Gardenig in state California. Tips & Guides

The arrival of autumn is the perfect time to get plants in the ground. Early-season rainstorms and cooling temperatures can help plants establish roots, meaning your outdoor fall to-do list isn't limited to just raking leaves.

Happy Monday GPODers!

Laure Joliet / Architectural Digest

Behr

Hi GPODers!

La Marca

In a recent roundup of unique, jaw-droppingly expensive homes, Realtor.com reported that the priciest property is a palatial estate in—where else—Beverly Hills, California. We all know 90210 for Rodeo Drive and its luxury stores, celebrities, fine dining… the list goes on. 1420 Davies Drive is a 21,800-square-foot megamansion situated on top of a 7.8-acre promontory—and it’s on the market for a whopping $87 million.

If you’re a fan of the quintessential indoor-outdoor Western lifestyle that comes along with expansive floor-to-ceiling glass, a warm wash of natural light, breezeways that maximize airflow, and surrounding serene landscape, you can thank famed architect Cliff May. Regarded as the founding father of the iconic California ranch house, May’s work has been repeatedly published in Sunset since the 1930s. What made his work stand out at the time was how he designed homes not so much based on architecture but on the way people wanted to live in them. Making the most of the Western climate, his goal was to provide a closer relationship with nature through garden courtyards and blur the line between how we use interior and exterior spaces. May in turn created private sanctuaries where families could relax and enjoy a lifestyle of informal outdoor living. He invented the way most people want to live in the West, and his influence is felt throughout the region some 90 years later.

Want to make your home a bit brattier? We’re not talking toddler tantrums and teen angst—there’s a new trend taking over social media, courtesy of singer-songwriter Charli XCX.

If you’ve spent any time on design TikTok, then you’ve surely come across interior designer and TikTok creator Julie Jones.

Lana Williams, owner of Oakland, California-based plant shop and design company The Tender Gardener, is known for her gorgeous step-by-step plant recipes for creating lush outdoor planters. In Lana’s latest book release, The Container Garden Recipe Book, she’s revealing fabulous floral and frond combos that will have you making plant and pot pairings like a pro. Here she shares a few seasonally appropriate tips on the types of statement plants and containers to use as we transition from late summer into fall.

“Impossibly unaffordable” are two words that Californians are probably less than thrilled to hear. In a recent report from Chapman University in Orange, California, and the Frontier Centre of Public Policy (FCPP) in Canada, that’s exactly how four California metros are described. The 2024 edition of Demographia International Housing Affordability shows San Jose, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego listed among the top 10 least affordable housing markets—not just in the United States, but worldwide. 

A couple of the Sunset editors were talking about the Barbie Dreamhouse the other day. And we had a hot take: Although it’s an iconic home (with a slide, pool, and a color palette that childhood dreams were made of), it’s not the most attractive-looking space from an interior design or architecture standpoint. Sure, it has some touches of mid-century modern style and an extremely cohesive color palette, but we think not very many people would want to live there IRL. On top of that, it doesn’t really look homey or comfy. And all of that’s okay, because the house is for a doll and make-believe moments. What’s a human who wants to live out their Barbie fantasies to do?

Amy Pigliacampo / Interior Designer: Amy Pigliacampo

How to Plant, Grow, and Harvest Dill Weed and Seed Anethum graveolens

All of these varieties are excellent at self-seeding, meaning they drop seeds in your garden before they die. The seeds will germinate on their own the following year, providing beautiful blooms again the same or next year without you having to do much.

When my husband and I were planning to move from New York to California, I spent most of my free time (and phone data) scouring Zillow. Messaging owners and agents directly and sharing our story ultimately led to us closing on a condo that was originally listed for rent. On a national scale, the current status of the housing market has forced a lot of people—buyers and real estate professionals alike—to get more creative.

