add to a food processor or blender.

3. Add the garlic, shallot, olive oil, nuts, lemon juice, ice cubes, and salt to

the processor and blend on high until everything is incorporated. If

you’re having trouble getting the

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ive oil and a splash of cold water. Set

4. Set a large pot of water to boil and salt like the ocean. Cook the pasta until al dente. If you’re using fresh

pasta, this will happen fast, about 2–3 minutes.

5. In a large mixing bowl, off heat, mix the pasta with the pesto. Add a

splash of the starchy pasta water

and some olive oil to make the sauce creamy and delicious.

6. Plate the pasta into bowls and top

with any extra bits of sauce, as well

as a scoop of burrata, a few cranks

of black pepper pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Flamingo Sunset Make rose syrup by simmering rose petals in simple syrup. Making sage mist requires a still, but purchased sage bitters work well, too.

2 oz. tequila blanco

1 oz. fresh squeezed lemon juice, Meyer if available

½ oz. rose syrup Champagne

1 spray black sage mist or 2 drops Wild Mountain Sage bitters from Dram Apothecary

• Add the tequila, lemon, and rose syrup to a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a highball glass and add ice. Top with

Champagne. Spray cocktail with

black sage mist or add sage bitters.

Fresh Fruit Meringue Subtle and ethereal meringue is an ideal way to feature seasonal fresh fruit.

Chef Saehee Cho tops hers with lemon curd, edible flowers, and the first straw­ berries of the season, but any ripe seasonal fruit will do.

5 egg whites

sugar a tiny bit at a time. Continue

Pinch of salt

beating until stiff peaks form. Using a

1½ tsp. cornstarch

vinegar, salt, and vanilla. Continue

1¼ cups superfine sugar 1 tsp. white-wine vinegar ½ tsp. vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 200°F. 2. Line a baking sheet with parchment

paper. Use the bottom of a cake pan to trace a circle on the parchment

paper. This will help you shape your meringue.

3. In a stand mixer, use a whisk attachment to beat the egg whites on low

until they start to foam. Increase the speed to medium until the egg

whites become opaque and form soft peaks. Very slowly, add your

rubber spatula, fold in cornstarch, folding until the meringue is shiny and moldable.

4. Pour mixture out onto the parchment paper, trying to keep it inside your

traced circle. Shape the meringue

with the round side of a large spoon.

Alternately, use a pastry bag fitted

with a large plain tip and pipe meringue in dollops within the circle.

5. Bake for about 1 hour and 30 minutes

then turn off your oven and leave the door ajar, leaving the meringue to cool completely in the oven.

6. Top with fresh fruit, nuts, whipped

cream, curd, jam, or a combination.

GARDEN ISSUE 2021 • SUNSET

63

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FOOD

&

DRINK

A Spring Garden Feast

Santa Barbara author Valerie Rice shares celebratory seasonal recipes inspired by her idyllic seaside garden.

Photographs by G E M MA AN D AN D REW I N GALLS

GARDEN ISSUE 2021 • SUNSET

65

alerie Rice has long celebrated the graceful pleasures of the garden and the table from her beautiful Spanish Revival house in Santa Barbara. The Uni­ versity of California–educated master gardener and prolific cook has chronicled her botanical and culinary evolution in an extremely photoge­ nic but always approachable fashion, first on a popular blog (remember those!), then on Instagram (for a serious case of raised-bed envy, go to @ eatdrinkgarden), and now in her cookbook, Lush Life: Food & Drinks From the Garden (Prospect Park Books; $35). Here she’s gathered a collection of recipes, arranged by season, with notes on what to plant now to better harvest your dinner just around the corner. So when you’re cooking, say, the blistered asparagus in this story, there’s a chart in the spring chapter that includes what tomatoes to plant now to set you for success with the tomato and stone fruit salad in the next chapter. All the recipes have a casual seasonal appeal, most coming to­ gether in well under an hour—often with the bonus of smart wine pairings from Raj Parr, James Beard Award winning sommelier turned winemaker. While the pretty dishes, wine suggestions, and tasty cocktails are perfect for entertaining, they’re simple enough to pull off at an intimate gathering with your near­ est and dearest on a weeknight. As Valerie puts it: “My goal as a home cook is to cook the cleanest, most flavorful food, tied to the rhythms of the earth and the seasons, in the sim­ plest way and with the least amount of dishes. Words to live by, right?” We couldn’t agree more.

Rice supplements her farmers’ market haul with produce from her garden.

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REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM LUSH LIFE: FOOD & DRINKS FROM THE GARDEN

BY VALERIE RICE, PROSPECT PARK BOOKS 2021.

f r o m pa ge 65

Oven-Baked Ribs With Nasturtium Gremolata 4 T O 6 S E RV I N G S

“Crispy on the outside and succulent on the inside, these ribs are so simple to make. I take any opportunity to use nasturtiums when they hit the scene in spring. Their rigorous growth of lush foliage and bright orange flowers blanket the garden like no other. They are delicious in the gremolata, but if you don’t have them on hand, substitute with arugula. Or skip the gremolata altogether and just serve the ribs with a side of barbecue sauce.”

