I Heart HGTV

This “Hobbit House,” was created by writer, artist and professor Rena Upitis. Located near a glacially carved lake punctuated with beaver dams, the Hobbit House accommodates guests at Wintergreen Studios, an “off-grid education and retreat center” says Upitis, on 200 acres of woodlands in southeastern Ontario.

“I wanted to create a magical place in the middle of the forest, a way of walking into a fairy tale designed especially for grown-ups,” says Upitis, a writer, artist and education professor with a small architecture and design practice specializing in ecologically sensitive residences, schools and retreats. “This spot was just calling out for a building to grow up from the ground. And so it did.”

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Sure it works for watering your horses. But this galvanized tank from Blain’s Farm and Fleet would also make a gorgeous outdoor planter.

I am deeply enthralled to the rustic farmhouse aesthetic, and nothing spells farm-chic to me like galvanized metal.  You can source galvanized planters or decor at the usual design-centric stores. But big box home stores and farm supply shops like Tractor Supply Company, Rural King or Blain’s Farm and Fleet — purveyors of the galvanized horse tank (above) — are great resources too. At these farm supply retailers you’ll find galvanized bins that make great planters or let you bring the outdoors in, as clever solutions for drink storage or toy-organization.

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“One of the most important things a professional photographer every told me is to shoot flowers backlit,” Baldwin says. Photos courtesy of Debra Lee Baldwin.

When I say, “I’m going to sit down and read the owner’s manual for my camera,” what I really mean is, “I’m going to earnestly read the first two pages, immediately forget everything, flip through the rest, then give up and fall asleep.” And I am not alone.

“As a reporter for the San Diego Union-Tribune, I learned how photos define and illustrate the essence of a story,” says Debra Lee Baldwin, award-winning nature photojournalist and author of three gardening books, including Designing with Succulents. “But my eyes would glaze over and my brain shut down whenever someone tried to explain bracketing and F-stops to me.”

If your backyard is full of beauty that your pictures can’t convey, these tips will teach you how to capture the richness, depth, texture and color of professional nature photographs — and put an end to pointless pointing and shooting.

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I’m a big fan of Christmas trees that reflect the owner’s personality and lifestyle. And although, as a mom of five kids 15 and under, right now that means our tree is covered with popsicle-stick reindeer and classroom photo ornaments, I dream one day of having a themed tree in some undisturbed corner of the house where I can show off my own interests and style.

What better way to show off your passion for gardening than by setting up a garden-themed Christmas tree?

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