Niwaki founders miniforest — a quick note to anchor this piece for readers.

Niwaki founders miniforest: Quick notes

Jake Hobson is a master pruner. He’s written two books on pruning: Niwaki: Pruning, Training, and Shaping Trees the Japanese Way and The Art of Creative Pruning: Inventive Ideas for Shaping Trees and Shrubs. And he’s the founder of Niwaki, a Japanese-inspired garden tool company headquartered in England. So, it should come as no surprise that his home landscape in Dorset is full of artfully shaped, precisely pruned shrubs and trees. But it isn’t your usual English garden with clipped hedges—nor is it a replica of Japanese gardens.

“Everything I do is inspired by Japan, but I’m deliberately not making it all Japanese,” explains Hobson. “There’s no koi pond or red bridges.” Not only does Hobson eschew any decorative Japanese elements, he avoids ornaments altogether. “For me, a Japanese garden is creating a sense of a landscape—an idealized landscape—within the plot. If you bring in ornaments, you ruin the magic of scale. Whereas, if all you’ve got is plants, you can create a sense (if you squint and after a couple of drinks) that maybe you’re looking out into a deep forest.”

Hobson has successfully created this illusion of landscape within his small space. Looking out the windows of the home he shares with his wife, Keiko, and their son, or gazing at photographs of Hobson’s green, layered garden, it’s hard to believe that it’s not much bigger than a tennis court. 

When Hobson and his wife bought the house, the backyard had four sheds, a mismatched bunch of overgrown conifers, and a ton of concrete paths. They ripped it all out, leaving just the evergreen hedge that blocks the view from a neighboring building. Hobson commissioned a local carpenter to build a single new shed inspired by a Japanese “summer house” at the back of the plot. Then he planted dozens of evergreen and coniferous shrubs and trees that he has been training and pruning for the last fourteen years. The result is a garden that feels like its own miniature world, full of living sculptures.

Let’s take a tour of Hobson’s garden, which he photographed himself. (You can follow him on Instagram @niwakijake.)

A short mention of Niwaki founders miniforest helps readers follow the flow.

We reference Niwaki founders miniforest briefly to keep the thread coherent.

Above: Every year Hobson lets the grass grow long and mows a new path through it. “Zigzagging through the garden is a really Japanese thing,” he notes. “You never just go straight into a house.” At right are some of Hobson’s undulating boxwood and a Phillyrea latifolia, which Hobson calls a “cloud-pruned tree.” (He had been growing it for years at his parents home before moving it to the garden.)

OUTDOOR TOMATOES

July monty don. A brief context to set expectations.

July monty don: Quick notes

I do not plant my outdoor tomatoes until June. But once they are in the ground they will grow strongly and need regular tying up. This is, of course, if you are growing cordon tomatoes rather than bush or determinate varieties. The latter can be propped up rather like an herbaceous plant rather than tied regularly in.

As I tie them with soft twine I pinch out the side shoots and then water them. I do not feed the outdoor ones as our soil is plenty rich enough and they had a good mulch of compost just before planting, but the indoor tomatoes will have a weekly seaweed feed at the same time.

From late July the risks of blight increase, dependant as it is upon the combination of high humidity and warm days and nights. The best defence for outdoor tomatoes is good ventilation and stripping off the lower leaves as the fruits develop helps this, as well as helping the ripening tomatoes have maximum exposure to sun.

SUMMER PRUNING APPLES AND PEARS

Pruning apples and pears at this time of year in summer is very useful for trained forms like espaliers, cordons or fans or mature trees that have become too large or crowded because, unlike winter pruning, done when the tree is dormant, this hard cutting back will not stimulate vigorous regrowth. 

Unless you are training a particular new shoot, remove all this year’s growth back to a couple of pairs of leaves (usually about 2-4 inches) being careful not to remove any ripening fruits. If you are training the fruit to a particular shape, tie desired but loose growth in as you go. Cutting it back now also allows light and air onto the fruit that is ripening and stops your trees becoming too crowded with unproductive branches.

CUT BACK EARLY FLOWERING PERENNIALS

Early flowering perennials such as oriental poppies, delphiniums and hardy geraniums such as G. phaeum, should all be cut back to the ground to encourage fresh regrowth and repeat flowering in a couple of months time. This also creates space for tender annuals and perennials in the border. Remove all cut material to the compost heap, weed around the base of the plants, water if necessary and do not plant too close to them so that they have light and space to regrow and flower again at the end of summer.

STAKING

The extra warmth of July often leads to a flush of lush growth that plants cannot support. The result is that borders can start to fall all over the place, plants outgrowing themselves and toppling chaotically – especially if lashed by rain, winds or thunderstorms and what was lovely profusion can become a disaster zone overnight.

So it is good to have some brush wood such as hazel pea sticks or metal supports ready and to gently work round the borders easing plants upright and providing the underpinning that they need – but without reducing the border to a stiffly corseted state that loses all the charm of midsummer bounty. Ideally it should not look as though you have done anything at all.

This can often apply to taller growing annuals such as Ammi majus, sunflowers, cleome, Cosmos sensation, tithonias and Leonotis – all of which are stalwarts of Longmeadow. As these are planted individually it is hard to support them in the gently bolstering fashion that suits a large herbaceous perennial, but they can be staked to half their height and tied with soft twine so that they can still move gently but not collapse completely.

PICKING RASPBERRIES

I would trade the very best strawberry for any raspberries and the summer fruiting varieties are at their best in July. Summer-fruiting raspberries carry their fruit on the canes that grew the previous summer – so all the fresh growth made in the current year will crop next July – whereas autumn-fruiting types such as ‘Autumn Bliss’ produce their fruit on the new-season’s growth. There is a freshness and seasonal treat to the summer raspberries that makes them especially good and we often pick a bowl just before supper and eat with a little cream whilst they are still warm from the evening sun. Heaven!

We reference July monty don briefly to keep the thread coherent.

July monty don comes up here to connect ideas for clarity.

Drip irrigation system: Quick notes

End clamps

Finally, it is time to close your system! End clamps are the simplest way to close your system by bending a drip tubing back on itself. End plugs are a more efficient component, as they also function as a water release valve at the end of your system. You can also create a looped circuit by using a tee-shaped fitting at the beginning of your circuit.

