Jeannie’s ‘his and hers’ garden sheds

An unfortunate weather incident for Jeannie Melton of East Tennessee turned out to have a wonderful outcome for her garden.  A blown down fence was transformed by Jeannie’s husband, J.D. into a very cute potting shed, with enough lumber to build a second for him!

A garden shed for her, and one for him..

Jeanie Melton’s huge wood privacy fence was blown down by a tornado in 2009 and there was nothing to do but take the whole thing down, she says. “It took a couple of days as I tried to save every board and nail.”

Hers

“It was my husband’s idea to build me a potting shed, partly because he is wonderful and partly because he wanted my “yard stuff” out of his garage,” Jeannie says.

It was a joint effort all around, Jeannie explains, “He got it built rather quickly using the wood from the fence, only purchasing a few 4x4s, some brackets and screws. We found the door at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore. The roofing materials were leftover from the new roof of our detached garage, replaced due to the tornado. The windows were free. I am not above asking someone for their trash, or dumpster diving for that matter!

All of the shelving on the interior utilizes even more of the old fence wood. Again, only the brackets were purchased. The cabinets came from my mother’s kitchen redo. I filled all the gaps inside with insulation. I had a several garden baskets. I placed them on the shelves to store all sorts of things. Last year we added solar lighting! Everything was recycled, upcycled, reused, found, or scrounged!

 

His

This is the little out building my husband built for him after building mine! I’m not sure what to do here….must keep it masculine. He did, however, let me hang a basket of impatiens!

The shed was meant to be functional. I didn’t give very much thought, at the time, to decorating or landscaping. My Husband, J.D., hung a few old signs and bought the Coca-Cola button. When a family member passed away, we went over to clear out his house. Not a pleasant task, but were thrilled to find lots of old garden tools and implements some of which you see attached to exterior walls. Oh the treasures!

It’s maybe a smidge bigger then mine but houses two riding mowers, a push mower, leaf blower, wee eater, gas cans, etc….. so I will let it slide. Just this once!!

Jeannie and her husband have been married twenty years and have a grown son, and two miniature schnauzers, Daisy and Maggie.  They live and garden in Athens, Tennessee.

My favorite feature is the drop-down work surface (for the actual potting!) on the front porch to the left of the door. It is suspended on the sides by hooks and chains. Just last week we cut a hole in it to drop in my old enamelware basin.

Inspiration!

A few weeks ago a Facebook friend, Diane Reno, posted a picture of a pretty little frilly pink potting cottage that she found..  And it became the inspiration I needed to get busy on mine!  I made my little flowerbeds. I planted things that I had growing in other gardens in my yard. Some clematis is now poised to grow up the back corner, as well a climbing rose to grow up and along the front.

I like the old country standbys for the area around the shed. Things my mother and grandmother always grew. My goal is to keep that area Southern country style!  My garden flower beds are classic Southern with Weigelas, pink and wine and roses, lots of lilies, Rose of Sharon, roses, hyacinth, peonies, pampas grass, lilac, jasmine, and four o’clocks.  Of course I have a magnolia, too!

I owe all of this to my mother, Sandy White, who has taught and inspired me.

Jeannie and her mother love to garden together and share their plants with each other and their friends,…friendship gardens!  I think they should both stay friends with that wonderful husband of hers, too!  ~~ Sue