Te ultimate shed By Ian Leatt
ager. “Clean the tools every time you use them,” he would always bellow! Wiping them to a point of shiny was, I thought, a little eccentric, but nonethe- less I did what I was told. The years had been good to these
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tools, on reflection. Everything had a place in my father’s shed, a long room as I recall. The size would be some- thing like 22 feet by 14 feet, a large shed even for today’s standards. These tools had been passed down from my great grandfather and every one was immaculate. I recall odd-shaped spades, weird looking hoes, numerous different forks and rakes and each had a purpose. Tools hanging in one place, rafters full of this and that, different sized sick- les, machetes, trowels, hand forks – so many. There was even a special place for shoes – in a shed! What does this all lead up to? Well,
my father would have enjoyed the vision I have for the ultimate shed, which I see as being much more than a shed or even a man cave! It would be a place to grow things, a place of relaxation, and a place for all the tools. This shed would have to be 20ft x 16ft
at the very least. The shed itself would have a seeding area, some place where there is lots of sun, with the added advantage of a sprinkler system; once those tiny little seeds have started to germinate they need to be kept moist. South-facing windows would be best as the little seeds, small plantlings, early baskets and pots need plenty of sun, especially when starting out. To ensure that you get enough light
you would need one side with glass, not to the floor, though. Regular-sized windows, including one at each end, are all you need. White paint can be used inside the windows to help moder- ate the temperature as the sun beats down more warmly the closer we get to summer. Ventilation is important. The perfect shed would have a large fan to help regulate the heat. We get very cold in the winter and very warm in the summer so heating for the early spring time would be necessary, but be careful when using heating appliances; think
28 • Early Spring 2014 A good shed has a place for everything - no matter how many tools.
safety first, always. Cooling is typically the hardest, but a herb garden on the roof, which I will explain later, and windows that open for good ventilation should help. Positioning the Ultimate Shed, for
me, plays a huge part to take advantage of the movement of the sun and moon. I know you probably think I am a little
insane, but if my shed faces south for seeds in spring it must have one face to the west, featuring a relaxing deck with an awning overhead, for the lazy days of summer. I see myself at the end of the day spent
tottering around the garden. I remove my dirt ridden boots, pull a drink from the fridge and just want somewhere to
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t wasn’t until I had my first home that I realized the important lessons my father had taught me as a teen-
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