SETTING UP A DRIP SYSTEM

First, have a plan before purchasing your components and starting your setup. Measuring your space and sketching out a circuit is a great place to start to ensure you have the right length of tubing and the correct fittings to get water where you need it to go.

Thinking about the water needs of different plants will help you choose your emitters. For example, a container of annuals in the shade will likely need less water than a container of annuals in full sun; a raised bed can be irrigated by building a grid of pre-punched ¼” drip tubing; a single pot of strawberries might only need a single emitter while one water-loving hydrangea might need a loop with two or three emitters to ensure its entire root ball is getting sufficient water. If you aren’t sure, ask a Swansons employee about the water needs of different plants!

Water will always follow the path of least resistance. Your system can become less efficient if your circuit:

● is too long

● has too many emitters

● uses emitters that drip at different rates

● runs uphill, or against gravity (e.g. up a structure to hanging baskets)

These issues can be counteracted by creating a loop, using a tee-shaped fitting at the beginning of your circuit. A closed loop allows for relatively even pressure throughout the system. However, while a looped circuit will help even out the drip rate of your emitters, having too many emitters or emitters that drip at differing rates may still require you to run water through your system for a longer period of time to ensure all your plants are getting the correct amount of water. You may also consider installing a second, separate circuit that runs at a different time from your first circuit.

Once you have installed your components, it is time to test your system. There are countless factors that will impact your water output, including wind, temperature, soil composition, gravity, and water pressure, so monitoring your system is critical to ensure correct watering. After running your drip system for a set period of time, check to see how much water each of your emitters has released. You can do this by digging into the soil around your plants to see how far the water has percolated down through the soil, or by placing a small reservoir (such as a cat food or tuna can) under your emitters to get a more precise measurement. Once you have tested your system, you can bury your drip tubing and fittings under mulch to protect them from foot traffic and UV radiation. However, keep your emitters (including drippers) unburied to minimize the risk of blockages.

While the spring and autumn seasons in the maritime Northwest are typically cool and rainy, you may need to continue using your drip system to ensure your plants are getting enough water–especially those that are still becoming established in your landscape.

You can leave your drip system outside year-round, but be sure to disconnect it from your water source and allow the water to drip or drain out to avoid damage from freezing temperatures. Storing components like anti-syphons, pressure regulators, and emitters in a cool, dry place during the winter can prolong the lives of these products. In spring, test your system again to make sure all components are working properly, replacing or repairing any damaged pieces as needed.

As of this writing, Swansons carries drip irrigation components from Raindrip and Tempo, which are compatible with one another. These brands are ideal for watering containers, raised beds, and smaller garden areas. Mixing components from other drip systems is not recommended, as component sizing between brands varies slightly (even when marked as the same size), leading to fitting problems.

Drip irrigation is a fantastic watering method that is precise and efficient. Once you have set up and tested your system, it also will save you time and energy in keeping your plants watered when your garden is not receiving sufficient rainfall or while you are away from home. While this post is meant to demystify the dozens of drip irrigation components and address the most common issues with setup, every garden is unique.

If you have questions about components, need assistance sketching out your circuit, or are unsure about the watering needs of different plants, email us or visit the store. Our team is here to support you!

Tagged: drip irrigation, watering tools, watering, watering plants, watering guides

Drip irrigation system comes up here to connect ideas for clarity.

Bamboo bows fog-drenched — a quick note to anchor this piece for readers.

Bamboo bows fog-drenched: Quick notes

In the hush between dawn and tide, where fog coils like whispered secrets around ancient willows, lies a world where bamboo bows dance and memory settles into the soil. This is a place where Garden Wisdom breathes—not through force, but through patience, where every leaf, breeze, and root hums a lullaby of belonging. Here, we do not shape the land; we listen. Here, we weave ourselves into the tapestry, becoming not owners but stewards of quiet miracles.

The Timeless Teachings of Garden Wisdom

Before we trim a branch or kindle a ritual, let us sit with the earth. Garden Wisdom is not found in textbooks or charts—it lives in the patience of a seed cracking open, in the way fog clings to roots before sun offers warmth. It is the art of noticing: how the willow’s drooping branches drink in whispers of the wind, how fog transforms paths into veils of mystery, and how bamboo bends rather than breaks when storms arrive. This wisdom teaches us to move gently, to embrace impermanence, and to find stillness within the flux of seasons.

Seasonal Whispers: Aligning with Nature’s Rhythm

Each season sings a different hymn in the garden. Autumn invites harvest; winter asks for introspection; spring murmurs with renewal, and summer swells with abundance. To walk the fog-drenched paths in early dawn is to step into winter’s hushed beauty—a time to reflect on what remains dormant beneath the frost. Spring unveils the willow’s tender buds, urging us to prune away old fears and make space for new growth. Summer’s heat teaches resilience, while fog-drenched evenings remind us to cool our hearts, to return to the softness of the unseen. Garden Wisdom is the hearthfire that keeps us warm as seasons turn, a compass for navigating life’s cycles with grace.

Crafting with Intention: Bamboo Bows and Mossy Paths

Bamboo bows, fragile yet unyielding, embody a paradox: strength found in surrender. To craft them, gather hollow stalks that have shed their leaves, their green now gold. Split them gently along the grain, shaving excess until they fit like a second skin. Bind with twine or sinew, avoiding metal—let the connection be organic, echoing the dance of roots meeting soil. These bows are not for shooting arrows but for sending intentions into the air. Aim at the horizon where fog meets sky, and release your wish like a breath dissolving into mist.

For fog-drenched paths, consider not the literal but the felt experience. Line garden edges with damp moss cushions, or scatter dried lavender crystals where the walkway meets the wild. In misty mornings, when the air feels thickest, the fog clings to these natural elements, turning the garden into a sensory sanctuary. Here, every step is a meditation; every breath, a prayer.

