A few years ago I raised a flock of meat birds. I accompanied these birds from brooder to butcher and along the way, I shared with readers how I made a collapsable chicken tractor, how I got a broody hen to adopt all my hatchery chicks so I didn’t have to use artificial heat lamps and…
(aka: The time I Paid $200 to Pet a Dog in Florence) For many, travel is about seeing the iconic scenes and structures around the world, for others, travel is more about collecting experiences and stories that form sensory memories and opportunities to experience life through the eyes of people very different from me. AirBnB…
Last Updated: One of the most frequently Pinterest pinned images from this site is this photo, above, from my chicken coop / barnyard, taken in the summer of 2013 (give or take a year), showing a an old leather horse halter that I converted into a hanger for a galvanized bucket of Calibrachoa flowers. The…
For some time now, I have been curating my own whimsical garden in Missouri and snapping photos of unique garden spaces when encountered them, but I thought it might be good to collect some of those images into one post, to provide a reference for myself and others who might be seeking fresh ideas and…
I have made no secret of my affinity for daffodils on my blog. In order to feature them even more prominently in my spring landscape, a few years ago I started planting daffodil bulbs in planters around my porch and driveway. When, at the end of summer, I’m cleaning up the planters, I tuck daffodil…
One of the easiest ways to add style, beauty, and warmth to a space is with fresh flowers. In my 20’s, when I thought of flower arrangements I think of an occasional splurge on an arrangement from a florist, or an even rarer gift from a friend or admirer to commemorate a special occasion- but in…
Hawk Hill’s gardens are home to many flowering plants, but by late summer in Missouri, there’s not much that hasn’t gone to seed, so my vases are usually empty. One day I realized that even though my flowerbeds were empty, there were lots of colorful and unique plants- even weeds- on the property and maybe…
Last Updated: Good chicken-coop landscaping includes a balance of well-chosen vegetation with foliage-friendly coop management practices. In this article, I’ll be reviewing the creative planting methods we use at Hawk Hill as well as the trial-and-error-proven plants we’ve come to use in and around our coop year after year. List of Recommended Plants…
I potted up a new Eucalyptus houseplant today, and I thought I’d take some photos to document a few things I’m doing uniquely or differently in my indoor and outdoor garden lately, while also illustrating how to pot up a small Eucalyptus plant to help give it the room needed to grow large enough for…
When I purchased hawk hill back in 2010, this poor little garden trellis was charged with a huge responsibility of holding up this boisterous and rather unkempt climbing rose. None of the trellises I looked at garden centers were either big enough or of the style that worked for Hawk Hill’s whimsical and rustic aesthetic.…
Recently I posted about the century oak that fell during a late spring storm this year. I’m still kind of grieving the loss of my favorite tree, but the wood my tree trimmers saved me has fueled a couple fun projects – including building a log pile in the woods inoculated with several types…
Hawk Hill’s fences are draped with heavily scented honeysuckle vines, humming-bird enticing trumpet vines, and deep emerald toned Virginia Creeper. Unfortunately, these vines which so perfectly provide a thick cover of privacy at each of the property lines also peep up invasively at all points not mowed regularly, including my flower beds. I’ve spent years…
Like a lot of chicken owners, I struggle to get anything green to grow in my chicken coop. Last spring, totally out of space in my garden, I decided to experiment with growing watermelons vertically up the “trellis” of my chicken coop’s run. Growing vining plants vertically and keeping chickens can go hand in hand…
My father loves the salvage yard- and occasionally I get to enjoy the spoils of his adventures. Last spring when he called and said he found small wood shipping crates for $2 each, I had him grab me 10. I’d planned on making planter boxes for months, but didn’t know where to…
This post updated: I love container gardening, but the prices for big planters can be painful! This spring I decided to repurpose some basic 5 gallon buckets I had lying around into these cheap, charming planters. Step 1. Pick your buckets & drill holes in the bottom for drainage My buckets had giant holes due…