FOR THE NASTURTIUM GREMOLATA

½ cup (packed) nasturtium leaves and flowers, finely chopped

¼ cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 tsp. grated orange zest (from 1 small orange)

“ My goal is to cook the cleanest, most flavorful food tied to the rhythms of the seasons.”

1 tsp. grated lemon zest (from 1 small lemon)

1 large garlic clove, grated FOR THE RIBS

2 racks pork baby back ribs

1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal kosher salt 1 Tbsp. whole cumin seeds, toasted and ground

1 Tbsp. dried Aleppo pepper or other ground chilies

1 Tbsp. sumac

2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 2 tsp. smoked paprika

1. FOR GREMOLATA: Mix all ingredients in a bowl. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

2. FOR RIBS: Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place the ribs on a large rimmed

baking sheet. Pat the ribs dry with clean towels (paper or cloth) and

season both sides of the meat with

1 tablespoon salt. Mix cumin, Aleppo pepper, sumac, black pepper, and paprika in a small bowl. Rub the

spice mixture all over the ribs. Cook

for 45 minutes. The result will be tender meat and crispy skin.

3. Sprinkle ribs with gremolata and serve.

WINE PAIRING:

• Raj tells me: A medium-bodied red wine like a Grenache will carry the

spices. Consider Comando G Gar-

nacha “La Bruja de Rozas” from Madrid or “Tribute to Grace” Grenache, Santa Barbara County.

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67

Blistered Asparagus With Pistachios, Green Garlic, and Chives 6 SE RVI NGS

“I have tried numerous times to grow asparagus in our garden, but after de­ voting a good deal of space, lots of water, and tons of time only to get a few thin and measly stalks, I decided to scrap our crop and shop for it at the farmers’ market.

Garlic, on the other hand, is easy to grow in our Santa Barbara climate and is a very rewarding crop, as it de­ livers products in so many ways. #1: Pick it early for delicious and lovely green garlic. #2: Pull it from the earth once the leaves have browned for a full head. #3: Take a clove from the fully dried head and plant it for the process to repeat. It’s the simplest “Lather. Rinse. Repeat.” of gardening.

To pick the best asparagus wherev­ er you shop, look for stalks that are thick and flower tops that are tight like a ball—not sprouting or stringy.”

Kitchen Tips: Try this recipe with sugar snap peas instead of asparagus and

get a similarly tasty result. Feel free to play around with different spring

herbs, such as thyme, savory, or mint.

Go easy with the lemon—just a touch

of it brightens the flavors in this simple dish, but too much will quickly overwhelm the gentle green garlic.

5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

¼ cup thinly sliced green garlic (from

1 to 2 green garlic heads with about an inch of the green stem)

1 tsp. grated lemon zest (from 1 small lemon)

½ cup toasted salted pistachios, coarsely chopped

2 bunches asparagus, ends trimmed,

stalks cut on bias into 2-inch pieces

½ tsp. Diamond Crystal kosher salt 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice (from ½ lemon) Flaky sea salt and freshly cracked pepper

Lemon wedges

Chive blossoms (optional)

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1. Preheat the broiler, positioning the oven rack about 5 inches from the heat source.

2. Stir 3 tablespoons olive oil, green garlic, and lemon zest in a small

saucepan over medium heat until

fragrant and warm, about 3 minutes.

Mix in pistachios and set aside.

3. Place the asparagus on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with

2 tablespoons oil and ½ teaspoon

salt; toss to coat. Broil for 2 minutes.

Pull out the baking sheet to check on how things are going (be careful not to burn the asparagus) and shake

the pan. Continue broiling the

asparagus until the tips begin to

turn golden brown, about 8 more minutes, shaking the asparagus every 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Add the pistachio mixture, chives,

and lemon juice to the asparagus and toss to coat. Place the

asparagus on a platter and pour

any residual sauce from the sheet pan over the top. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with lemon wedges. Serve warm or at room

temperature and garnish with chive blossoms, if available.

Gin Salty Dog With Fresh Mint M A K E S 2 C O C K TA I L S

“Bright, sweet, and bold (no, I’m not talking about myself), Ruby Red grapefruits are lip-smackingly deli­ cious. No need to add any sweetener to this type of God-made perfection.

In California, grapefruit season gener­ ally lasts from January through Au­ gust. If you can’t find Ruby Red, try other varieties like Oro Blanco, Pink, or Star Ruby. Whatever you do, don’t use pasteurized store-bought juice.

The flavor is not even close to being as delicious. The longer the grapefruit sits in a bowl on your counter, the sweeter it will become. Sometimes if the flavor is too sweet, I’ll add a squeeze of lime. I love the freshness of the mint in this cocktail—it draws on all of the delectable botanical notes found in gin. If you’re an anti-gin per­ son (I know, I know, you had a bad gin experience in college), you can substi­ tute vodka. But gin is more tradition­ al. Give it a go—you might be a convert.”