Designing Spaces That Breathe

A garden designed with Garden Wisdom must breathe. Imagine a sanctuary where willows stand tall, their branches offering shade to moss-laden stones. Incorporate bamboo trellises to guide climbing roses, their stems worn smooth by time. Let fog-drenched paths meander through clusters of smoking sage or thyme, their scents activating mindfulness when kissed by dew. Use recycled glass pebbles to mirror fog’s translucence, embedding them at the base of statues or birdbaths. These design choices do more than please the eye; they teach us to slow down, to let go of control, and to love what grows wild.

Rituals Rooted in Time

The breath between night and day births rituals. Begin morning with a fog-drenched path meditation: close your eyes, feel the cool mist on your skin, and inhale the scent of wet soil. Whisper a word of gratitude to the willow guarding your space—its roots whispered secrets long before yours. Before dusk, tie a bamboo bow into the branches, letting it curl against the tarnished moon. Each ritual is a thread weaving humanity to the earth, anchoring us in the Garden Wisdom that hums beneath our feet. In autumn, build a fire from fallen leaves, scattering ashes over roots to release the year’s shadows.

Soil & Water Care: The Alchemy of Nourishment

Healthy soil is the soul of Garden Wisdom. Feed your willow with composted leaves, their carbon-rich decay mirroring nature’s cycle of withering and renewal. Construct rainwater catchments—let fog condense into droplets that drip directly into thirsty roots. Avoid harsh chemicals; instead, let nettle Comprising a tea fortify your plants. In drought, water deeply but seldomly, teaching roots to seek moisture’s embrace rather than depend on dripers. Remember: a fog-drenched path thrives not on excess moisture but on the delicate balance between thirst and overdrink.

Wildlife & Habitat: Becoming a Sanctuary

To honor Garden Wisdom, we must be hosts. Leave a corner of your path untrimmed, letting nettles or clover thrive for butterflies. Hang bird feeders adorned with straw and seeds, offering respite to feathered travelers fog-drenched by bluster. Plant willow cuttings in damp corners of your garden—they will rapid into living arches, perfuming the air with rosemary-like scents. At dusk, when fog thins, observe the dance of fireflies or the flicker of moths—testaments to the ecosystem you’ve nurtured.

Seasonal Projects: Weaving Cycles Into Craft

Spring: Plant a trio of willow saplings, binding them into a miniature arch. Drizzle with evening dew, watching fog cling to their leaves like spun glass.
Summer: Weave a living bamboo mat from fallen stalks. Let ivy or thyme nestle the gaps, tying breath to scent.
Autumn: Gather orange leaves to form a fleeting fog-drenched carpet. Burn them into ash, scattering into soil like stardust.
Winter: Prune your willow during dormancy, rejuvenating its form. Toss the clippings into a compost heap, beginning the cycle anew.

Indoor/Balcony Extensions: Tiny Sanctuaries, Infinite Mirth

Even the smallest balcony cradles Garden Wisdom. Hanging willow branches in recycled glass terrariums create dappled fog-like shadows. Bamboo banners, hand-dyed with elderberry ink, flutter like prayers. Place bowls of water to catch morning mist, letting droplets magnify the sky. In winter, layer terracotta pots with leaches, thyme, and tiny fog-like moss urns. These micro-sanctuaries mirror the garden’s soul, reminding us that stillness grows anywhere.

Community & Sharing: The Ripple Effect

Garden Wisdom thrives when shared. Invite neighbors to plant fog-drenched herb rooms together. Host gatherings where bamboo bows are exchanged with silent agreement. Teach children to tie bows from fallen branches, threading lessons of resilience and surrender. In winter’s deep fog, share recipes for warming syrups made from elderflower and mint—a celebration of endurance through cold.

Conclusion

As twilight blushes and fog softens into dew, remember: the garden is both teacher and temple. Through bamboo bows and fog-drenched paths, we learn to yield, to witness, and to love what cannot be rushed. Garden Wisdom is the compass guiding us home—to the quiet, to the moss, to the eternal dance of growth and return. May your paths always be mist-kissed, your bows unbroken, and your heart forever woven into the hush of willow whispers.

Bamboo bows fog-drenched comes up here to connect ideas for clarity.

Coconut foot scrub. A brief context to set expectations.

Coconut foot scrub: Quick notes

If your feet are dry and rough, or just in need of a little pick-me-up, this peppermint foot scrub is just what you need. This simple DIY scrub takes just minutes to put together, but will provide you with hours of relief.

What do achy, dry, rough feet need? A little pampering straight from the garden! That’s right, even your feet benefit from a little garden therapy.

This peppermint foot scrub is made specifically for feet. Exfoliating sugar and dried herbs will scrub away rough skin, the coconut oil will soften cracks, and soothing peppermint essential oil has a cooling effect.

Update: follow this foot scrub with an all-natural healing foot balm recipe! 

When packaged nicely, this mint scrub makes for the perfect gift.

Sugar scrubs are all the rage. You will find endless recipes for them just by scrolling pages of social media. What’s the appeal, you ask? Let me tell you!

Simple to Make

First, diy foot scrubs are simple to make. Not only does it typically take just minutes to put together, but you can usually find all of the ingredients around the house. This makes sugar scrubs a fabulous way to get started if you want to learn how to make your own all-natural skincare products.

Customized Skin-Healing Ingredients

Second, you can be very creative with ingredients. Generally, you start with sugar and oil as the base. Then, the fun really begins. Sure, you can leave the sugar and oil as is and have a nice scrub, but why not dress it up a bit?

Here are just a few things that this particular sugar scrub has in it:

• Scent – in this particular recipe, I use peppermint essential oil and a peppermint tea bag.
• Medicinal properties – peppermint does more than just add a nice scent, however. It also provides a tingling, cooling relief that feet absolutely love.
• Skin healing – one of the major benefits of using coconut oil is that it naturally contains anti-fungal properties. This makes it especially excellent for use on hardworking feet.

Peppermint provides a cooling effect to the skin.

Makes Your Skin Feel Great

Third, they make your skin feel fantastic! I won’t go too far into the adjectives here because I can’t do justice to the smooth, soft, baby skin that you have hidden just beneath that outer layer. Just try it and you will see.

Great Gift Idea

With all those benefits wrapped into one package, why not double or even triple the recipe below and share it with a few friends? This is a DIY gift that absolutely everyone will love.

I like to package this in wide-mouth mason jars, and for a little extra touch, I will add a chalkboard label and even a cute wooden scoop sometimes.

