Cottage-Style Garden Shed Digital Makeover

Dear Angela: Can My Garden Shed Be Cottage-y? via cottagemagpie.com

Today's "Dear Angela" letter comes from yours truly. I have been longing for summer and longing for my old English Cottage garden, and have been really struggling with how to make an impact this season since we have so much to do in the new garden. So I decided to ask myself how I might turn a neglected corner of my backyard into a cottage garden I can love. Here's what I said:

Dear Angela,

I moved to a new home this summer, and I have set aside a back corner of the garden for a romantic cottage-style garden, but I am having trouble envisioning what I might do or how it might look. Especially with that ugly shed in the middle of it all.

I also have to put in a fence along the green hedge to keep the neighbors dog out. The dog is very polite and well-behaved, but he has a habit of using my lawn for his morning constitutional. A low fence should suffice, but I can't picture how to put a fence with the arborvitae hedge there.

Here's a picture of what it looks like now:

Dear Angela: Can My Garden Shed Be Cottage-y? via cottagemagpie.com

See what I mean?

Can you help me?

Longingly,

~Self

Dear Self,

I spent some time with your photo, and as you can see I got a little (a lot) carried away. But even though this plan is somewhere in the realm of fantasy, I still think that it will help spark some ideas to get you going in the practical realm.

Dear Angela: How Can I Make My Garden Shed More Cottage?via cottagemagpie.com

I started with the shed, giving it a virtual fresh coat of paint, French doors and coach lamps, Next, I found myself wanting to add trees. And plantings. And a patio. And a pathway. I also included a picket fence to solve your dog problem. Since you don't need a tall fence, this should work fine, and I like how the white pickets stand out against the dark green arborvitae. They also provide some additional structure for the blowsy cottage style perennials that I know you are looking for.

Dear Angela: Can My Garden Shed Be Cottage-y? via cottagemagpie.com

I hope this helps give you some ideas! And whatever else you decide to complete, I hope you include some lavender to line the path and clematis and roses to clamber over your shed. Beautiful and fragrant, they are a must have.

Dear Angela: Can My Garden Shed Be Cottage-y? via cottagemagpie.com

Let me know if you need more help! :-)

Sincerely,