2 Tbsp. flaky sea salt

10 oz. (1¼ cups) fresh grapefruit juice (from 1 to 2 grapefruits)

4 oz. (½ cup) gin, such as Ford’s, Caorunn, or Old Raj

2 thin grapefruit wedges and 2 fresh mint sprigs (garnish)

• Pour sea salt onto a small saucer. Dip

the rims of two double Old Fashioned glasses in the juice, then dip them in salt (if you want to be fancy, just dip

half of the glass in the salt). Fill glasses with ice. Stir the juice and gin in a small pitcher (or mixing glass) and

pour into salt-rimmed glasses. Garnish with grapefruit and mint.

Be sure to pick up a copy of Lush Life for more inspired recipes from Valerie Rice. $35, amazon.com

GARDEN ISSUE 2021 • SUNSET

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SONO

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SUNSET • GARDEN ISSUE 2021

M A SPRING IN A RARE QUIET SEASON AT SCRIBE WINERY, THE MARIANI FAMILY GATHERS TO TOAST NEW BABIES, NEW WINE, AND NEW BEGINNINGS. Story by H U G H GARVE Y

Photographs by TH O MAS J. STO RY

Floral design b y EU G E N IA BALLVÉ

Blue sky peeks through the morning fog in Carneros and the kids are getting their hands dirty in the very best way. Una, age 4, and her cousin Oliver, age 2, pick rad­ ishes and strawberries from the culi­ nary garden at Scribe, the Sonoma winery that has made a name for itself as the standard bearer of next-wave wine country vibes. Those vegetables plucked from the same soil that pro­ duces crisp Sylvaner and earthy Pinot Noir will play supporting roles in a langorous lunch in the vineyard—that is, if the kids don’t eat them first.

Over the years the children’s fa­ thers, Andrew and Adam, the vint­ ners, along with their sister, Kelly, the chef, have transformed a neglected turkey farm into a thriving winery that’s now a must-stop for southern Sonoma daytrippers looking for a vi­ nous respite from city. With its wind­ ing palm-tree-lined drive, tumbling gardens designed by red-hot Los An­ geles landscape design firm Terremo­ to, and a 1920s hacienda restored just so, Scribe is the sort of place begging to be socialized by young visitors. It also helps that the wine is exceedingly quaffable: that crisp Sylvaner, earthy Pinot Noir, and other single-vineyard bottlings draw folks to freewheeling tastings, inevitably capped off by a hang session on the lawn to watch the sun dip below the vines. It was the perfect spot to while away the day in wine country. Or at least it was before the pandemic.

Not to be deterred, the Mariani family have taken advantage of the dormant days of the shifting lock­ down to build new outdoor spaces and make new wines that embody the lawn parties put on hold: an

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SUNSET • GARDEN ISSUE 2021

effervescent pink pét-nat available in magnum, a white Pinot Noir, and a zippy and fresh rosé that has the nose of a Provençal classic. Today the fam­ ily is making the most of their quar­ antine pod with a family lunch on a deck originally designed to accommo­ date Covid-safe outdoor dining. The latest lockdown prevented them from ever using it, so they removed the tent, and voilà, a perfect alfresco din­ ing room for the family to gather on this late spring day and toast their blessings.

“We’ve spent the past year making wine and having babies,” says An­ drew, the oldest of the siblings. He and his wife, singer-songwriter Lia Ices, welcomed a new baby in the pan­ demic, 4-month-old Alice, while Adam and his wife, Kezia, have 4-week-old Innes in tow as well as Oli­ ver. The growing families are here to eat a feast prepared by Kelly, a former cook at Chez Panisse. On the menu today: trout poetically wrapped in pickled grape leaves; sesame flat­ bread; salad from the garden; eggs from their chickens; and lamb ribs roasted in the wood-burning oven.

Or, as Kelly puts it: “So. Much. Food.”

The vegetables that show up across

the dishes come from the on-site farm, overseen by Stephen Carter whose gorgeous chicories, tender greens, fresh strawberries, and more are the foundation for the garden snacks served to guests when lock­ down isn’t in effect. Today music is on the menu, too. Lia has just released Family Album, her fourth record. It’s an exploration of motherhood, con­ necting with nature, and family bonds. They’ve dusted off the piano they use for events and rolled it out onto a deck up the hill should the mood strike.

The kids head into the chicken coop with their dads and gather eggs while Kelly gets to work in the win­ ery’s new low-slung outdoor kitchen.

It’s nestled into the hillside, all poured concrete, stacked stone, with an Argentine grill fueled by oak trees felled on the property. The same wood crackles and blazes in the out­ door pizza oven. Oliver drops an egg he pulled from the chicken coop, ac­ cidentally cracks it, but his quick thinking dad pours it straight onto the oven’s hot stone floor and cooks it through, sprinkles it with flaky salt, and serves it to Oliver straight off the pizza peel. Kelly wraps the

Opposite page: Oliver and Una Mariani help their aunt Kelly pick produce for the family lunch.