If you are looking for other gift wrapping ideas, take a look at this post about natural and eco-friendly ways to wrap presents.

Alright, let’s talk about how you actually make this peppermint foot scrub.

Remember, this recipe is perfect for feet. You can certainly use it all over your body, and I have, but I love this for cooling and soothing feet.

The secret is in the peppermint essential oil. It has a stimulating and cooling effect on the skin that can really perk up tired feet. If you are prone to foot or leg cramps, a massage with this oil will feel terrific, particularly when followed by this magnesium lotion.

Ingredients Needed:

The following recipe makes 400g  of sugar scrub.

Make it!

Layout your ingredients. Note: Set the coconut oil out in a warm place so that it softens but does not completely melt. Look for the consistency of softened butter for baking. It is very difficult to work with coconut oil straight out of the jar, as it does not mix well.

Let the coconut oil soften by placing it in a warm area.

In a bowl, mix together the sugar and the coconut oil.

Empty the contents of the teabag into a small bowl. Sprinkle the herbs into the sugar scrub. You can choose as much or as little as you would like to add, keeping in mind that adding more herbs can make the scrub more abrasive.

Grind the herbs smaller if necessary.

To give a minty green colour to the scrub, add some spirulina powder as a natural colourant. You can play with how much you’d like to add. I kept mine on the lighter side because I prefer a softer green.

Spirulina powder is made from dried algae.

Add 10 drops of peppermint essential oil. That may not seem like very much, but I promise you, a little goes a long way. This is particularly true of peppermint oil!

Peppermint oil is strong, so 10 drops is all you need.

Stir the ingredients together and scoop into a lidded jar.

Use a spoon to grab some scrub rather than your fingers to help it stay clean and last longer.

Give it!

To give this as a present, simply package the scrub in a jar with a chalkboard label, then use a liquid chalk pen to write the label. Wrap jute twine around the top of the jar, just under the lid and tie in a bow.

How to Store Peppermint Sugar Scrub

This scrub will need to be used within 3 months. It will be okay on a bathroom counter for a few days, but anything you keep longer will need to be stored in a refrigerator to extend shelf life.

Store in a fridge to preserve the shelf life.

More Plant-Based Skincare Recipes

DIY Peppermint Sugar Scrub

Give sore, tired feed the ultimate pampering with this DIY peppermint foot scrub. Coconut oil will soothe and heal skin while sugar gently exfoliates and peppermint provides cooling relief.

• In a bowl, mix together the sugar and the softened coconut oil.

• Add the contents of the peppermint tea bag.

• Sprinkle in some spirulina powder as a natural colorant.

• Add 10 drops of peppermint essential oil.

• Stir together and add to a lidded jar.

A city girl who learned to garden and it changed everything. Author, artist, Master Gardener. Better living through plants.

We reference Coconut foot scrub briefly to keep the thread coherent.

Coconut foot scrub comes up here to connect ideas for clarity.

Back home and. A brief context to set expectations.

Back home and: Quick notes

UPDATE 11/20/25: I was still too exhausted to get anything done yesterday, so I ended up resting the whole day. I’ll see how today (Thursday) goes. That hospital stay, with four nights of very little sleep, really did a number on my energy level. But Matt is doing really well. If I’m feeling energetic enough to get some work done today, I’ll be back tomorrow (Friday). If not, I’ll see y’all back here on Monday.

We’re back home, y’all! I’m so sorry that I wasn’t here yesterday with an update. I know many of you were concerned about Matt based on the comments and emails I got, and while I had very good intentions of writing a brief update just to let y’all know how he was doing, I just couldn’t seem to get it together yesterday to make that happen.

Anyway, Matt is doing very well. He was in the hospital from about midnight on Friday night until about 1:30 yesterday afternoon with a UTI that led to sepsis. It was a difficult and exhausting few days because, as I’m sure all of you know very well, getting good sleep in a hospital is virtually impossible with nurses coming in every couple of hours, flipping on the lights to take vitals, swap out IVs, give meds, etc.

So by the time we left the hospital yesterday, I was so exhausted that I felt like I was walking around in a dream state. I brought Matt home, got him situated and comfortable, and then got us some lunch. By the time we were finished with lunch, I couldn’t hold my eyes open any longer, so I slept. Y’all, I took a 2.5-hour nap. On a Tuesday. I am not a nap kind of person at all, but taking a nap on a weekday is unheard of for me. But after four nights of terrible, interrupted sleep, I had no choice.

Anyway, I woke up this morning hoping to be fully rested and ready to go so that I could get back to work on the foyer. I don’t feel rested at all, and I don’t feel ready to get back to work, but I’m going to do it anyway. I’m so close to being finished with the foyer that I’m hoping my excitement about getting it finished will help me make some progress today.

So picking up where we left off last Friday, here’s the punch list for what needs to happen to get this area completely finished. I need to…

• Move the cable for the router,
• Patch the little hole in the ceiling,
• Add the trim inside the closet doorway to finish off the edge of the wallpaper…

• Paint another coat of white paint on the bathroom/storage closet doors,
• Install doorknobs on the bathroom/storage closet doors,
• Either reframe the chapel picture in a larger and more eye-catching frame or add sconces flanking the picture,
• Sew the bird pillow,
• Add a new pillow insert to the pink pillow.

• Finish repairing the patched ceiling (sand, prime, paint),
• Add doorknobs/handles to the French doors,
• Add privacy film to the glass on the French doors.

And other than giving the area a good cleaning (cleaning the floor, cleaning the air intake vent, etc.), I think that’s it! I decided to leave the walls flanking the bathroom/storage closet doors blank…for now. I really love the view of that wall from inside my closet with just the grasscloth and wainscoting. Once I get the foyer finished and get the closet cleaned up, I’ll show you that view.

Also, I bought some candle sconces to try out with the chapel picture. I’ll try those out and see if I like them better than the sconces that came out of our previous bedroom. And then I’ll see if I can find a nicer, fancier frame and see if I might like that better than the current gold one. I kind of have my heart set on using sconces, but perhaps I’ll feel differently with a larger, fancier frame on the chapel picture.

