BHG Country Gardens - Berkshire Botanical Garden

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Spring 2011 Vol. 20, No. 2
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Display until May 17
Garden
Getaways
Sheds with Style
Fresh and
Fragrant
Lilacs
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Grow a
Mailbox
Garden
(plan (plan (plan inside)

Rethinking
The
Humble
Country Gardens Spring 2011
78
Written and produced by Tovah Martin
Photography by Kindra Clineff
Garden Shed
Knowing gardeners crave a room of their own, the Berkshire
Botanical Garden launched an exhibition showcasing garden sheds
transformed into getaways.
It began at a brainstorming session.
Trustees of the Berkshire Botanical
Garden in Stockbridge, Massachusetts,
were bouncing ideas back and forth
for their summer 2010 exhibition,
when the conversation turned into
a boasting session about a trustee’s
newest heartthrob—a garden shed.
The structure was originally meant for
tools, but it ended up retrofitted as a
refuge with a view. Everyone in the
room was drooling with envy when
the eureka connection came—and
the Living Stylishly in Nature: Re-
Imagining the Humble Garden Shed
exhibition was born.
If ever there was a garden fixture
with potential, it is the garden shed.
Practically speaking, no garden can
function without a place to store tools
and other miscellaneous gardening
paraphernalia. But the typical garden
shed is begging to have a more
thoughtfully designed exterior to
elevate it to a glorious focal point; plus,
the interior is poised to be put to work.
Here’s a space that could be harnessed
for so many purposes. Debra Prinzing,
author of Stylish Sheds and Elegant
Hideaways (Clarkson Potter, 2008),
writes about the shed’s low point, post-
World War II, when it was typically a
corrugated unit ordered from a chain
outlet. And she talks about a garden
shed’s possibilities: “Now it could be
an art studio, an office, a yoga retreat,
a place to write ….” She also discusses
how sheds have evolved. “The shed is

Right: Sarah Thorne pushes the spectrum, which
is why her shed boasts vibrant shades rather than
camouflage colors. With a kaliedoscopic garden
for horticultural hermits, Peter’s picnic tables and
fire pit at forest’s edge redefine hunkering down.
Sylvan studio
Sarah and Peter Thorne’s
True Blue Berkshire
studio sports all the
comforts of a little
getaway in the woods.
Not to forgo practicality,
they fitted their refuge
with Peter’s handhewn
rustic furniture, a builtin
bed, plus shelves for
squirreling away nature’s
treasures as well as pieces
by local artisans from the
couple’s shop, Thorne
in West Stockbridge,
Massachusetts.

Reading retreat
Annie Selke of Pine Cone Hill
in Pittsfield, Massachusetts,
went straight to Stockholm for
inspiration when designing
this Swedish reading retreat.
Not to strain the eyes in
this bibliofile’s sanctuary,
she raised the roof, added
windows, and furnished the
interior with soothing linen
from her shop’s bedding line.
part of America seeking solutions with the resources
at hand,” she says. “Industrious Americans are
repurposing what they have and doing it beautifully.”
Traveling the country looking for sheds, she found
that—beyond storage—they tended to take on
another purpose: dining.
The Berkshire Botanical Garden’s exhibition started
with blank canvases—raw sheds sprinkled into the
parklike grounds. As with a showhouse, selected
designers were let loose to unleash their imaginations.
Matthew Larkin, a local designer and topiary artist
(and Berkshire Botanical Garden trustee) who curated
the exhibition, had no preconceptions; there were no
parameters or list of rules. Amazingly, the designers—
local as well as from New York City—had only two
weeks from delivery to opening night to work their
Faux privy
Architect Dick Bories and
James Shearron of Bories &
Shearron in New York, New
York, wanted their shed to
have function, resulting in
the swankiest tongue-incheek
homage to an 18th
century privy imaginable. A
full-length window frames
the view beyond, flooding
the interior with light.
magic. In that short time, they emancipated each
toolshed and gave it all the comfort and seduction
of a living space. They let the light shine in, literally
and figuratively, while opening up the views looking
out. And they crafted spaces where gardeners might
live intimately surrounded by nature. Leisure was the
overarching theme. All of the sheds were designed for
a slower pace of life and an embracing link with the
outdoors. The exhibition included a blogging annex,
a reading retreat, a playhouse, a glamorous privy, and
a woodland artist’s studio.
Throughout history, gardens have been studded
with structures. Call it a temple, belvedere, folly,
pavilion, gazebo, teahouse, playhouse, summerhouse,
pool house, or whatever—a sanctuary in the garden
raises the place to a higher pinnacle. Technically

Blogger’s den
Designer Michael Devine
figured that a garden
blogger would wax poetic
surrounded by muse but
reclining in the lap of
luxury. Mirrors seemingly
expand the space as do
Devine’s hand-printed
fabric trimmings. When
blogging after hours, a
candelabra lights the way.
speaking, there are subtle differences among the terms.
A belvedere commands a view, a teahouse is inspired
by Asian traditions, a temple has Greek roots, and a
gazebo is open-sided. However, in modern parlance,
the lines have blurred among designations.
On the totem pole of structures, sheds have always
taken up a utilitarian rung. But now the shed is getting
its due respect and being explored for its full potential.
Your shed can be anything from a sleeping bungalow
to a guest cottage to a gaming room to a bachelor pad.
Give it a sense of place, surround it with green, doll
it up, fill it with whatever makes you comfortable, fit
it with whatever feeds your fantasies—but above all,
have fun with it. Sheds have been unplugged. ■
Country Gardens Spring 2011
81
A Shed of One’s Own
Anyone who hankers for a shed should
read Stylish Sheds and Elegant Hideaways
(Clarkson Potter, 2008). While researching
the book, author Debra Prinzing crisscrossed
the country visiting 100 sheds and speaking
with their proud owners. In the process, she
came up with these rules that will streamline
building your shed:
Check local building codes and zoning
guidelines. Many towns require permits
before you construct a shed. It’s always wise
to know the rules prior to breaking ground
and beginning your project.
Define your shed’s role. What function
will your shed perform for you and your
family? Consider expanding your shed’s job
description beyond merely storing tools.
Link with the landscape. Sheds can be a
focal point and they also can camouflage
an unsightly view. Make sure your structure
enhances your landscape.
Site the shed to suit your needs. When
positioning your shed, think about sun if
you’re growing plants nearby or shade
if you want a place to cool down. Select a
level location if possible rather than bringing
in earth-moving equipment.
Dress up the inside. Be creative with the
interior decoration as well as the exterior
design and color.
Personalize it. Whether it’s bookshelves,
plant shelves, windows, mirrors, stained
glass, a chandelier, a bench, or other features
that bring you bliss, incorporate those
perks inside.
Give yourself room to grow. Even if you plan
to lounge in your shed, consider adding some
work space—a counter for potting, storage
cabinets, hooks for tools, etc. Let your shed
do double duty.
Add amenities. Think about wiring your shed
for electricity. If you plan to grow plants,
consider installing a drain in the floor or
a sink for potting. Let your shed be the
Shangri-la of your dreams.
For more information, see Resources on page 102.