Garden Sheds

Written by: June A. Moore

Stodgy garden sheds are a thing of the past. Today's garden sheds have style and are way more that a receptacle to store your shovel and lawn mover or bicycles. Today's garden sheds are more of a living space albeit a living space shared with the odd shovel and petunia pot.

The garden sheds of today are all about utility and style. The sheds themselves are better organized and are large enough that it is easy to spend time in them. The addition of a work bench or a potting table are commonly seen features. The shed roofs tend to be higher which gives the shed a roomier feel.

The shed can be as interesting of plain as you want it to be. Some people like to use their shed as a hobby room. Included would be a comfortable sitting area, enough table top as demanded by the hobby or activity. Also the shed could be decorated to reflect the personality of the hobbyist. If the hobby is pressing flowers then perhaps add some flower stencils on the beams. If the hobby is building model aircraft then perhaps a few completed designs can be hung from the shed rafters.

I am a gardener and I need a gardening shed more than anything. I have a potting table on the outside wall at the back of the shed. This is the dirty area and I want to keep it hidden. I have a water connection and a sink and a large 36 inch tall table top. Beneath the table I have stainless steel shelves that that hold bags of potting soil and bone meal. This is the utilitarian part of my gardening shed. The interior of the shed is cleaner. I use the large counter tips to hold mini-green houses and other specimens that I am trying to propagate. Anything that is new or fragile spends a week or two in front of the window of the garden shed basking in the sunlight but protected from the wind and other elements.

I have a variety of different shelving systems and storage containers in my garden shed. Gardening can be a bit of a dirty business so I find that I'm drawn to plastic storage systems. These are easy to clean with a damp cloth. I have a very small bank of drawers that store my seeds. I believe this storage unit was originally designed to store screws or nails but is perfect for storing seeds. In fact, I likely saved money by buying a system designed for a work shop. Items that are specially designed for gardeners tend to be pricey.

I also have a comfy chair where I can sit and read my new gardening magazines (my favorite is organic gardening magazine) and a radio to keep me company. I love my gardeners garden shed and spend as much time as possible putzing around in it.

The outside of my shed is a board and batten shed design with an off set roof. The entire look is very whimsical. I wanted my shed to look like it could be found in a fairy dell and inhabited my a garden gnome family. I have two large multi-paned windows that play host to overflowing window boxes. I change the flowers in the window boxes every year from some seeds I have started in the spring. I find nasturtiums work really well as do impatients.

Although I am partial to garden shed devoted to gardening I can appreciate other types of sheds. There are perfectly good metal garden sheds that serve very well as a small machine shop. Wooden garden sheds look good and blend in wonderfully in a more forested or treed setting.

Some sheds are used to store motorcycles or ATVs in the winter months. These sheds can be used to store extra oil and lubricants and manuals on the motors etc.These sheds also provide some shelter when giving your machine a spring tune up.

There are great metal garden shed kits available at your local hardware store or available online. Of all of the sheds these are likely the easiest to assemble. They may also be acheap garden shed for those on a budget. The metal shed kits include every thing you will need as well as detailed instructions on how to build a shed.

For those who don't want a shed kit there are detailed shed plans available at most building stores including Home Depot and Lowes. These are detailed blue prints and will include a list of every tool you will need and a material list. Building a shed with shed plans is perfect for the do it yourselfer that doesn't have an engineering background.

I have also seen a very inventive use of a shed as a children's play area. It allows the children to play outside in the rain. With the use of a gate it is also an excellent and safe place for children to play while you are mowing the lawn or doing other work that might pose a danger to them.

The types of garden sheds and the uses for them are too numerous to list here. Try to be creative. Make a shed that suits your personality and your needs. Remember a garden shed is an extension of your house. If you put a little extra effort into planning your garden shed you will get enjoyment from it for years.