Anyway, I’m still incredibly tired, and I’m finding it challenging to get back into the swing of things after these last few days with Matt in the hospital. But I’m going to do my very best to get refocused today and make some progress. I might need lots and lots of strong coffee to get me through this day.

More About Our Bedroom Suite Foyer

see all Bedroom Suite
Foyer diy projects

read all Bedroom Suite
Foyer blog posts

Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 fixer upper that my husband, Matt, and I bought in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do physical work, so I do the majority of the work on the house by myself. You can learn more about me here.

We reference Back home and briefly to keep the thread coherent.

A short mention of Back home and helps readers follow the flow.

Bring festive vibes to your space with these Free Knitted Pocket Christmas Toy Patterns! From tiny gnones to mini snowmen, you’ll find a lot of options below!

Knitted pocket christmas. A brief context to set expectations.

Looking for some mini decor-worthy toys because the festive season is just around the corner? Check out these knitted Christmas toys. They are perfect for adding a handmade vibe to your home.

Knitted Pocket Christmas Toys Free Patterns

1. DIY Christmas Caramel Pocket Toy

petiteknit

These Christmas caramel pocket toys by Petite Knits are a small, sweet project. They are worked in rounds with dpns and stuffed with yarn scrap or filling.

2. Knitted Christmas Tree Pattern

ravelry

What could be simpler and more festive than this knitted Christmas tree? This tiny piece by Ola Oslopova is easy to make and brings instant Christmas cheer.

3. Knitted Mini Gingerbread Friends

ravelry

Mini gingerbread friend by Esther Braithwaite is knitted in one piece from the bottom up. With their little design and cute shape, you can place them on a tree, add them to a stocking, or keep them as a tiny holiday toy.

4. Knitted Wee Fishie Pattern

ravelry

Kino Knits shares a fantastic way to use the leftover yarn. Their colorful design and simple shape will add charm to your Christmas tree.

5. Knitted Pocket Christmas Gnome

knitswithhockeysticks

Could anything be more charming for the holidays than pocket gnomes? These adorable 4-inch gnomes by Knitswithhockeysticks are quick to knit and irresistibly cute.

6. Knitted Mini Snowman

ravelry

Knitted mini snowman is a small and cheerful project by Sue Stratford. Whether you place it on a shelf, a table, or a tree, it looks cute. It’s a perfect last-minute decor piece.

7.  Knitted Christmas Gingerbreads

ravelry

Decorate your Christmas tree with this cute gingerbread pattern by Minttusuklaa. And the best part is, these adorable little treats are made from yarn.

8. Knitted Pocket Mouse

ravelry

This tiny mouse fits easily in your hand or pocket, making it a sweet little gift or decorative accent. Kate Godfrey is behind this charming pattern.

9.  Knitted Christmas Puppies

clover-mfg

Sachiyo Ishii is the artist of these cute, tiny Christmas puppies. These small pocket-sized dogs are fun to create and perfect for holiday décor.

Don’t confuse these Commercial Wood Restaurant Planters your see below with carpenter-built boxes that will fall apart in 3-5 years.

DeepStream’s natural wood, or better yet, 5th generation recycled plastic lumber, Restaurant Planters are a complete engineered 3-part planter system with replaceable parts, liner and Lifetime Structural Warranty:

No maintenance Restaurant Planters custom logo insert screen wall and liners with advanced drainage make great sidewalk cafe barriers. Lifetime structural warranty.
 
No Paint or powder coating to fail so they may be pressure washed. Planter box construction with internal aluminum frame to support waterproof liner and hide drip irrigation, lights, and speakers.

• Anodized extruded aluminum legs, with no paint or powder coating to fail, are engineered to eliminate fasteners and contain the tremendous expansionary forces of wood as it cycles through countless wet and dry cycles. The legs support the hidden structural aircraft aluminum frame and are isolated from surfaces by replaceable HDPE plastic feet.
• A separate planter box, with an almost unlimited choice of panel materials including tropical hardwood and maintenance-free recycled plastic lumber, and waterproof plastic liner.
• The planter box provides an air gap between it and the liner, which prevents solar gain from heating the root ball and hides drip irrigation and drainage systems. The liner protects the wood box and controls drainage as well.
• Rugged waterproof, food-safe, UV-resistant, 100% recycled LLDPE plastic rotomolded planter liners with advanced drainage and threaded drain ports, ensures both planter and plant longevity by controlling drainage while reduces labor costs.

Restaurant planters with. A brief context to set expectations.

Restaurant planters with: Quick notes

DeepStream’s Restaurant Planters with wooden, or maintenance-free recycled plastic, boxes are engineered with trademarked marine-anodized aluminum legs creating a hidden structural aluminum frame that supports a waterproof liner with advanced drainage. This unique frame is designed to mount accessories like casters, trellises, gates, lighting, and screen wall for windbreaks, privacy, or security while hiding drip irrigation and drainage systems and wiring for lights or enclosing stereo speakers.

Restaurant Planters custom logo insert screen wall and liners with advanced drainage, make perfect sidewalk cafe barriers. Lifetime structural warranty. Internal, tough, roto-molded, food safe LLDPE, no-leak liners with advanced drainage.

Materials

Material selection is the first part of ensuring your restaurant planter stand the test of time and save labor. Recycled Plastic Lumber and marine anodized aluminum, not paint or powder coating to fail. The aluminum frame and rugged waterproof plastic liner allow DeepStream to provide a Lifetime Structural Warranty. Recycled plastic will not absorb stains or graffiti paint on a DeepStream planter may be pressure cleaned for sanitation and paint removal.

Recycled Plastic Lumber 5 color samples of premium wood grain Recycled Plastic Lumber, so real you have to touch it to tell its not wood plus black and white smooth, planks. 50 year warranty, low maintenance and pressure cleanable for sanitation and to remove graffiti.

Recycled Plastic Lumber 5 color samples of standard embossed woodgrain Recycled Plastic Lumber

3 Tropical Hardwood Options

DeepStream Designs, Inc.
www.DeepStreamDesign.com

For over 15 years DeepStream Designs has been hand crafting aesthetically pleasing weatherproof designs here in the United States for homeowners, Landscape Architects, and contractors. Our products minimize environmental impact through timeless design, material selection, and rugged construction using the principles of Sustainable Design while also providing the lowest lifetime cost to our customers. The products we build are backed by a Lifetime-Structural-Warranty, all parts replaceable and recyclable. Purchases support the non-profit Trees for the Future.