Above: Scribe farmer Stephen Carter runs the winery’s robust garden program.

trout in grape leaves, stuffs them with herbs, and cooks them until they pick up the char of the leaves and the perfume of the herbs. In the wood oven, the lamb ribs sizzle and brown and the white beans simmer in cast-iron pans. Adam takes a tray of dough balls and cooks them one by one in the 800-degree oven.

And, of course, there’s wine. “We decided to put the pét-nat in mag­ nums,” says Andrew. “It was our first time bottling in large format. Even if people can’t visit us they can bring the Scribe party home.” Until the guests can come back, the family keeps that party going, albeit in a more mellow fashion than in days past. “When we first started, we’d look at our guests and didn’t realize we were seeing ourselves,” says An­ drew. “First it was young couples, then it was couples with dogs, and then it was couples with kids.”

As evening arrives, everybody heads up the hill to dance as the sun sets while Lia plays the title track from her new record, which pretty much sums up the day. “It’s immedi­ ate how immediate fades away,” the song goes. “Oh, there we are, wherev­ er we are, family album.”

GARDEN ISSUE 2021 • SUNSET

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This page: Landscape design firm Terremoto mixed native northern Californian plant species with regionally appropriate friends to wash the Hacienda in a garden that exudes the romance of Old California.

Opposite page: Pét-nat by the magnum; Una paints the flatbread with Lia and Kezia; the family dances while Lia plays.

GARDEN ISSUE 2021 • SUNSET

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Garden Beet and Walnut Dip Nutty and sweet, tangy and earthy, this gorgeous dip can be a decadent vegetarian appetizer when served with flatbread, chips, or crudités, but also hearty and flavorful enough to work equally well as a vegetable side dish to meat or fish.

Serves 6 5 to 6 medium red beets Salt

2 cloves garlic

2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar 3 Tbsp. olive oil

1 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

1 lemon, juiced and zested 2 Tbsp. chopped dill

¼ cup Greek yogurt or labneh

1. Peel the beets and cut them into

quarters. Place the beets in a pot

Soft-Boiled Farm Eggs with Asparagus Salsa and Toasted Breadcrumbs Just as satisfying as deviled eggs, but with the added appeal of luscious aspara­ gus salsa brightened with lemon juice and fennel fronds and crunchy bread crumbs. Make a double batch and redeploy the leftovers for lunch the next day.

with a big pinch of salt and cover

with cool water. Bring the pot to a

boil and cook until the beets are tender when pierced with a knife. Re-

move the beets from the water and leave to cool.

2. In a food processor, combine the

beets, 1 clove of garlic, vinegar, olive oil, ½ cup of walnuts, and 2 tea-

Serves 6

to the same pot and simmer for

spoons of salt, and blend until

Salt

minutes for medium. Shock the eggs

soning, adding more salt and vine-

cooking. We’re going for fully set egg

3. In a small bowl, combine the rest of

½ bunch of asparagus, bottoms snapped off

6 eggs

½ shallot, diced

Juice of 1 lemon

1 Tbsp. chopped parsley

3 Tbsp. olive oil, plus more if needed ¼ cup toasted bread crumbs 3 fennel fronds, chopped

Freshly ground black pepper Flaky salt

1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil on the stove and salt well.

2. Slice the asparagus across the stalk

into small rounds, about ½-cm. thick.

Blanch the asparagus in the boiling, salted water for about 45 seconds

so they are just cooked, but still have a crunch. Use a spider or slotted

spoon to scoop out the asparagus and set them on a plate to cool.

3. Gently use a spoon to add the eggs

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SUNSET • GARDEN ISSUE 2021

about 7½ minutes for large eggs or 7 in ice water once cooked to stop the

smooth. Taste and adjust for seagar or lemon juice.

whites with custardy yolks. Peel the

the toasted walnuts with the lemon

them on your serving platter.

ed clove of garlic, a pinch of salt,

eggs, cut them in half, and arrange

4. Meanwhile, place the diced shallot

into a ramekin and cover with lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Leave it to

zest, chopped dill, 1 pounded or gratand a generous drizzle of olive oil.

Mix and taste for seasoning.

4. Spoon the dip onto a plate followed

macerate for about 10 minutes.

by a few dollops of yogurt and use a

bine the blanched asparagus with

with the remaining walnuts.

5. To make the asparagus salsa, comthe parsley, macerated shallots, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl, and cover with olive oil.

6. In another small bowl, combine the toasted breadcrumbs with the

chopped fennel fronds and set aside.

7. To plate, season the eggs with salt

and pepper, spoon over the asparagus salsa, and generously sprinkle

on the herby breadcrumbs. Top with flaky salt before serving.

spoon to swirl them together. Top

Homemade Sesame Flatbread Sure, you could just griddle or grill purchased pita, but these pillowy-soft flatbreads are worth the lovely labor.

