Landscaping around a garden shed may seem like an impossible task but it is
possible with a little imaginative thinking. Firstly treat the shed as a
completely separate entity; in the same manner you would treat your house. By
thinking in this fashion you will try to accentuate the beauty of the shed by
regarding it as a feature instead than disguise it.
It is important at the beginning of the project to assess the condition and
visual appeal of your shed. If your shed is in bad condition or is painted in a
vile colour you may wish to consider replacing the shed for one that is more
aesthetically pleasing. It may also be possible to improve the appearance of
your shed by repainting it in a colour that more pleasing to the eye. Replacing
your garden shed might not have been a cost that you have considered in your
plans to landscape around your garden shed and your budget could be seriously
affected. You must consider that no amount of landscaping will improve the
sheds appearance if the shed looks awful to begin with.
The next step in the process is to create a path from your garden shed
leading to other areas of your garden. This helps create the impression that
your shed is a genuine part of your landscape, using a pathway can help to
accentuate the colour contrasts with in your landscape which could be designed
around your sheds exterior paint colour.
Once the path is completed it is time to consider planting, many professional
landscapers decide not to plant around a shed which can work well for a shed of
small size. If your shed is larger planting around it can easily result in the
landscape looking tasteless, particularly is many different types of plant are
used in planting. This can be easily prevented by incorporating bushes and
trees within your landscaping, trees and bushes work well surrounding a shed
due to their neutral colours and easy maintenance. Another bonus to using these
types of garden plant is that you can choose trees that will produce fresh
fruit each season.
A final factor you may wish to consider when landscaping around your garden
shed is creating an entryway by adding steps the entrance of your shed. The
reason for taking this approach is that you are enhancing the appearance of
your shed rather than ignoring it. Adding steps to the base of your shed adds
definition to the structure in the same principle as it would to your house,
gazebo or pool.
In short landscaping around your garden shed need not be the difficult task
you imagine as long as you actively include your shed within your landscaping
plans and try to positively improve the perception of the shed rather than hide
it away. Approaching the problem of landscaping around a shed in this way allows
your garden to be practical as well fulfilling all your other requirements to
ensure it is a beautiful garden you can be proud of.
By: Jenny Austin
