Hi, what an inspiring project! I have just finished reading a novel with the title 'The bee queen' I already feel connected to bees but that book inspired me even more. I felt like inviting these little winged friends in to my outside living area too. I once saw someone make a round hive by securing circles of dried grasses with string to each other. That looked cozy too. But the painted hives are marvelous too. In the novel it was explained that bees need points of recognition to return to their home hive and that they shouldn't all be the same because that gets confusing for them. Like when all the houses in streets are the same it gets somewhat like a labyrinth. For me at least. All the best of luck with your apiary!