Storage Shed Landscaping Ideas

Size and Location

• The size you choose largely depends on the amount of space you have in your backyard. A 16 x 16-foot storage shed would work well on a 1/2-acre lot without overwhelming the space. If you can't find the right size shed, build your own shed or pay a carpenter to build a custom shed. The location you choose for your shed depends on its use. If it is a garden shed, place it near your garden so you can access your supplies easily. A shed used to store bikes and outdoor toys should be close to the house for ease of access. Keep the shed close to the edge of your property or in a corner so it doesn't obstruct your outdoor play space.

Potting Shed

• Regardless of what you store inside the shed, you can landscape around the shed to make a gardener's potting shed, which makes a charming focal point that you can actually use to work on your garden. Choose the side of the shed that will best showcase your design. You'll need a potting table -- a table with raised edges to hold potting soil. Leave a potted plant on the table for decoration. Install a shelf on the side of the shed to hold potted plants, empty pots, small tools and other similar items. Hang a few vintage tools or garden materials on the shed, and prop up rakes and shovels. Complete the design by leaving an old watering can and a pair of work boots or clogs next to the potting table.

Miniature House

• Storage sheds don't have to be used for storage at all; they make good play houses for children. Build the shed to match your house as much as possible; you can mimic the look of the door and shutters, install a small front stoop and paint it to match your house's colors. Let the kids work with you to echo the landscaping of your own home in this backyard play area. Plant similar shrubs, install a window box or maybe even install a water feature. Your children will enjoy pretending to be homeowners just like their parents. Parents don't need to worry that the backyard looks too much like a playground because the shed is made to match the rest of the landscape.

Basic Landscaping

• A storage shed landscape doesn't need a particular theme; a few basic plants and hardscape features can blend your shed in with the rest of your landscape. Create steps into your shed with flat natural stones or pavers. Use river stone to create a border around the shed into which you can plant a variety of flowers and shrubs, such as azalea, phlox, peonies, tulips or even wildflowers. Tack a small trellis on the side of the shed, and you can train climbing plants like morning glory, clematis and wisteria to tie the shed in with the ground plants. Japanese maples planted on either side of the doors create a dramatic effect and add shade to your yard. Sheds are particularly easy to landscape for a fall theme because they often closely resemble rustic barns. The typical hay bale, corn stalk and gourd decorations will coordinate seamlessly.