Log cabins as garden potting shed

I used to have a small shed in my garden where I would do all of my potting, planting and cuttings and other gardening tasks. The problem with the using the shed as well as just a space issue was shed aren’t renowned for being the most weather tight of buildings, on cold raining days ( we get a lot of these in Manchester it was often cold and draftee and put me off working in the shed. There was also a constant issue of not having enough room to store all of my stuff and the junk the wife wanted out of the house, which left very little floor space in the shed.

After considering the option of purchasing a larger shed I started to look at log cabins, we visited the local garden centre that had a full range of log cabins on display. Although they cost a little more than larger sheds the build quality was far superior, just from looking at the thickness of the walls and the sturdiness of the structure this was visibly apparent. Not only would a log cabin make for an excellent pot shedding it would also give us a pleasant warm and dry space to relax and enjoy our beautiful garden.

On the day we visited the garden centre it was nice and sunny and low and behold the famous Manchester weather decided a full demonstration of how snug log cabins can be. The heavens opened we took shelter in a log cabin measuring about 6 metres by 4 metres. Inside not only was the cabin water tight and dry it was also very comfortable temperature.
After going home and measuring up we decided to purchase a 5.9 metres by 5.0 metres , the guys from the log cabin company came out and laid a concrete foundation and then proceeded to set up the cabin. Once the cabin was built a local electrician came round and wired up the cabin with four double sockets and a light, electricity was a luxury I had never had in the old garden shed.

The extra space not only allowed room for me to set up my own larger gardening table but also allowed room to store all the junk from in the shed (neatly packed into storage boxes and crates) which only took up a very small section of the space. We also created a nice lounge type area with table and chairs allowing us to eat meals in the cabin, we purchased a new TV and now the cabin acts as our new front room allowing us to enjoy and be much closer to our garden.

Garden Potting shed

A potting shed is an ideal addition to a garden or an allotment for both the amateur and avid gardeners alike. It is a place where seedlings can be hardened, cuttings are protected from the elements and can get a good start, and of course,  it is somewhere to pot and re-pot existing plants and flowers for the garden.

A potting shed should be big enough to accommodate a long workbench, and should have plenty of storage for tools, pots and other equipment, such as lawnmowers,

hose reels etc. You will need a sturdy building that will stay standing for a long time and cedar is usually the preferred choice of wood to use, due not only to its inherent

hardiness and durability but also because it contains natural oils within the wood that repel insects and bugs, which is ideal if you plan to keep a seed store.

 

There are many styles of building available to buy, you can have a slanted roof, for example, or a quaint countryside look in a Tudor-styled building. An option definitely worth considering, depending on the amount of room that you have available to you and  dependent upon the size of your budget are logcabins, which are sturdy constructions and can be used for a variety of functions. A landscaper friend of mine has a medium-sized log-cabin with large windows installed and a greenhouse where he is constantly cultivating something for his or someone else’s garden.

No matter what you plan to do in your potting shed, you will probably spend quite a long time in there, so you should ensure it is a comfortable and nice place to be for lengthy periods of time. There are also plenty of additions available to you depending on what you wish to grow,  glass boxes for hardening seedlings or a glasshouse on the side for tomatoes being just a couple of examples to bear in mind.