10 Storage Solutions for Gardens You’ll Love
The classic shed still does vital service in our gardens, but there are heaps of other nifty storage solutions for outdoors, too
You might imagine there’s less need for storage in a garden, but since many of us treat our outside space as an outdoor room, it often requires equivalent amounts of storage as one inside. From cushions, blankets and rugs, to tools, toys and bins, there’s plenty that needs to be put away outside. These canny spaces show how it can be done in style.
Build in a bench…
Built-in bench seating makes good use of available space in a garden…
Built-in bench seating makes good use of available space in a garden…
…and lift the lid
…and when fitted with lift-up lids and storage within, it becomes doubly dynamic.
Discover 10 simple ideas for creating a courtyard with the wow factor
…and when fitted with lift-up lids and storage within, it becomes doubly dynamic.
Discover 10 simple ideas for creating a courtyard with the wow factor
Dig a cellar
It may be out of reach for most of us, but a wine cellar submerged below the patio is deliciously James Bond all the same. Suddenly, popping out for a bottle of wine takes on a whole new meaning.
It may be out of reach for most of us, but a wine cellar submerged below the patio is deliciously James Bond all the same. Suddenly, popping out for a bottle of wine takes on a whole new meaning.
Go bespoke
Designed like a piece of furniture that you might find inside your house, this wooden storage unit, built into the garden wall, offers open shelves for logs and, when entertaining, rugs and cushions, and closed cupboards and drawers for items such as crockery and barbecue tools.
Designed like a piece of furniture that you might find inside your house, this wooden storage unit, built into the garden wall, offers open shelves for logs and, when entertaining, rugs and cushions, and closed cupboards and drawers for items such as crockery and barbecue tools.
Stand tall
Check out this smart and simple solution for storing garden tools. Metal pipes are submerged into concrete, now hidden by pebbles, to hold rakes, forks and brooms neatly upright.
Check out this smart and simple solution for storing garden tools. Metal pipes are submerged into concrete, now hidden by pebbles, to hold rakes, forks and brooms neatly upright.
Tame the toys
Toys for the garden need storage space, too, and this simple shelf unit with clearly labelled buckets is a tidy solution. The buckets can be grabbed at playtime and toys easily tidied back into them at the end of the day.
If the containers are likely to collect splashes of rain, it might be worth drilling holes in the bottoms to ensure they don’t fill with water.
Toys for the garden need storage space, too, and this simple shelf unit with clearly labelled buckets is a tidy solution. The buckets can be grabbed at playtime and toys easily tidied back into them at the end of the day.
If the containers are likely to collect splashes of rain, it might be worth drilling holes in the bottoms to ensure they don’t fill with water.
Plan the perfect shed
A shed is often the key piece of storage in a garden, holding everything from tools to large items, such as a lawn mower or garden furniture. No wonder so many sheds are overburdened and untidy. But a glimpse into this fine example shows how it can be done. There’s even room in here for a few vintage signs and an artfully upcycled chest of drawers. Hats off!
Even in a more compact shed, you can steal some of the tricks employed here, the main one being that wall- and door-mounting items buys you bags of space, and that pretty-looking storage is well worth the effort.
A shed is often the key piece of storage in a garden, holding everything from tools to large items, such as a lawn mower or garden furniture. No wonder so many sheds are overburdened and untidy. But a glimpse into this fine example shows how it can be done. There’s even room in here for a few vintage signs and an artfully upcycled chest of drawers. Hats off!
Even in a more compact shed, you can steal some of the tricks employed here, the main one being that wall- and door-mounting items buys you bags of space, and that pretty-looking storage is well worth the effort.
Conceal those bins
Brilliantly concealing bulky wheelie bins, this run of cedar-clad storage slots in against the street wall of this front garden. It’s as practical as it is good-looking.
Check out tidy ways to organise your rubbish and recycling
Brilliantly concealing bulky wheelie bins, this run of cedar-clad storage slots in against the street wall of this front garden. It’s as practical as it is good-looking.
Check out tidy ways to organise your rubbish and recycling
Think vertically
If space is tight, try moving your plants onto the wall to leave space for storage and a seating or eating area below. This wall of pots frees up room on the terrace, brightens a dull surface and draws the eye upwards, which helps to boost the sense of space when a garden’s footprint is small.
If space is tight, try moving your plants onto the wall to leave space for storage and a seating or eating area below. This wall of pots frees up room on the terrace, brightens a dull surface and draws the eye upwards, which helps to boost the sense of space when a garden’s footprint is small.
Maintain a flame
Candles give a garden a wonderful, atmospheric glow on a summer’s evening, but the flames need protecting from breezes. Choose a classic hurricane lamp or create your own DIY versions using old jam jars and twisted wire for the handles. Keep the lids and you have the perfect place to store the candles for your next evening in the garden, too.
TELL US…
Do you have any great tips for garden storage? Share them in the Comments below.
Candles give a garden a wonderful, atmospheric glow on a summer’s evening, but the flames need protecting from breezes. Choose a classic hurricane lamp or create your own DIY versions using old jam jars and twisted wire for the handles. Keep the lids and you have the perfect place to store the candles for your next evening in the garden, too.
TELL US…
Do you have any great tips for garden storage? Share them in the Comments below.
Whether you invest in a brand-new potting table, pick up a second-hand one or give an old piece a new lease of life outdoors, a table with shelves and drawers can prove indispensable in a garden. Use it for storage and as somewhere to pot plants, so it’s part display space, part functional furniture.