Garden Gab

With so many folks returning to gardening as a favorite hobby, it’s really not such a big surprise that in the past year the number one special request for new homebuyers has been for the addition of a potting room.  There is so much equipment: tools, seeds, soils, compost bins, etcetera, that potting, even for indoor plants has become a major part of gardening enjoyment.

Gardeners, like all artists, enjoy a creative space seperate from everyday chores and hassles.  A potting room is not an extravagant addon as it requires little space and only a few special features, so it makes sense that even in tough times, this little luxury is a much appreciated escape.

But for those homeowners who are not planning any renovations or additions, a potting room is still within your grasp.  One of the beauties of a potting room is that it can be comfortably housed in a multipurpose room like a craft or laundry room, garage, shed or even outdoors.

The main items you will want to highlight in any potting room are:

• Light.  Since you will probably be starting seedlings in your space, ample light, whether from a sunny window or provided artificially, is crucial.
• Shelf, bin and work table space.  Be creative: you don’t need a large sprawling area, utilise trellises to hang gardening tools or build pot shelves, create deep cabinets beneath your work station to roll large bins of soil, fertilizer or even your compost heap in and out.  If you are in a larger area, such as a garage or laundry room where the wall space is all full, build a rolling island instead, so you can easily move your station when needed.
• Non permeable floor.  This might be a challenge in older houses, but you have many options available.  A garage will most likely have a cement floor that only needs to be painted with a sealer so it can be quickly hosed off.  An indoor space can be tiled or laid with linoleum to provide a quick water proof floor for heavy duty use.
• Access to water.  Whether indoors or out, access to a sink or hose are crucial, and the closer you can bring the water source to your work station, the better.

These four simple things can create  a gardening oasis for you.  Most potting rooms center around the sink or water source, since it is usually the most immovable factor due to plumbing requirements.  Start with a large one- you will want one that you can submerge most of your pots in for quick watering or cleaning.  In the long run, a stainless steel sink will serve you better for heavy duty garden projects than other materials, but don’t skimp.  If you choose one extravagant thing about your potting room, let it be your sink- you’re going to be spending a lot of time there, so make it comfortable and attractive for yourself.

We like this utility sink from http://www.remodelista.com especially for it's width and double faucet feature (one for the hose, one for the sink!)

Build your room around this feature, adding shelf and storage spaces around it and in the same style.  Don’t forget the ceiling!  Hanging pots, shelving ladders or drying flowers and herbs from the ceiling can save you much needed ground space.  Remember, this is a creative space and needs to reflect your style and comfort level so you will want to come in and enjoy it.  Add a nice chair or stool (patio furniture works great for this, it’s a snap to clean up) and decorate your surroundings with garden tiles, photos from your garden, or vintage seed packets (we found some like these at an auction, but they are also available online).

Vintage Seed packets highlight beautiful artistic renderings of fruit and flowers

Finally, add a small cork board and magazine rack to keep your seed catalogs, future plans, a planting calendar and other bits of inspiration to keep your gardening art thriving.