Pool season is in session, so if you need a sign it’s time to gather all your summer-friendly essentials, this is it. Swimsuit? Check. SPF? Check. Pool accessories? Honestly, not quite. Since nobody wants to spend their entire time outside frantically treading water, pool floats and noodles are a summertime necessity. That said, finding one that matches your aesthetic can sometimes feel easier said than done.

Last week, a federal judge struck down a Trump Administration decision to take wolves off the endangered species list, restoring federal protection of some gray wolves in the country—meaning they can no longer be hunted.

Trader Joe's

It’s late-July and we’re officially HOT. And so are our gardens. Now is the time that we start to truly sit up and take notice of the plants that seem to be gliding through summer’s worst without skipping a beat. Today’s episode pays tribute to all those perennials and shrubs that take a lickin’ and keep on tickin’. We found some stars that thrive in heat, lean soil, and even some selections for the most dreaded of conditions: dry shade. If these plants do well in awful situations, think how much better they might do in slightly better ones?   

Drought-tolerant plant combinations don’t need to be dry and boring. Xeriscaping, or designing a landscape to use as little water as possible, can be done while still maintaining a beautiful and interesting landscape. The physical traits that allow some plants to thrive without supplemental water can also lend fascinating colors, textures, and architecture to a design. Choosing plants native to areas where water is in short supply ensures that you are choosing plants that evolved naturally to withstand tough conditions.

A district court in California has rolled back the US Food and Drug Administration’s approval of a genetically modified salmon. 

Some horticulturists might have trouble choosing a favorite evergreen tree. Not me. If you ask, I won’t hesitate to tell you the evergreen tree I adore above all others is the weeping Alaskan cedar. Botanically known most commonly as Chamaecyparis nootkatensis (or occasionally by its newer genus, Xanthocyparis), this tree is a winner in every sense of the word. I’d like to tell you more about the weeping Alaskan cedar in hopes that you’ll fall in love with it, too. What is a weeping Alaskan cedar? One look at this beautiful tree and it’s easy to see why so many people adore it. The texture of

How to Grow and Care for Ceanothus (California Lilac) Ceanothus spp.

How to Identify and Manage Armillaria Root Rot in Pear Trees Armillaria mellea

How does one get a lobster high? In a tiny, lobster-sized hotbox, obviously. Or, in scientific terms, a sealed exposure chamber. 

moodboard / Getty Images

With recreational marijuana now legal in more than a dozen states (and Washington, D.C.), legal dispensaries are common across the country.

Around 500 farmworkers took their first steps today in a march for voting rights that will take the participants 335 miles across the state of California over 24 days. 

With high-tech farming machinery that relies on wireless connections, alongside the ever-growing online opportunities for farmers—such as interacting with potential partners and buyers and the ability to sell products to a wider array of consumers—connectivity is becoming more and more important for modern-day farming. 

Photosynthesis is one of life’s most quintessential recipes. Plants combine sunlight, water and carbon dioxide to produce oxygen, along with nutrients the organisms need to grow.

Looking to step up your flower gardening game? We’ve tapped into the tasteful toolbelt of Hannah Rose Rivers Muller, master florist farmer and author of Designing With Dried Flowers, who shares her selects for stylish yet practical farm gear that she personally uses while busy harvesting at Full Belly Farm. Well known for pioneering the Northern California field-to-vase movement, Hannah is no stranger to getting her hands dirty and knowing the type of quality gear needed when working in a fast-pace seasonally driven industry.

Is your patio currently a cluttered mess? It’s time for a makeover that won’t blow your budget. To optimize patio time, you’ll want to create a clean, comfortable spot.    We turned to Heather Knight-Willcock, an interior designer based in Long Beach, California, for her advice on redecorating a patio without dropping a ton of cash. As an expert for ShopGoodwill.com, Knight-Willcock is well-versed in seeking the best deals, and shopping with an eye for budget-friendly and second-hand options.  Here’s how Knight-Willcock would decorate a patio for under $200—and how you can, too. 

Happy Friday GPODers!

Patrick Biller