MAKES 4 LARGE OR 6 SMALL F L AT B R E A D S

¾ cup warm water 2 tsp. yeast

½ tsp. sugar

¼ cup whole wheat flour

2¼ cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup full-fat plain yogurt 2 Tbsp. olive oil 1 tsp. sea salt

FOR FINISHING: Olive oil

Flaky salt

Toasted sesame seeds

1. In a large bowl, whisk together water, yeast, sugar, whole wheat flour, and

¼ cup of the all-purpose flour. Let the

mixture rest for 15 minutes. Mix with a spoon, then add yogurt and stir to combine.

2. On a lightly floured surface, knead

the dough for 2 minutes, then let it rest for 10 minutes covered with

plastic. Knead it again for another

minute and put into an oiled bowl.

Cover the bowl with plastic and

leave to rise on the counter for 2

hours. (If you’re making this a day in

advance, put the dough in the fridge before the 2-hour rise, and refrigerate overnight. Pull the dough from

the refrigerator 2 hours before you plan to cook the flatbreads.)

3. Roll out the dough into 4 to 6 balls

and dust with flour. Cover and leave to rise for 1 hour.

4. Use your hands or a rolling pin to stretch or roll the dough until it’s

about ¼-inch thick. Heat a pan on

medium high, add a nub of butter,

and cook flatbreads on both sides

until golden brown, about 5 minutes

total. Alternatively, you can place the dough right onto an oiled grill, or

onto the floor of a pizza oven. Flip the flatbreads half way through cooking to finish cooking on the other side.

5. While the flatbreads are still warm, brush them with fresh olive oil and

sprinkle with flaky salt and toasted sesame seeds.

GARDEN ISSUE 2021 • SUNSET

77

Marinated Cheese Our kind of easy cheese course: briny, tangy feta spiked with two kinds of pepper and lifted with fresh herbs and citrus. Smash onto homemade flatbread or just eat straight from the serving platter.

Serves 6 8 oz. feta, preferably Valbreso sheep’s-milk feta

½ tsp. Aleppo pepper Black pepper

5 sprigs dill, roughly chopped 3 sprigs mint, picked 1 lemon, zested

About ½ cup olive oil

• Dice the feta into 1-inch cubes and arrange on a plate. Sprinkle with

Aleppo pepper, black pepper, herbs, and lemon zest. Drizzle generously with olive oil so it’s sitting in a little

pool. The extra olive oil is delicious sopped up with fresh flatbread.

Lamb Riblets With OvenRoasted Butter Beans Rich lamb meets rich legumes in a seasonal, hearty, and life-affirming meat dish that can anchor any celebration.

Serves 6 FOR THE BUTTER BEANS

1 pound dried butter beans

Bouquet garni: small bundle of thyme and a bay leaf, tied together with kitchen twine

Half of a yellow onion 3 Tbsp. olive oil Salt

• Soak the beans overnight in water.

The next day, simmer them in 10

cups water with the bouquet garni, onion, and olive oil until the beans

are soft, about 1 ½ to 2 hours. Season with salt to taste. The beans can be cooked up to two days in advance and stored in their cooking liquid.

FOR THE LAMB RIBLETS

2 pounds Denver lamb ribs Salt and pepper 1 whole lemon

1 clove of garlic, pounded

3 sprigs rosemary, chopped Olive oil

Flaky salt

1. Season the lamb generously with

salt and black pepper. Use a peeler to remove the peel of one lemon

and lay the peel on the lamb along with the pounded garlic and

chopped rosemary. Drizzle the lamb

with olive oil and massage the lamb with your hands to distribute the

seasoning and lemon oil. Let the

meat marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours, or better yet overnight.

2. Grill the lamb ribs over medium heat for about 30 minutes, flipping them

over halfway through cooking. Alternatively, roast them in a 375-degree oven for 45 minutes. Turn on the

broiler for the last few minutes if they need more color.

3. To plate, heat the beans in a wood

oven, on a grill, or on your stove top

in a cast-iron pan. Cut the grilled ribs

and serve atop the beans. Finish with a fresh squeeze of lemon juice and flaky salt.

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SUNSET • GARDEN ISSUE 2021

Grilled Artichokes with Mint and Pecorino Umami-rich artichokes are the mainstays of so many springy Italian dishes, but admit­ tedly a pain to prep. Reframe it as a seasonal ritual: Paired with briny pecorino and sweet and bracing mint, this dish is spring on plate.

Serves 6 2 pounds medium artichokes 2 lemons Salt

Olive oil

1 bay leaf

¼ cup white wine

4 cloves of garlic, unpeeled and smashed

1 bunch mint, 5 sprigs whole, pick the rest of the leaves

Flaky salt

Pecorino Romano

1. To clean the artichokes, fill a medium bowl

with water and add the juice of one lemon.

Remove the outer layers of the artichokes’ leaves until you reach the tender ones in

the middle. Cut off the leaves of the artichoke about halfway down to the heart.