Restaurant planters with comes up here to connect ideas for clarity.

We reference Restaurant planters with briefly to keep the thread coherent.

View all of ‘s posts.

Introduction

Crafting quiet corners — a quick note to anchor this piece for readers.

Crafting quiet corners: Quick notes

In a world brimming with noise and haste, the need for Tiny Retreats has never felt more urgent. These are not mere nooks or dusty storage cabinets, but intimate sanctuaries carved from the ghosts of walls, the whispers of dewy leaves, and the scattered fragments of a sky that refuses to let go of its soft blue hues. A Tiny Retreat is a microcosm of calm, a folded corner of the world where time slows, and the soul remembers how to breathe. It might be a weathered windowsill draped in ivy, a reclaimed bookshelf lined with forest-green hues, or a simple wooden pallet cradling a patch of moss. The Whispering Wall is the name for these hauntings of stillness—walls built not of brick, but of intention, memory, and the quiet magic of repurposed materials. Here, every crack in the plaster becomes a portal to the sun, every scrap of scrap paper a poem waiting to be written. This guide will walk you through the art of crafting such corners, blending practical steps with symbolic rituals, grounded in the earthy wisdom of nature and the quiet logic of sustainable living.

Tiny Retreats are the antidote to overwhelm, the quiet architecture of peace. They are not built to impress but to nurture—a place where a cup of rainwater tea steeps slowly, where the rustle of a passing breeze feels like a friend, and where the walls themselves seem to hum with forgotten lullabies. Whether nestled in a garden, on a balcony, or tucked inside a sunroom, these spaces are acts of rebellion against the chaos. They are not just eco-friendly suggestions but sacred acts of care, honoring the earth with every salvaged scrap and repurposed relic. Let us begin by aligning these retreats with the rhythms of the seasons, for it is in the turn of the year that the soul learns to listen.

Seasonal Context

The Whispering Wall is not a static structure but a living dialogue with the seasons. In spring, when the air hums with pollen and the first violets shyly peek through cracks in the soil, retreats might be adorned with wildflower pots sown from saved seeds. Autumn invites the gathering of fallen leaves—pressed between glass panes to capture the fleeting amber of decay. Winter’s chill demands retreats that glow softly, like a lantern’s breath, perhaps a hollow log filled with candles or a woven pot housing resilient succulents. Summer blooms could spill over a windowsill planter, their petals offering fleeting perfumes.

Each season gifts materials: spring’s sap, autumn’s harvest, winter’s frostbitten wood, summer’s sun-warmed soil. These elements, when woven into a Tiny Retreat, anchor the space in cyclical care. A wall built in spring might be painted with milk-shaken vinegar and castor oil, a nod to ancestral preservation. In winter, that same wall could be dusted with a layer of salt or snow, each fleck a reminder of nature’s endless reinvention.

The rhythm of the seasons also dictates the retreat’s purpose. Summer might call for reading nooks bathed in golden hour light, while winter invites quiet reflection at twilight. Mindful tips, such as using seasonal scents (evergreen in winter, citrus in summer) or textures (rough burlap in autumn, soft moss in spring), deepen the connection. The Whispering Wall thrives when its design mirrors the natural ebb and flow, ensuring it remains a sanctuary, not just a shelf.

Practical Steps

Choose Your Spot

Begin by listening to the landscape. A Tiny Retreat thrives in corridors of soft light: the corner of a shadowed balcony, a sun-dappled understair area, or the nook beneath a gnarled oak’s branches. Observe where the light lingers longest and where the wind hums softest—a windowsill that catches the last rays of the day, or a small alcove near a rain gutter where droplets kiss glass. The ideal spot is one that feels both intimate and connected to the world beyond. If crafting an indoor retreat, prioritize proximity to a source of natural light and fresh air, even if only through a slightly ajar window.

Gather Scraps

The soul of a Whispering Wall lies in its imperfections—the scrap dresser drawer, the shattered windowpane, the rusted bicyclet seat repurposed as a frame. Salvage materials with intention: old shingles from a roofer’s barrel, chipped ceramic tiles from a demolition site, or driftwood washed ashore. These fragments carry histories, whispers of their past lives, and their inclusion becomes a vow to the earth. For instance, a cracked teacup might frame a potted succulent, while a scrap wooden pallet could become the base for a vertical garden. Each salvaged item reduces waste, transforms trash into treasure, and honors the resourcefulness of those who came before.

Build the Base

A retreat’s structure must balance sturdiness and softness. Start with a foundation of reclaimed wood, cobblestones, or compacted earth. If using wood, opt for sustainably harvested or recycled timbers, ensuring the grain and knots tell a story. For walls, consider living materials like thatch, green roofing, or even a wall of climbing ivy—nature’s own architecture. If constructing indoors, repurpose an old ladder as a bookshelf or a salvaged table as a desk-turned-altar. The edge of a broken shelf could become a dangling plant holder, while a dis used metal tray might serve as a tray for herbs.

Weave in Texture

Texture is the language of a retreat. A Twisted rope tie of macramé, a scattered layer of dried grasses, or a woven basket brimming with pinecones can anchor a space. Consider mixing rough and smooth surfaces—a chiselled stone wall beside a weathered wooden beam. For added warmth, layer wool felt beneath a rug or drape flannel blankets over a sturdy frame. When outdoors, soften edges with moss, lichen, and trailing vines. Inside, scatter pebbles in a glass bowl or hang dried bunches of lavender. These details transform a wall from barrier to invitation, creating a tactile journey for the hands and eyes.

Breathe Life Into the Space

A retreat feels holy when inhabited by life. Plant herbs in cracked pots, let succulents claim crevices, or grow salad greens in upcycled egg cartons. A single bird feeder near a reading nook doubles as a habitat; a shallow dish of water attracts insects, fostering micro-ecosystems. Indoors, a living wall of air plants climbs a trellis, while a windowsill herb garden breathes green life into glass. Even dried botanicals—a sprig of rosemary, a fading carnation—linger as echoes of growth. Remember: a retreat is not static. Prune plants in spring, harvest herbs in summer, and share fallen leaves in fall. Each act of care deepens the bond between keeper and corner.

