How to Build Your Own Outdoor Gardening Center

Choose a location based on convenience. Site it close to the garden and the shed or garage where you’ll keep extra supplies, but keep it out of the way of foot traffic that might endanger breakable pots and other items. Provide protection from the rain in the form of an awning or eave.

Hang optional wall shelving in the wall or building next which you’ll place your potting bench. Use a drill to create small holes in the side of the building or wall, leaving plenty of room to place the bench below. Place anchors in drill holes, then screw wall brackets in place before sliding wall shelving onto them.

Put your main potting bench, desk, shelf or whatever piece of furniture you’re using in place. Arrange extra storage like shelving, baskets or work bins either on or near it.

Organize your station with the help of the shelving, baskets or work bins. Separate tools, gloves, small pots, plant trays, hose nozzles and garden doodads into their own spaces.

Sort your plant materials. Create individual spots for seed packets, bulb sacks, overwintering rhizomes and bulbs.

Pick spots in your outdoor garden center where you will store large items. Stack shovels, rakes, hoes and other large implements next to one another along the wall. Store bags of potting soil and other amendments like peat moss or perlite together underneath the bench or to the side.

Add your own flair. Hang a chalkboard on which to write inspirational quotes or your to-do list, or mount a collection of old wooden wheels or antique watering cans. Add an old Victorian print or brightly painted wooden stool as accents, or decorate the top of your bench with small, cheerful potted plants.