Working quickly to prevent oxidation, trim

off the bottom of the stem end and, with a peeler or paring knife, peel the outside of

the stem until you get to the tender middle.

2. Cut the artichokes in half and with a small spoon scoop out the choke. Put the artichoke in the acidulated water while you complete the rest.

3. Meanwhile, prepare your artichoke blanch-

ing liquid. Fill a medium saucepan with water, along with a small handful of salt, a big glug of olive oil, the bay leaf, white wine,

garlic, and 5 sprigs of mint. Let this liquid

simmer for about 10 minutes. Taste and ad-

just the seasoning. Add the halved, cleaned artichokes and poach for 10 to 15 minutes, until the artichokes are tender but not

breaking down. Spoon the artichokes out onto a sheet tray to cool. The artichokes can be prepared a day ahead and kept cold in the refrigerator.

4. Once you’re ready to grill, drizzle the artichokes with olive oil, and place them cut

side down onto an oiled grill or onto a hot cast iron pan. Cook the artichokes until

they’re charred and hot and transfer them to a serving platter. Top with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, a drizzle of olive oil, a

handful of the picked mint leaves, black

pepper, flaky salt, and shaved pecorino.

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SUNSET • GARDEN ISSUE 2021

Quick Pickled Spring Vegetables Serves 6 BRINE

1 cup water

1 cup distilled or apple cider vinegar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. sugar

½ tsp. coriander seed

½ tsp. fennel seed Pinch of chili flakes

VEGETABLES

1 bunch French breakfast radishes

2 shallots, cut in wedges

4 carrots, peeled

• To make the

brine, combine all the ingredients in a small pot and bring

to a boil on the stove. Pour hot

brine over vegetables and

Garden Lettuces With Shaved Fennel, Sunflower Seeds, and Scribe Verjus Vinaigrette The chicories grown by Stephen Carter are stunningly pink and purple, sweet and crisp, with the slightest pleasant bitterness. Mixing them with tender and mild butter lettuce makes for a pretty and tasty presentation.

allow to cool.

Serves 6

eaten right

FOR THE VERJUS VINAIGRETTE

last for up to a

1

They can be away or will

½ shallot, diced 3

cup verjus

week stored in

2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar

refrigerator.

½ cup olive oil

the brine in the

Healthy pinch of sea salt

FOR THE SALAD

2 to 3 heads of lettuces

1 head of fennel, thinly sliced Salt and pepper

2 Tbsp. toasted sunflower seeds tossed with olive oil and salt

1. Place the shallot in a small bowl.

Pour over the verjus, vinegar,

and salt, and let macerate for 10 minutes. Whisk in the olive oil,

and adjust seasoning to taste.

2. Place the lettuce and fennel in a

bowl, season with a pinch of salt and a few cracks of black pepper. Add a few tablespoons of

vinaigrette and toss the salad,

being sure to coat all the leaves evenly. Taste a piece of lettuce and adjust the seasoning. Top the salad with the seasoned sunflower seeds.

GARDEN ISSUE 2021 • SUNSET

81

Grilled Whole Trout Wrapped in Pickled Grape Leaves Pickled grape leaves keep the fish moist as it chars and steams on the grill, while fennel and lemon flavor it from the inside.

A foolproof tech­ nique for cook­ ing whole fish on the grill.

Serves 6

fish with the fennel fronds and

3 whole rainbow trout

fish and slide a halved lemon round

(about 1 pound each; scaled, gutted, cleaned)

Sea salt Pepper

2 Meyer lemons, thinly sliced into rounds, seeds removed

Fennel fronds

6 to 8 pickled grape leaves Kitchen twine Olive oil

1. Rinse the fish under cold water and pat try with a paper towel. Deeply score the outside of the fish three

times on each side. Season the inside and out with salt and pepper.

Cut three of the lemon slices in half

and set aside. Stuff the cavity of the

remaining lemon rounds. Close the into each of the score slits.

2. To wrap the fish in the grape leaves, lay it on one side and shingle the

leaves over the side of the fish facing you, leaving some overhanging over the top. Delicately flip the fish, so

now it’s leaf side down, and repeat

shingling on the other side of the fish until it’s fully wrapped. (It’s okay if

some fish skin is still exposed.) Use 3

or 4 pieces of kitchen twine, depending on the length of the fish, to wrap around the fish and tie a knot. Tuck the leaves under the string as best

as you can to create a little wrapped package. This will help keep the fish together while grilling. Fish can be prepared up to 4 hours ahead of

time and kept in the refrigerator. Al-

low the fish to temper for 30 minutes to 1 hour before grilling.

3. Prepare your grill to medium heat.

4. Drizzle olive oil over the grape leaves, using your hands to rub it around.

Lay the fish perpendicular to the grill gates and cook for 8 to 10 minutes

on each side, depending on the size

of your fish. The grape leaves help to keep the moisture in and steam the

fish, so you have some wiggle room.

