Multipurpose Garden Shed

To keep garden tools, hoses and unsightly necessities handy, Jona designed a garden shed whose architecture tucks perfectly between adjoining outbuildings, with one unique factor: a living roof! Here are 10 elements that make this little shed a standout feature on the property:

1. Rooftop planter boxes: A slanted, gridded box on each side of the roof helps hold the structure together and provides extra growing space.

2. Protective liner: A liner of corrugated plastic followed by nursery cloth serves as the base for the planter boxes’ soil.

3. Hardy vegetation: Easy-care plants that do well in full sunlight, such as sedums, are the perfect additions to bring the boxes to life.

4. Shed construction: Jigsawed diamond trim separates shingles on the lower half of the building from barn red siding on the upper half.

5. Recycled windows: Salvaged windows installed on both sides allow sunlight to stream into the structure.

6. Grand entrance: An old beadboard door picked up at a garage sale now serves as the shed’s front door.

7. Hardware: Simple stainless-steel pull handles add sheen to the design.

8. Darling decor: A rusty planter hangs from the roof as a cute touch that also helps prevent people from bumping their head on the corner.

9. Unusual ornament: A weathered garden tiller head crowns the front peak of the roof.

10. Additional storage: A low, slant top exterior storage bin with shingled exterior and wood-slatted top stows bulky items such as garden hoses.

Above: At the back of the pump house, an extended patio with trellised roof is home to an old sink with hot running water for handwashing, vegetable cleaning and doggy shampooing. The jigsawed trim, a signature design element found on most of the outbuildings, joins the sink to a handcrafted cupboard below that stores soap, towels, garden tools and supplies. The adjacent table is another Jona and Scott original. The vintage colander hanging on the wall is not just for display—it’s used often to wash vegetables, rocks and more.

Right: The original pump house—now reshingled—is adorned with green shutters featuring cutout profiles of a young boy and girl that caught Jona’s fancy. The Thomsons designed a new green-painted door to complement the shutters and transplanted ferns from the property beneath the window box. A new brick patio draws the eye to a half-barrel topiary grounded by lobelia and a stone duck. A vintage sage-green Adirondack chair invites passersby to rest awhile.

Right: The dovecote seen beyond the spreading crab apple tree is a Jona and Scott original fashioned from recycled shingles. A tall bird feeder designed with a nesting box above gets yearly use by a resident stellar jay. Cascading impatiens tumble out of old metal washtubs, adding color to the shady area beneath the tree.

Above: Jona takes a break from gardening and farmhand duties to take a leisurely spin on the swing.