Beloved shed is the engine room of the garden

As the temperature drops and the days grow frustratingly short, I find that I crave a space that is a little cozier than my garden. One where I’m surrounded by objects that bring me comfort and where warm, dim light casts interesting shadows.

I’m talking about my shed, of course, which at this time of year holds far more charm than my living room.

If you’re envisioning a “she shed” allow me to dispel you of the notion. Although I have no problem with people who create colorful, cozy areas complete with comfortable seating areas out of buildings that are otherwise utilitarian, I can’t imagine ever relaxing in such a space.

My shed doesn’t have anywhere to sit (unless you count the bird seed bin), but it is a crucial component in the success of my garden. And it’s a bit like a clown car, because a lot of stuff fits in a very small space.

That includes various machines, including lawn mowers, snowblowers, leaf blowers, string trimmers, a pressure washer and a chipper-shredder vacuum, a fall all-star that currently resides in the premium spot closest to the door.

There’s also shelves upon shelves of pot storage, where a variety of out-of-use terracotta and ceramic pots, seed-starting trays and an increasing number of “fancy” pots are stored for the winter, along with more plastic nursery pots than I will ever need (and that’s after giving hundreds away).

But the jewel of my shed is the tool storage wall. The most frequently used tools are hung one in front of another on small wooden racks. Hand tools like pruners, soil knives  and snips hang on their own horizontal rack. When it’s well organized — a state that is only achieved on the shoulder seasons of summer — I could grab what I need with my eyes closed.

When I visited author Jenny Rose Carey’s Pennsylvania garden, I took a peek inside her shed, which sports blue trim and window boxes that stretch its entire length. It’s so charming that it’s featured in books and magazines. Her tool wall was laid out much like mine, but across from it was a proper potting area. Above it was a shelf with collected seeds stored in charming vintage glass bottles. On another wall, collected objects mixed with functional garden gear created the perfect blend of form and function. A rocking chair looked like the perfect spot to have a cup of tea.

It was far more inviting than my shed could ever be — tea and snowblowers aren’t a great combination — but I recognized that the organizer of that tool wall was a kindred spirit.

My shed is the engine room of my garden. It may lack the charm of Carey’s, but I’d be lost without it.

Soon the containerized shrubs will be loaded in for winter protection and my visits to the shed will become less frequent. But when I’m missing the garden, I’ll walk in and grab a tool or two off the wall to take inside to be cleaned and sharpened.

No rocking chair required.