My Cute Garden Shed

Is it downsizing when you go from a three car garage to no garage? Before we could even start on the house, we needed to get a storage garden shed - my very first! I was determine that it be an attractive feature in the garden, not an eyesore.

 A great paint job and a pretty window box proved to be the solution. 

We will be redoing the exterior of the house, so I wanted to tie in with the larger scheme. The plan is to take down the vinyl siding on the front and sides of the original house and re-side with stone to create a French cottage, paint the shutters and doors black, and add some window boxes upstairs. 

My husband cleared and leveled the area (the neglected compost heap), then marked the corners. The contractor we used ordered all the materials and built the shed in one day! The price was competitive with big box hardware stores. 

I don't even want to think how long it would have taken us to do it. And my picky exacting hubbie was very pleased with the quality of the construction. I found the guy on craigslist and strongly recommend him to anyone who lives in northern Virginia and needs a shed or deck. 

Raymond Ware

www.CNRCustomFraming.biz

I painted the inside with a white primer so it would reflect light - in the middle of July. Between the heat, humidity, and mosquitoes, I don't want to think about how miserable it was. Hubbie painted the outside while I sat in the cool house. Colors used were: Behr Satin Black and Palais White, just the inexpensive exterior grade.

It was easy to attach the "English trough" flower box below the window with 4 screw,

add the coco mat lining, and dump in some potting soil and bone meal.

I started by planting some of the daffodil bulbs we turned up while clearing the site. I will let you know if they bloom in the spring.

Then I planted a decorative cabbage and some coleus. The cabbage will survive the winter and the coleus was (1) on clearance, (2) a source of instant color, and (3) easy to winter-over inside. I plan on doing some propagation and using the coleus next spring.

Now when we remove the heap of cinder blocks and the window A/C unit, I will have a cute view of my garden shed.

I dream of having the ivy and vinca growing all over the shed - but NOT the kudzu that is creeping up the hill. (My on-going battle.) Would they destroy the shed? Dream or nightmare?