The Plot Thickens

Mid-summer already and the season hardly seems to have started.

The plot’s as clean as it’s ever been this year. Last year all my weeds set seed so it’s been a battle this year, but I’m on top of them. The couch grass at the top of the plot around the fruit bushes and compost heaps has all come out without a fight after I dug it over last year. Same with the bindweed that established itself last year; I just dug it all in and waited for it to show itself before spot weeding it out. Chick weed was a nuisance around the onions early in the year but I got that out and I don’t think it managed to set seed so next year should be easier. The creeping buttercup that was well established in the back half of the plot is now all gone and I’ve pulled up most of the forget-me-not coming up in the seed bed before it got a chance to crowd out the leeks and parsnips.

Slugs have had a go at the marrows and courgettes but most of the plants are getting away now so I shouldn’t need to worry. Something’s shredded the leaves on the sweetcorn - slugs or wind, I’m not sure, but that’s away now too.

I still haven’t planted the second early potatoes so it’s more or less too late for them now, but the Rocket have done nicely and the Duke of York will be ready soon as well.

The fern in the middle of the photo is around the pond. There are several different ferns and they’re all settling in nicely with a bit of herbaceous planting. Not much sign of the tadpoles in the pond now so I think the majority have become froglets - with luck they’ll be helping themselves to mu slugs. Didn’t see the fish today, but last week she was looking very well indeed.

And you’ve voted for my shed haven’t you? Of course you have. Just a couple of weeks to go now till Nation Shed Week and the announcement of Nation Shed of the Year.

Couch grass is a difficult weed on heavy soil, there’s no denying it. I moved plot a couple of years back but my previous plot had a tenacious couch infestation in a heavy band of clay and I spent much time teasing its roots out of tiny clods. I can understand the appeal of Rounup, especially as it’s marketed as being incredibly benign, but I’m not swayed. I’m not a commercial farmer - my crops are not life-or-death to me, so if there’s a risk to wildlife and the environment then the risk is too great. And I just think I’d feel dirty using something from Monsanto. Thing is, Rounup isn’t so benign. Although it isn’t active once it’s in the soil it doesn’t actually decompose, it just sits there. Experience has shown that supposedly benign chemicals can have long-term toxic effects in the environment so that doesn’t seem so clever to me. But the surfactant in Roundup has already been implicated in the decline of the common frog, and there isn’t a better gardening ally.

But in the end it’s about my approach to gardening. I enjoy digging, and I believe gardening takes time. Every little bit of couch root grows, for sure, but not indefinitely. Dig an infested bed over a couple of times and when it re-grows it’s not too difficult to go over it pulling most of it up. Shake off the worst of the soil and stick it on the compost heap. It’ll take a season to clear the bed, and a bit might survive at the edge of the compost heap, but what the hey.

Seems to be a bit of a year for slugs. My strategy is not to grow anything that can’t cope with a bit of slug damage. I can’t be doing with faffing about with beer traps or nematodes and you probably don’t won’t to ask me about slug pellets. But it’s not a bad strategy. Rocket, Duke of York, Kestrel and Charlotte potatoes are all reasonably clean on my site and once the runner beans and marrows have got away the slugs don’t bother them. I grew a few French beans last year and the slugs had them all so I just don’t bother to grow French beans.

Internet voting is now open for the National Shed of the Year competition so I thought I’d list my votes for the various categories.

Normal:My bit of New England owned by Willie from Oxfordshire.

Own design and hand built. Cedar shingles. Custom size, 9′ x 17′ to handle 8′x4′ sheets. Dust free storage area in roof space. Hand built work bench. Fully insulated to make it suitable as home office at later date.

It’s a well made shed and I love the colour. The tiles set it off well. I’d be very happy to have this shed in my garden. Actually, I’d be very happy to have the whole garden in my garden, the stone wall, trees and planting make a very tranquil scene.

Bike Shed:No 2 owned by Cyco from Didcot.

This shed is made from the timbers and floorboards of a local village hall. It has double glazed windows and polycarbonate roof windows. Had a rotten time building it because it kept raining.

Not the nicest shed I’ve seen but it’s hand made from the timbers and floorboards of a local village hall so I admire its effort and re-use.

Garden Office:Garden Room owned by David Ward from Denham near Uxbridge.

