Supporting Honey Bees
Supporting honey bees with a "let the bees be" keeping approach, and by creating an unforgettable experience of working with them through my Host-A-Hive Program.
#BEESPOKANE to see what my hosts are up to!
Community & Education
I have found that educating our community (primarily through social media so far) about the value and importance of honeybees, as well as the plants that sustain them, creates advocates for our pollinators and our local environment.
Visit my Instagram Page to see just how our community has begun to fall for these amazing little creatures!
Helping Gardens Grow
I have nearly 15 years of experience with gardens and landscape design, I would love to help you grow a beautiful garden that can provide a bounty for your family, while protecting our precious natural resources and our amazing little pollinators!
Meet Your Bee Keeper
Hilary Nickerson
I had no idea what I was in for when I brought my first package of bees home in the spring!
It’s no secret that 2020 has been a hellish year… on top of all that was going on in the world, the US, and in our beautiful PNW, I was faced with a serious injury, and the loss of a job that I truly loved. Needless to say, I was going through a really rough time!
Then, along came the girls…
Immediately after I installed my first package of bees I was smitten, and couldn’t get enough of them! I spent days watching them, reading books to learn about their biology, and culture, and even discovered that I have a bit of a knack photographing them. Eventually I realized that I was in a better place both mentally and physically, and I’m certain that I had my new muse to thank for that.
My background is in the landscape and irrigation design world, with a focus on water-wise and edible plants. In the past I was fortunate enough to have worked for an amazing local landscape architecture firm - where I learned the intricacies of irrigation design and landscaping. I then spent a summer learning about organic farming and gardening, with one of the best local farms around. Lastly, had I had the opportunity to develop and operate a spectacular local water-wise landscape rebate program, called SpokaneScape. Now that I have fallen for these amazing little creatures, I hope to build on those experiences as I develop my new path…
I’ve really come to appreciate plants that the bees love, in-fact I spent many summer mornings riding around the neighborhood looking for my girls on the neighbors’ plants, to learn what their flower preferences are first hand… Because of this, and along with my host-a-hive program, my future landscape designs are sure to be more holistic and beautiful than ever!
I knew very quickly that I wanted more bees in my life, and after a post on my neighborhood Facebook page notifying everyone that my girls had swarmed and not to be alarmed, I was over the moon to learn that my neighbors loved the bees and wanted more too! This got me thinking, and eventually, after some serious research, I developed my Host-A-Hive program.
With my pollinator garden designs, and my full service host-a-hive program, I aim to bring the art and beauty of bees and beekeeping right to your back yard. In the end, I want to empower the community with the knowledge and experience to improve our environment and support our pollinators… one hive at a time!