Once the first side is charred and the fish has released itself from the grill,

use two metal spatulas to delicately flip the fish over to finish cooking on the other side. Use a paring knife to check the meat along the spine of the fish for doneness.

5. Cut the string and squeeze over fresh lemon juice to serve.

GARDEN ISSUE 2021 • SUNSET

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PLANT- POWERED POP BITTIES

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KRAVE JERKY

Going meatless doesn’t mean you need to forgo jerky.

Krave’s pea- and fava-beanbased jerkies are a salty-sweet, high-in-protein indulgence. $5.99 / KRAVEJERKY.COM

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SUNSET • GARDEN ISSUE 2021

S NA C K S TOAST-IT AREPAS

Frozen arepas are the toasty, crunchy foundation for a quick lunch or midday snack: Thaw in the toaster, top with beans, cheese, pickled jalapeños, toast again, and you’re done. $7.99 / JUSTTOASTIT.COM

WHETHER YOU’RE GLUTEN-FREE, GOING MEATLESS, OR DIALING DOWN THE CARBS, THERE’S A SALTY, SMOKY, CHEESY, CRUNCHY SNACK FOR YOU. Photograph by TH O MAS J. STO RY

TOP SEEDZ

We’re suckers for a protein-rich, omega3-packed seedy cracker, and Top Seedz sunflower and flaxloaded crackers are a delicious standalone snack that only gets better with dip. Cumin and hummus is double trouble, but we also love the rosemary as a cheeseboard supporting player. $7.99 / TOPSEEDZ.COM

POPPED ARTISAN POPCORN

Tucson-based Popped’s range of popcorns features boldly Southwestern flavors. The mesquite-smoked varieties stand out, whether you’re swinging savory (mesquite smoked cheddar) or sweet (mesquite smoked mezcal caramel). $37.95 FOR FOUR / POPPEDARTISAN.COM

Our breathtaking Murano glass bead necklace from Italy Indulge in the luxury of Italian jewelry with our vibrant necklace!

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169

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THE EXTRAORDINARY

ITALIAN JEWELRY

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In collaboration with the Italian Trade Agency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and Confindustria - Federorafi

2/22/21 10:22 AM

T R AV E L

&

ESCAPES

Natural Wonders

New and noteworthy hotels throughout the West that offer easy access to the outdoors for when it’s safe to travel.

ASHLEY SCOTT PHOTOGRAPHY

Story by H U G H GARVE Y

KETCHIKAN, ALASKA

SALMON FALLS RESORT

Just a 90-minute flight from Seattle, Salmon Falls Resort is an unpretentious rustic luxe all-inclusive

fishing lodge nestled between the forest and the ocean. It boasts cozy rooms, a vaulted timber-clad

dining room with views of the bay, and access to stunning scenery and abundant wildlife. World-class

fishing is a boat ride away, and ethical bear watching is available for the brave. salmonfallsresort.com

GARDEN ISSUE 2021 • SUNSET

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NEW CUYAMA, CALIFORNIA

CUYAMA BUCKHORN On the east side of Santa Barbara

County, this revitalized 1952 inn is a

stylish Western-themed retreat for city dwellers looking for stargazing, wildflower-spotting, and hiking in the

nearby parks. With a new pool, bocce

court, and tri-tip on site, you’ll want to stay awhile. cuyamabuckhorn.com

RBY NATURE NEA

COURTESY OF CUYAMA BUCKHORN

The Carrizo Plain National Monument is the largest native grassland in California, a superbloom destination, and only one hour away.

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SUNSET • GARDEN ISSUE 2021

LOS CABOS, MEXICO

FOUR SEASONS RESORT The serene waters of the Sea of Cortez, swaying palms, and luxurious accommodations are a can’t-fail formula for a full reset by sea, particularly when you have two miles of wide open

beach just off your private patio. Dine

in-room on impeccable seafood from

the Baja outpost of renowned seafood specialist Estiatorio Milos.

FROM TOP: CHRISTIAN HORAN PHOTOGRAPHY/FOUR SEASONS (3); COURTESY OF PALIHOUSE SANTA BARBARA

fourseasons.com/loscabos

SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA

PALIHOUSE SANTA BARBARA Palisociety continues to expand its chic updates of classic West Coast properties with a graceful Mediterranean revival in Santa Barbara’s historic Presidio Neighborhood.

The throwback retreat boasts a pool and cabanas, rooms with fireplaces, balconies, saltillo tile floors, and a vintage preppy vibe. palisociety.com/hotels/santa-barbara

GARDEN ISSUE 2021 • SUNSET

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RBY NATURE NEA The 155-acre Healdsburg Ridge Open Space Preserve offers an easy three-mile hike with views of the Russian River.

HEALDSBURG, CALIFORNIA

MONTAGE HEALDSBURG The biggest resort opening in

Sonoma County in recent years sets the bar for wine-country lodging.

