The Potting Shed’s 11 Year Journey: Inspiration and DIYs for Shed Lovers

See how The Potting Shed has grown, with inspiration, DIYs and projects for shed lovers. You’ll find a host of shed decorating inspiration inside and out, designed and built with a blend of new and salvage materials, galvanized sheet metal counters and windows dressed with landscaping burlap.

 

Happy Monday!

My Potting Shed turned 11 years old this month. . .how time flies!

Funny aside, I was all ready to title my post, “The Potting Shed Turns 10”

and then I did the math. :)

Apparently I missed her 10th milestone anniversary!

I’m sharing a look back to see how she’s grown over the years with some highlights,

shed inspiration and DIYs.

Warning: Photo heavy post ahead so grab a drink and get comfy!

If you’d like to see more of a specific post, click on the links included below

the photo to find more details.

We built my Potting Shed in 2012 before I’d ever heard of the concept or term, ‘She Shed’.

She’s 10 x 16 and not nearly big enough. :)

Readers have asked if she has A/C . . that would be, no. . .🥵

She’s a true shed, with no electricity,

so I don’t spend a lot of time inside during the heat of the summer

or dead of winter.

Long time readers know I don’t actually do any ‘potting’ inside my shed,

but it’s my happy place and where my creativity blooms.

 { Blue and White Transferware and Monday Morning Blooms in the Potting Shed }

 { Pretty in Pink Peonies and Blooming Dishes in the Potting Shed }

She’s a blend of new and salvage materials, which were chosen to save money

and to add some vintage charm. . .

Doors, $12 each

Posts for Front Porch, $15 each

Rusted Metal for Roof of the Porch, $3 a panel, Tetanus shot not included :)

The glass panel of the back door was broken when we purchased it.

Instead of replacing the glass, we added a board that I painted it with chalkboard paint.

We also hung the door to open out onto the back porch, rather than inside, to save space.

 { A Garden Metaphor for Life and Chalkboard Inspiration }

 { Earth Laughs in Flowers and Flowers in a Seed Box }

 { Chalking it Up to Fall }

A pair of leaded glass windows were also a salvage find and a bit of splurge. . .

one is hung horizontally on the front porch,

and the other is hung vertically over the porch roof.

 { A Fall Harvest Around the Potting Shed }

A shelf and window ledge provide an area for a seasonal display

of Ball Jar Bouquets and blooming dishes. . .

 { Ball Jar Bouquets and Transferware in the Potting Shed }

 { Celebrate the Red, White and Blue }

 { Pretty in Pink Peonies and Ball Jar Bouquets in the Potting Shed }

Counters were built and placed under a pair of sash windows.

We found a sheet metal shop that does HVAC duct work to cover the plywood counters

and to fabricate a backsplash.

The total for (2) four-foot, medium gauge galvanized counter tops

with soldered edges was a bargain price of $75.

We used construction adhesive to secure the counter tops in place.

The underneath storage areas were skirted with curtains to hide stuff and junk. :)

Landscape burlap from the garden center was draped and swagged

over drapery rods, aka, branches, provided by Mother Nature.

 { Tabletop Gardening and Garden Bouquets in the Potting Shed }

The counter tops provide space for dish gardening. . .

 { Garden Bouquet and Posies in the Potting Shed }

Or celebrating the seasons . . .

 { The Softer Notes of Fall }

 { Witches Tea Party: It’s All About the Treats! }

 { Bee Thankful }

 { Chalking it Up for a Plaid Tidings Christmas  }

 { Dressing up the Potting Shed with Vintage Garden Tools }

A pair of vintage cast iron metal heat grates / floor registers were repurposed as a gable vent,

with the gable area on the back of the shed dressed with

vintage garden tools and old metal sign letters.

 { Anyone Can Be A Gardener: DIY Garden Hose Wreath }

A quick and easy project for your shed door, fence, gate,

or nook on the porch where you want to plant some garden charm!

 { DIY Board and Batten Shutters }

Adding decorative shutters was on my to-do list for several years.

The challenge was finding the size and width I needed, as well as three shutters,

hanging one in the middle between the windows to frame the window boxes.

Building the shutters was an affordable and easy project that you can tackle in a weekend,

with painting most time-consuming part.

 { Around The Potting Shed: Window Boxes and Summer Garden Blooms }

Window boxes were added 8 years ago.

I found the window boxes at windowbox.com (no affliation).

I chose a vinyl / polyethylene material that was fade resistant and

can tolerate the UV rays without splitting and cracking.

 { Flower Market Buckets + Blooms Around the Potting Shed }

The window boxes have a double wall design with water reservoir

so they’re *somewhat* self-watering

with the exception of July and August’s extreme heat.

I couldn’t be more pleased at how they’ve held up, if you don’t count squirrel damage!

The window boxes are filled with foraged greenery

for December and the winter months. . .

 { How to Spruce Up Window Boxes with Foraged Greenery }

And occasionally with tartan ribbon and rusty bells

jingling their way through the greenery.

The front porch has a window box of cast aluminum with scrolls and swirls

in the style of Charleston or New Orleans.

I ordered it with a metal liner that I painted red, to blend with the front door.

It’s planted with caladiums in the spring on the shady front porch.

(It also came from windowbox.com)

 { A Fall Harvest Around the Potting Shed }

In the fall, the window box is liner-free,

filled with a harvest of pumpkins and gourds . . .

And filled with evergreens and a birdhouse

for December/Christmas nesting!

 { Christmas Around the Potting Shed }

 { Christmas Greenery Around the Potting Shed }

 { Potting Shed Winter Porch and DIY Grapevine Wreath Garden Girl }

The back door of the Potting Shed gets some winter love

with a DIY Grapevine Wreath Garden Girl.

She’s holding some vintage garden tools while dreaming of an early spring!

 { Fall Around the Potting Shed Part 2 and A Nod to Halloween }

Regular readers know that fall is my favorite season and I’m ready for Mother Nature

to get the memo that it’s time to roll out the pumpkins!

 { Hello Autumn Wreath and a Wheelbarrow of Pumpkins }

Reader favorite post:

Slinky Garden Hack and Trellis for a Favorite Flowering Vine

Whew! If you’re still here, I thank you and am impressed! :)

If you’d like to see more Potting Shed posts, you can find them via the ‘categories’ drop down box

on the home page by clicking ‘Potting Shed’. . . there’s 11 years’ worth. :)

{ Planting, Puttering and Potting Shed Sign }

{ Potting Shed Featured in She Sheds: A Room of Your Own }

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Thank you for your visit!

Sharing with:  Between Naps on the Porch