Design Ideas

The Whispering Wall: A Living Archive

Imagine a wall made not of plaster, but of salvaged fragments—each piece a story. A cracked mirror reflects the light, doubling the room’s presence. A salvaged typewriter, hung as a shadow box, holds handwritten love letters. Chalkboards with faded poetry, stacked volumes with frayed spines, and glass jars filled with natural curiosities (pinecones, seashells, dried wheat) create a gallery of nostalgia. For outdoor retreats, let climbing plants like wisteria or clematis wrap around old fences or broken gates, turning them into living tapestries. Each element speaks of time, of hands that once touched these objects, and of the quiet truths they carry.

Cozy Corners for Reading and Reflection

A Tiny Retreat is never complete without a seat. Repurpose a salvaged armchair with a woven wool seat cushion, or stack hay bales in a rustic reading nook. A reclaimed wooden stand could hold a lantern and a stack of poetry books, while a window box with braided rugs offers soft footrests. Indoors, a suspended chair made from a single piece of driftwood cradles a book and a steaming mug. Outdoors, a crooked branch shaped into a bench sits beneath grape vines, offering shade and a place to watch the world slow. Add a small water feature—a trickling rainchain, a stone basin holding still water—its sound dissolving all else into silence.

Retreats Rooted in the Seasons

Design around the year’s breath. In spring, paint walls with mixes of buttermilk and rust (to mimic aged patina) and hang flowerpots in macramé hangers. Summer’s heat leans toward bright, reflective surfaces—a gilded tray, mirrored coasters, or a glass terrarium filled with sand and tiny shells. Autumn invites rich, earthy tones: woven reed mats, burlap curtains, and dried corn stalks. Winter retreats might feature frosted glass jars, blackened ironware, and string lights that mimic winter stars. These shifts keep the retreat vital, never stale, always in conversation with the world outside.

Rituals

Morning Dew Ritual

Begin the day by watering plants in your retreat with drawn rainwater. As each drop glistens on leaf edges, whisper thanks to the sky. Sit for a moment, hands empty, absorbing the quiet. Use the time to set an intention—to forgive, to release, to create. This ritual mirrors the retreat’s ethos: a space where water remembers, where plants whisper gratitude, and where silence becomes a teacher.

The Forgotten Half-Hour

Once a week, dedicate 30 minutes to the retreat’s upkeep. Water plants not as a chore, but as a practice. Prune, tidy, and replant with intention. This act of seasonal care transforms the retreat into a living diary. In autumn, collect leaves to dry; in winter, observe how frost clings to windowpanes. Each ritual stitches the space closer to the land.

Twilight Reflection

At day’s end, light a taper inside a salvaged lantern. Let its flame flicker against the Whispering Wall, perhaps crafted from old dresser drawers or weathered shutters. As the flame dances, jot down moonshaped thoughts on scraps of paper, folding them into origami birds to release. These small sacrifices of time and attention make the retreat sacred.

Soil & Water Care

Know Your Roots

For outdoor retreats, the soil is a partner. Test its pH with a simple vinegar-and-baking-soda test. Amend heavy clay with compost or souls like wood ash. In sandy soil, add vermiculite to retain moisture. Consider container gardening if the ground is inhospitable—half barrels, neglected wash bowls, or upcycled crates filled with potting mix.

Water Wisdom

Collect rainwater in a galvanized metal drum or glass jar. Use it to nourish plants, creating a loop of gratitude. When watering, aim for roots, not foliage. companion planting reduces pest need—in a window box, basil near tomatoes repels aphids. Indoors, a small dish of water with a few stones provides humidity for houseplants, mimicking jungle microclimates.

Wildlife & Habitat

Feathers and Wings (Often)

Attract birds with a DIY feeder: a mesh bag filled with suet or a string of pinecones smeared with peanut butter. Hang it near a retreat’s edge to frame the view. Plant nectar-rich flowers like coneflower and milkweed to support pollinators. A wall of holly provides berries for winter migrants; a brush pile at the retreat’s edge shelters small mammals.

Tiny Ecologies

Turn a spent bathtub into a rain garden, its edges lined with flat stones to guide runoff. Add water lettuce and fish, creating a micro-pond. Indoors, a shallow tray of pebbles and water hosts a wandering gecko, evening spiders. These microhabitats become the retreat’s heartbeat, weaving the space into the greater tapestry of life.

Seasonal Projects

Spring: Sow Scraps

Plant flecked seedlings in a salvaged trunk. Use cracked pots as seed starters; when sprouts emerge, the roots will burst forth, claiming new life. Harvest rainwater in a tin bucket to nurture them.

Summer: Sunscapes

Dye blankets with citrus peels to create warm, fleeting shades. Hang woven baskets to catch fireflies at dusk, their glow illuminating the retreat.

Autumn: The Gathering

Preserve leaves by pressing them into books or gluing them to a shadow box wall. Host a feast with herbs from the retreat, releasing seeds into the wind afterward.

Winter: Glows and Frost

Fill a hollow log with candles of beeswax. Let frost etch patterns on a salvaged mirror, tracing the retreat’s story.

Indoor/Balcony Extensions

Indoor Sanctuaries

Repurpose a bathtub for a hanging garden. Stack reclaimed crates as shelves for books and terrariums. Use a clear plastic bottle to create a mini greenhouse on a windowsill.

Balcony Blessings

Hang wind chimes made from thimbles and spoons. Grow climbing roses on salvaged metal frames. A small clay oven catches the last sunlight, baking bread as it waits.

Community & Sharing

The Whispering Network

Share retreats by gifting a salvaged item stained with gratitude. A neighbor’s chipped teacup, your permission to prune a branch from your cherry tree—these are seeds of resilience. Join local salvage walks or seed swaps, turning retreats into communal gardens.

Tag with Green-Thumbs and Seasonal-Mood

When sharing creations online, use anchor text like “find inspiration in seasonal-mood” or “explore ideas tagged with green-thumbs” to connect with like-minded souls.