As I work in the building industry I forsaw the need to have terrific insulation and vapour control. I applied these components from the very beginning of the build and have just come through a very cold winter having used the shed most days and evenings with only 1 small electric radiator, set to minimal output providing all the heat required. For a shed to be used as a garden office heat and the lack of damp are the number 1 requirement and I’ve built a winner.

Not much to look at immediately but this is a genuine garden office with some real effort put in with a quality build, not just an off-the-peg box. There were some other interesting sheds in this category but they weren’t really offices and I’m picking my favourites against the category specifications as well as the intrinsics of the shed.

Cabin:The Wool Shed owned by Betty from Angus.

Instead of demolishing an ancient portacabin we renovated it by cladding with reclaimed metal sheets. It worked and the cabin is now weather proof and very cosy. I use it as a workshop for my spinning and knitting and also as a store for the sheep’s fleeces I work with. I love my shed and spend a lot of time there.

Proof that a good shed isn’t always pretty. This is an enthusiast’s much loved shed with a re-used porta-cabin at its heart.

Workshop:Dave’s Shed owned by Dave Durose from Birmingham.

I built the shed from scratch. It has been a long time ambition of mine to have my own workshop and here it is. It is insulated with 50mm polystyrene and clad inside with 1/2″ ply. The exterior is feather edge board.It has everything you would expect from a workshop including power and heating. The base is made from 4″ x 2″ pressure treated timbers on leveling stilts.

An attractive, functional and traditionally built shed this one, carefully fitted out as a very efficient workshop role.

Garage:Shed Zeppelin owned by Laura and Danny from Bucks.

Our shed is very cool and old and has a door hanging off. The windows are filthy and its been broken for years, and inside is a broken car.

Easily the best shed in the category. It was a small category.

Unique:Gar-Den owned by Mark Gandy from North West London.

Underneath the hinged lidded seats are all my tools and normal shed-stuff but it looks more like a loungebar with sound system, upholstered seats and a fridge for beer. The semi-circular decking outside is both seating and steps and focuses on a firepit so we can continue partying as the sun sets and the night chills. Because it’s at the end of the garden, unlike most Londoners we can enjoy the silence of being isolated away from the house and the incessant police sirens.

I’m very impressed with this shed. It’s well placed in the unique category because it’s not just hand-built, it’s an unusual design, and a pleasing design at that. It’s very well built and does all the usual shed-like things but it’s also very smart and fantastic for garden entertaining. I rate this shed highly and expect it to do well.

SummerhouseThe Folly owned by Annette from Derbyshire.

I built this summer house about 7 years ago - it was built around the small round window that I had made on a carpentry course. Most of the timber was reclaimed from a factory with the door and leaded windows coming from skips.It has electricity , insulation and cladding - apparently quite cosy in winter according to the two lodgers that have stayed in it.

The Summerhouse category is a tough one, but this is a very fine shed and I’m confident it will do well. It’s a traditional design, but a very fine design, and it’s hand built with much recycled material.

Summerhouse:Micro Summerhouse owned by Keith from Gosport.

It’s green, it’s 4ft x 4ft, it’s self designed and self built. It faces the western sky so it is idyllic for studying the sunset. Otherwise it is a great place to read and contemplate further shedworks such as the conversion of the 7ft x 7ft workshed opposite to a 10ft 6in x 7ft workshed.

Like I say, the summerhouse is a very tough category with many quality sheds contending for National Shed of the Year, so I’ve selected Micro Summerhouse for an honourable mention. It embraces the highest shed values of comfort and individuality, being hand made with just the right amount of room for a comfortable chair and a couple of books. A good shed.

Pub Shed:The Rugby Pub owned by Tim.

Designed and built by owner,with eight roof lights in octagonal roof, pair of double doors opening as one entrance in fine weather, 15′ fully fitted bar with additional door behind and storage under including 3 fridges, blinds to windows and roof lights, ceiling fan, sink with cold running water, comfortably furnished with sea grass matting floor, Hammock. No phone, no TV ,no interruptions ,no shortage of liquid refreshment, no inclination to go any where else and no need to.

I was confused at first by this category because I thought it was for sheds in pub gardens, but of course it’s for sheds that are pubs. This one is well provisioned and well stocked with friends, and that’s the perfect combination.

Studio:Strawdio owned by Piers Partridge from Bristol.

The Strawdio was built out of straw bales and is a hybrid “loadbearing” and timber supported structure. The roof is Wild Flower Meadow sitting on a pond liner. I made it myself with the help of an army of volunteers over 2 years after going on some courses with Barbara of amazon Nails.