Situated on 258 acres of vineyards and oak forests, the low-slung

modernist hotel smartly embraces

outdoor living, with open-air dining throughout the property, guest

bungalows with private patios and firepits, and outdoor showers. class safety protocols.

montagehotels.com/healdsburg

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SUNSET • GARDEN ISSUE 2021

CHRISTIAN HORAN PHOTOGRAPHY

Bonus: Montage practices best-in-

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

PROPER DOWNTOWN L.A.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: THE INGALLS; AJ MEEKER; COURTESY OF THE HOXTON (2)

Interior design star Kelly Wearstler’s reimagining of a 1920s California Renaissance Revival building in the historic Broadway Corridor incorporates vintage Moroccan and Mexico City influences in a way that feels fully at home in modern DTLA. The forthcoming restaurants from Suzanne Goin and Caroline Styne will echo the mindful international mashup. properhotel.com/downtown-la

PORTLAND, OREGON

THE HOXTON PORTLAND Portland is at its prettiest in spring, and the Hoxton offers a

handsome home base loaded with mid-century furnishings and local art in the city’s historic Old Chinatown. Explore the

city’s many verdant open spaces, including nearby Hoyt Arboretum or Forest Park, with its 5,200 acres of woodlands.

Head up to the rooftop restaurant Tope for dinner with a view. thehoxton.com/portland

GARDEN ISSUE 2021 • SUNSET

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GARDEN ISSUE 2021

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GARDEN ISSUE 2021

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Picture Perfect

How to Gram Your Garden Like a Pro If you’re taking pictures of your garden to share on Instagram (or refining your artistic DSLR skills) you could learn a thing or two from Tom Story, Sunset’s longtime staff photographer. Tom has probably shot more gardens than anyone in the business—including most of the ones in this issue. Here he shares the secrets of how to perfect your pictures of plants. For more Insta-worthy shots by Tom, set aside time to scroll @sunsetphoto.

Story and Photographs by TH O MAS J. STO RY

3. BACKLIGHT IS BEAUTIFUL . The difference between an

image looking snapshot-like versus professional can come down to the proper use of backlight, which can add dra-

matic lens flare or let your highlights blow out. Experiment

with shooting directly into the sun and placing the plant or flower in the composition to block the sun. Then adjust the exposure so you can see the subject while allowing the background to go bright.

1. IT’S ALL ABOUT THE LIGHT. You can have a great composition, but if the light

4. SCRIM IS IN. A soft pop-up scrim can knock the sun down

is bad it will ruin the shot. Prepare to photograph in the very early morning or

when you have to shoot in the middle of the day and works

be tricky. If you wait until the end of a hot day the plants can wind up looking

to the subject. It will make a big difference in the quality of

very late afternoon. Some flowers do not open until they’re in full sun, so that can tired. Overcast days allow the full saturated colors to come through and there’s less reflective glare on shiny leaves.

best for tight closeups. Experiment with how close you hold it the light. A small stand or tripod with an arm that can hold the scrim will allow you to work alone.

2 . EXPOSE LIKE A

5. COMPOSE

a phone camera,

years it was stan-

PRO. If you’re using

CREATIVELY. For

try to expose for the

dard to have a

highlights. Most

close-up lens for

phones have an ex-

flowers, generally

posure lock so you

a longer focal

can lock your expo-

length that would

sure on the bright-

help isolate the

est part of the sub-

subject from the

ject and recompose

background and

without the expo-

allow it to fill the

sure changing. It’s

frame more ef-

much easier to

open up shadows

fectively. But

there’s nothing

of a slightly dark

stopping you from getting up close with a wide angle lens.

try and recover

with getting up close and personal, change your perspec-

image than it is to highlight detail lost

from overexposure.

Most smart phones have 2-3 lenses now, so play around

tive, get down low or up high. Images don’t always have to be taken from the same vantage point!

SUNSET (ISSN 0039-5404) publishes 6 issues per year in regional and special editions by Sunset Publishing Corporation, P.O. Box 15688 Beverly Hills, CA 90209. Periodicals postage paid at Oakland, CA, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS. (See DMM 507.1.5.2.) Nonpostal and military facilities: Send address corrections to Sunset Magazine, P.O. Box 3228, Harlan, IA 51593-0408.

Vol. 244, No. 2, Issue: AprMay 2021. Printed in U.S.A. Copyright © 2021 Sunset Publishing Corporation. All rights reserved. Member Alliance for Audited Media. Sunset, The Magazine of Western Living, The Pacific Monthly, Sunset’s Kitchen Cabinet, The Changing Western Home, and Chefs of the West are registered trademarks of Sunset Publishing Corporation. No responsibility is assumed for unsolicited s ­ ubmissions.

Manuscripts, photographs, and other material submitted to P.O. Box 15688 Beverly Hills, CA 90209 can be acknowledged or returned only if accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

For 24/7 service, visit sunset.com/customerservice. You can also call 1-800-777-0117 or write to Sunset Magazine, P.O. Box 3228, Harlan, IA 51593-0408. U.S. subscriptions: $28 for one year.

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