Long grazing platters, a luxuriously bountiful counter to the restriction of diet culture, are one of the hottest food trends of recent years. In this post, I’ll tell you about my take on this food trend, and how, from a small 10×10 foot mixed garden plot (of flowers, vegetables, and herbs) I create both edible…
In today’s post, I’ll be showing you how I made a project that I recently completed for my community garden. Check out the video below for a preview, or keep scrolling for a depth tutorial and supply list. One of the hardest parts about moving to urban Seattle was losing my farm…
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…
Did you know that you can make your own freeze-resistant water buckets, troughs, or ponds using natural materials you already have on your farm to make a DIY bucket heater? Keep reading to learn how. A few years ago, downed trees toppled power lines and cut electricity for a week in the dead of a…
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 an old leather horse halter that I converted into a hanger for a galvanized bucket of Calibrachoa flowers. The noseband…
The flower market at Pike Place Market in Seattle, WA is a treat. Flower vendors stand behind countless buckets of blossoms, creating bouquets with art and whimsy. Since my current lodging is close to the market, I get to enjoy the flower market as a part of my weekly routine. Quickly, I noticed how uniquely…
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…
This vintage birdcage makes a unique hanging basket featuring small shade-loving plants and a vintage bird figurine. One element of creating a whimsical garden is using ordinary objects to add playful interest to your garden. (Last year’s post on creating a garden fountain using an old sink counts!) Birdcages can be a fun addition,…
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 for In…
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…
Updated: When my city was hit by a tornado in 2011, my summer overflowed with balancing my full-time job with lots of volunteering. When the dust finally began to settle in late summer, I wanted to get my hands dirty and create something peaceful in my garden space- so I built this above-ground koi pond!…
When I purchased hawk hill back in 2010, the pitiful little garden trellis pictured below was charged with the huge responsibility of holding up this boisterous and rather unkempt climbing rose. Although I searched garden centers for large rose trellises, few of the trellises were large enough for my giant climbing tea rose, and…
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…