Not a traditional build this but it’s been turned into a very comfortable shed studio.

Tardis:Tardis owned by Richard from Salisbury.

It’s bigger on the inside and it’s gonna be blue.

There were a few plastic tardis in this category and I’m guessing they were just bought from a tardis shop. That’s not the true spirit of shedness for me, so this tardis is still the pick of the crop for me because of the personal effort that went into it. And it works too, so that must be handy.

Hut:The Plot Thickens owned by Simon Kirby from Wash Common, Newbury.

It’s an allotment shed built entirely from recycled pallets and packing crates. I had the nails and roofing felt knocking about so all it’s cost me was £20 for the hinges and catch and another £20 for some paint - I’ll update the picture when I’ve painted it. It’s 6′6″ x 4′ which is plenty big enough for a comfy chair and a stove.

Looks familiar? OK, so I voted for my own shed, but it is a jolly nice shed and I did make it myself from recycled pallets. And it’s also got a pot bellied stove with a chimbley on top and for me it’s everything a shed should be. And if you pop in to the allotments at Wash Common let me know you’re coming and I’ll put the kettle on.

Wooden:Housetree owned by Rog.

A housetree! Note tree in house, not house in tree. All my own work! Built over the last year, frame of shed is solid oak- I got a deal on some weathered “boards” from a timber merchant, only problem was the size, average about 10′x2′x4″, biggest weighed ca. 350lbs, but couldn’t say no @ ?20 each board. Cleaned up v nicely. Weatherboard on the front is from same place, mostly elm, plus some ash, 1″ planks.

This would be my unquestioned favourite but for its use of tropical hardwood flooring. It’s lets down what is otherwise a fairytale design and quality build.

Concrete:PP’s Workshop owned by Peter Schofield from Lancashire.

A place to escape to. I’m gradually filling my shed with tools and materials. Soon I’ll have to start producing stuff or it’ll look like I’m just collecting loads of tools but have no idea what to do with them. The trellis on the outside is designed to make it look less like an industrial unit at the bottom of the garden. Eventually it’ll be largely concealed by pretty flowers. (Not my idea, but you have to make the odd consession.)

A tough category this, not in terms of quality, but in terms of qualification. I’m not considering the foreign sheds as they’re not eligible for the competition and brick-built isn’t concrete so actually PP’s workshop is the only entry in the category that qualifies. That said it’s a nicely equipped workshop and a worthy category winner. It would be interesting to see if sheddie ingenuity’s could one day come up with a home made concrete shed.

Other:Tea House owned by Paula on a private allotments in private allotment St. Lenords.

Anyone can drop in for a tea break or leave notes. It’s assembled out of any available material and its full of spiders. It has a sink unit, it’s now re roofed and been given total re-ferb. It’s full of gardening gear, boots, over wintering pots ,first aid box cooking utensils, tools, mirror, clothes, pictures, heaters cooking paraffin unit. kitchen towel soap nailbrush bowl comb etc, and best of all the kettle’s always on the boil.

I like this shed, and I like the sheddie’s attitude. Allotment sheds are all about make do and mend, and of course tea.

Weird:The Shed owned by Derek Pitt from Minety, Malmesbury.

Unusual shape and construction. Used as favourite practice space by many local bands. Interior clad in varnished plywood. Exterior LED lighting switched by PIR illuminates the shed in a variety of colours. Unusual acoustics due to the curved walls. Fully insulated with automatic ventilation system.

There is a fair degree of weirdness spread evenly across all the categories, but this is still fairly weird for a shed.

Voting is now open for the 2008 National Shed of the Year competition.

Please Vote for The Plot Thickens

I’ve told you about my shed, right? It’s made from dismantled pallets that would just go to landfill otherwise and it’s got a lovely pot-bellied stove that makes the shed toasty-warm on cold winter days.

What I like most about it is that it’s a real allotment shed. It cost me forty quid for the door iron mongery and everything else was scrounged for free. The bricks for the chimbly stack came out of a skip and a great bloke I got talking to gave me the chimbly pot.

What it doesn’t have yet is a window so it’s pretty dark with the door shut - and in the winter it needs the door shut to keep all those lovely warms in - but a friend on site is going to scrounge me a window so that’ll be the next project.

If you’re interested you can read up on how I built it here.

Please Vote for The Plot Thickens