This shed should not be judged by what it is, but what it aspires to be: workshop, store, escape, creative powerhouse... It has tasted all these possibilities but sadly never entirely fulfilled any, suffering the fate of many sheds in absorbing so much stuff over the years that it is impossible to use it effectively for its broad, intended purpose. With the deep wisdom of hindsight, I should have stretched the budget to something a bit bigger. However, it has done well. Now, with no budget available at all, I am looking at reorientating it and adding a second, recycled shed to relieve the pressure - especially to relocate bicycles, probably the most awkward and space-eating per unit mass objects that get attracted to sheds. The gap underneath hosted a family of five fox cubs in 2009, one of whom can be seen in the picture!
A bog-standard 7 x 10 shiplap shed from AJS, supplied and erected about 1996 by Harrow Fencing on a wooden frame (laid in the dark the night before!). It is well-made with an angle-iron central roof truss which has added to its stability and life - not least making it able to regularly bear the weight of sunbathing foxes and cats, and the occasional human tree-pruner. A little bit of rot developed in a couple of exposed areas before I fitted a gutter at the front. I wired in power and light and repainted it green (probably Cuprinol!). The space between the shed and fence at the back is bridged with a corrugated plastic roof intended for bicycle storage, but instead rapidly filled up with building material, garden stuff and spiders.