Friday, January 7, 2011

Red Shed and Greens


The Red Shed is a focal point viewed from our kitchen window..it's where we go at this time of year to have a read, look through seed catalogues, share a glass of wine at the end of the day and talk about tomorrow's promise. Last Christmas, we opened our stockings there! If you have ached for a summerhouse, garden shed or outdoor "room"...go for it!! It will end up being more than you had ever hoped for, I am sure of it. We used recycled windows and doors to cut down costs, drew the plans up around their measurements and started building. A small heater inside keeps the chill away. You can start your seeds there, entertain friends who visit the garden in summer and so much more. It really is all about use..need, and want.

Two big wants for us, were starting our seeds early and, autumn growing on. We had great success with the spring seed starting but what about growing on? Thinking nothing would come of it..we dug out the last of the edible greens when the weather turned and put those in whatever receptacle we had available "just to see". Would they grow on or fail? Well, really, we were shocked to find, with  just a dressing of fish fertilizer every now and again how fantastic the growth has been. Here is a photo of the last harvest taken a few days ago.


Now we are spoiled. We want more! We have cut to come again and all seems to be growing well. Now, to try seeding a tray of greens...just to see if, with our lighting and marginal warmth, we can actually continue to have "summer fresh salads" in winter. Perhaps they will have to be germinated in the house where it is warmer but can be moved out to the shed later.


So, after many years of  wishing for it, the Red Shed cum Summer House already holds great memories for us. It wears our personality; inspires us to experiment and have fun with gardening. The sun was still shining when I closed the door today... the raised bed, bean wall, trees and blue sky reflected on the long glass panes.

7 comments:

  1. Wow! I love your "Red Shed!" It's perfect! I have always wanted some sort of sun porch/room! We had a "sort of one" in our first home and I really miss it! Happy New Year!
    ~Michele

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  2. I love sheds - got way too many of them, but a red shed - and homemade too - very cool; I'm envious

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  3. oh this is too lovely. I'm moving in!
    We might have our blue shed empty for a few months but I dunno - too chickeny...

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  4. What a lovely, lovely post, Brenda. Longsuffering spouse is going to revamp my greenhouse in the spring (or that's the plan) and maybe he should revamp it slightly more to make a part that's a shed or summerhouse too. Tempting...tempting...but it'll have to be like a TARDIS, bigger on the inside than it is on the outside!

    Happy New Year, by the way...I will keep saying that til at least mid-January!

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  5. This is a beautiful shed! Love the colour and love how much use you're getting out of it. I've never really considered a 'summer house' before but I like this a lot.

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  6. Dear Brenda, Your Summer House if far too lovely to be called a shed. It looks so sweet there in your garden all lit up by the sun. Roomy inside too from your photo! You have inspired me! If only! My shed sits by the road with a tarp over the roof and it seems to be sinking lower into the ground each year. I must save the 1790 or so building that once housed a Model T Ford. I should love a summer house out in the gardens too. Good luck with your greens . . . I would bet you could grow them year round. Wonderful post!

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  7. Thanks for all the kind wishes and a Happy New Year back to each of you. The Red Shed truly has been a pleasure and I do hope Carol, you save that 1790's building..a treasure to own. Thanks for your kind remark re the post(blush).

    Jodi, thanks for your equally kind remark re the "lovely, lovely"))). If LSS is going to work on your shed..mmm..well what an opportunity (big smile)to revamp, enlarge and decorate. My LSS says it's just one more room to clean when he sees me out there sweeping and fussing but I don't care...I love it.

    Marguerite, thought you might enjoy the color RED as it was under consideration for your house. Glad you liked the idea.

    ....yes Jan..too Chickeny...and sounds like it will have tenants soon anyway))

    Mark, one can never have too many sheds! Thanks for your kind comment about "homemade". We do try to be handy but I will say, this project took a year to complete as we worked off and on.

    Michele and Andy, a nice go to shed on your beautiful property..I can see it now...Bliss )))

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