Potting Shed

The sides are made from the wood that was cut out to make the window opening. The top of the window has a copper roof. A 'glass' shelf spans the window.

I made the pavers for the floor out of Fimo.

On the bench is a 'potting in progress' scene that was made by Pat Wagner ("Tweed"). I received it as a favor in the Ocelots 2000 convention tote bag. It includes a newspaper, a plant, seed packets, gardening tools, and an overtuned pot spilling soil. In the middle of the soil is a frog!

As soon as I saw this scene, I knew it had to go in my potting shed. I had not yet built the work bench for the shed, so I sized it so that it would hold the newspaper. The back of the bench is curved so that it fits snugly against the wall.

On the bench is a pair of gardening gloves which were made by Dawn, a club member. She made each member a pair for our club's Christmas exchange. The gloves are 'dirty'!

The wheelbarrow was made by another club member, Robert. This was also a Christmas exchange gift.

I made the shelves, and 'aged' them and the bench with washes of various colors of paint. It is fun making something new look old! I purchased the hedge clippers and the watering can. The box of Miracle Grow was made by gluing a picture of a box to a piece of wood. A club member, Linda, gave me the picture. She also gave me one so I could make the bag of potting soil that is sitting on the floor next to the bench.

One pot was a gift from Dawn, and the others are wooden ones that I painted a terra cotta color. The plant on the top shelf is a dead poinsettia. Dried leaves are falling off the plant.

In the foreground is a set of seahorse windchimes, which I made from a kit. I plan on hanging a pot of fuchsias on the shed too, after Megan teaches us how to make them at our February club meeting.

On the floor is a barrel of plants. I made the barrel from a wood turning that I found at Joanne fabric store. I scored lines in it to make 'slats'. I painted it barn red and added copper bands. I made all of the plants in it. There are geraniums, allium, dusty millers, pansies, and morning glories. The instructions for the pansies can be found on my 'projects' page.

Behind the barrel, where you cannot see it, is a copper pipe running up the floor and out the wall to the faucet. Ed said the walls of the shed were too thin to hold plumbing, and the water has to come from somewhere, so I made the pipe to keep him happy.

The birdfeeder was made by Linda, a club member. It is made from a drinking straw, wires, and a jewelry finding. Very clever! I made the bracket to hold it.

The iris were made by Beth Lane. They were the first thing that I received in a swap. I saved them until a special project came along.

Also growing around the shed are pansies under the window, gladiolus (instructions are on my 'project' page), and a rose bush.

I made the trellis and the rosebush. The roses are not blooming yet, since this scene is set in late spring/early summer. A female mourning dove sits on the trellis.

I covered the ground with model railroading supplies. In front of the shed is grey gravel made out of railroad ballast. Around the back is landscaping material that resembled 'beauty bark'.

No garden is complete without dandelions. A number of dandelions grow around my shed. Some are blooming, and some have gone to seed!