Conclusion

The Whispering Wall is more than a design—a philosophy. In its cracks, we find depth; in its crooked lines, grace. Tiny Retreats are not built to last in permanence but in presence, their materials and memories returning to the earth each winter, only to rise again in spring. They are acts of quiet resistance, proof that stillness can be carved from chaos.

Begin with a salvaged drawer and a spoonful of courage. Let the space grow organically, its purpose defined not by force but by feeling. As seasons turn, watch as your retreat becomes a sanctuary—a whisper wall of scraps and sky, humming with the eternal rhythm of growth, decay, and rebirth.

Tiny Retreats endure not through grandeur, but through their ability to hold the world gently, reminding us that peace is never far from reach.

Tiny Retreats endure not through grandeur, but through their ability to hold the world gently, reminding us that peace is never far from reach.

Crafting quiet corners comes up here to connect ideas for clarity.

Diy zipper pillow — a quick note to anchor this piece for readers.

Diy zipper pillow: Quick notes

Making your own zippered throw pillow covers saves a ton of money, storage space and allows you to make seasonal decor pillows for way less!

I’m back with a project I’ve shared a couple of times…but I like to repeat it because it’s such a GOOD one. Especially for seasonal decorating on the cheap! 

Though I’ve shared this before, I don’t think I’ve ever shared a full step-by-step tutorial, so I’m doing that today. I also learned a new trick that I’ll share (along with a video with the best how-to I’ve found). 

I love to use cloth napkins to make throw pillow covers, especially when it comes to a certain look — I really love to do it with Pottery Barn napkins to recreate their pillows that are WAY more expensive. I shared how I make pillows with napkins and runners here. 

I’ve always wanted to learn how to sew a zipper into one of my pillow covers, and finally bit the bullet and figured out how to do it. I am far from perfect on both sewing pillows and the zipper (especially on the zipper ), but this is one of those projects that really doesn’t need perfection.

Using pillow covers with zippers allows me to only store a few pillow inserts and the covers take up way less space.

Let’s do this step-by-step, shall we? I finished most of these pillows years ago, but decided to deconstruct those I had finished to add the zippers and then I finished the rest. 

Cut your fabric to size

I use very basic (AKA cheap) muslin for the backs of a lot of my DIY pillows. It’s not the strongest fabric in the world but it always holds up fine for me. 

If you have kiddos that enjoy pillow fights, you may want to use something a little thicker: 

This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience.

I may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links. 

I just laid my napkin on the muslin to figure out the size I needed. You’ll notice I used pinking shears, just because they help prevent the fabric from fraying. I’ve also used fabric scissors (I recommend using those for ease of cutting) and they still do fine. (If you plan to wash the cover often I’d hem your raw edges or use the pinking shears.)I recommend making your pillow cover about one inch smaller than your pillow insert for a snug, fluffy fit.

After your two pieces are cut, lay them wrong sides against each other. With a solid fabric this won’t matter as much:

Sew in your zipper

I found an awesome video tutorial for this that I’ll share in a minute. But these are the basic steps. 

Lay your zipper down on one edge (if your fabric has a design that has a top and bottom, be sure to put the zipper on the bottom!): 

Mark where the zipper needs to be sewn on — keep in mind you don’t want to cover the ends of the zipper too much or it won’t close properly. I marked this with a pencil. 

Sew this side of your pillow cover to both pencil marks (on either side) and don’t go any further: 

You’ll be left with a long hole in the middle for your zipper. 

I found it easier if I ironed the “seam” before working on the rest of the zipper: 

Lay your zipper on the fabric where you marked with the pencil so it matches to where you ended sewing up the ends. Then sew back and forth over each side of the zipper: 

Make sure the zipper is facing out so you can operate it when the pillow is finished and turned right side out! 

This is where it got a little hairy for me. I wasn’t a perfectionist on this part and it’s obvious.  

I left the zipper closed and sewed down one side first: 

I don’t have it pictured here, but I highly recommend pinning your zipper to each side before sewing. Otherwise your line gets a bit wonky. Just pin along the length of the zipper so it results in a clean hem along the zipper. 

To do the other side, I undid the zipper and then pinned that other side of the zipper before sewing it in. This will help later because when you close up the pillow you’ll want it open. 

Close up your pillow 

This is by far the easiest part! If you aren’t using a zipper, making a pillow is one of the easiest DIYs ever. I know many of you are intimidated when using a sewing machine, but if you can get help setting it up (the directions are very helpful too), it’s VERY easy. 

If I’m sewing up a pillow without a zipper it only takes a few minutes to make one. Is it perfect? Would I want anyone inspecting my lines? Do I care? NOPE.

Sometimes fabric with stripes are harder because you need to go fairly straight with your sewing. Once you get the hang of it, they are actually a little easier because they give you a guide on keeping that straight line: 

You’ll need to sew up the remaining three sides and you’re almost done!

Finish up small details

Before turning it right side out, I like to trim down the extra fabric and the corners. This just makes it less bulky: 

Turn it right side out and poke the corners out. Trim any random strings (I had a lot when doing the zippers!) 

If you like to decorate for holidays and the seasons, you know throw pillows are not cheap. This is such a great way to add some seasonal pillows without spending a ton of money:

Now that I know how to add a zipper, it will help my pillow insert hoarding problem big time! I’ll only need a few inserts for my seasonal pillows. I also LOVE that I can take these off to clean them now. 

I hope my zipper tutorial made sense. If not, be sure to check out this awesome video — it’s by far the best I’ve found. 

I bought these Pottery Barn napkins years ago (eight of them) for around $45 I think? I made eight “Pottery Barn” pillows for less than $15 each. Not bad when their most basic pillows sell for $40 and up! 

Have you ever made your own pillows? I encourage you to try it out and forget about perfection! You know me — if anyone is ever going to plop down on my couch and find the imperfections in my DIY pillows, they get a cookie.

Of course this napkin trick works well year round — not just for seasonal decorating! If you have any questions, let me know.

These DIY teddy bear pumpkin pillows are another fun and easy fall project you may like!:

A short mention of Diy zipper pillow helps readers follow the flow.

We reference Diy zipper pillow briefly to keep the thread coherent.