Dianne’s Superior ‘G&T’ Potting Shed | Shed of the Season Winner

“The shed has made such a difference. It’s practical, looks beautiful, and it completes the garden. What’s not to like!”

— Dianne, Cumnor, Oxfordshire

How National Garden Scheme charity host Dianne created the ultimate garden workspace and evening relaxation retreat with an award-winning custom timber potting shed.

The Specification

• Model: Superior Shed
• Dimensions: 2.8m x 4m
• Exterior paint: Farrow & Ball Pigeon
• Roof material: Heavy duty felt
• Primary use: Potting Shed
• Key features: Dual potting benches & electrical pack included
• Security pack features: Window bars, reinforced doors, and anti-break bolts & locks.

A Beautiful Garden Demands an Equally Beautiful Workspace

Dianne takes immense pride in her home garden in Cumnor, Oxfordshire, meticulously cultivating a vibrant space designed to thrive year-round. As an active participant in the National Garden Scheme (NGS), she regularly opens her garden gates to the public to raise money for health and nursing charities.

When her previous garden structure needed replacing, standard off-the-shelf utility storage simply wouldn't do. Dianne required a robust, high-performance workspace for potting seedlings and organising tools—one that would complement, rather than detract from, her highly visible public garden.

“I wanted a building that was sturdy, well-made, and looked like it belonged in the garden rather than just an afterthought stuck in the corner,” Dianne explains.

Earning the title of Crane Garden Buildings’ Shed of the Season 2025, Dianne’s custom workspace stood out for its perfect balance of tailored interior functionality, timeless design, and seamless integration into a charity open garden.

Designed for Practicality: Benches, Power & Security

To support heavy-duty propagation during peak spring planting, Dianne opted for a customised 2.8m x 4.0m Superior Shed layout packed with practical features:

•    Dual Integrated Potting Benches: Provides ample surface area for potting trays, soil mixing, and organizing tools without sacrificing floor space.
•    Full Electrical Pack: Equipped with internal lighting and multiple power sockets, enabling morning seed preparation, tool charging, and evening heater use during colder months.
•    Crane Security Pack: Built with peace of mind in mind, featuring stainless steel window security bars, a 5-lever mortice lock, and anti-tamper door hinge bolts to protect high-value garden tools and equipment.

“Having the workbench and electricity built-in from day one transformed how I use the space,” says Dianne. “I can spend hours in here potting seedlings early in the morning without worrying about light or cold.”

The exterior is hand-finished in Farrow & Ball Pigeon, a soft grey-green hue chosen specifically to match her garden's natural palette.

“The Farrow & Ball finish blends in so naturally with the borders and trees behind it—it looks as though it’s always been part of the landscape.”

The ‘G&T’ Factor: Blending Work with Evening Relaxation

While functionality was paramount, the shed quickly evolved into something more than just a place to store trowels and potting mix. Named by Dianne as her ‘G&T’ Potting Shed, the building serves a dual purpose as a sanctuary for entertaining and unwinding.

After a long day of gardening or hosting charity visitors, the space transforms into a quiet retreat. With warm interior lighting and comfortable seating placed near the open double doors, it provides the ideal spot to admire the flowerbeds as the evening settles.

“It’s not just a working space—it’s where we sit in the evening with a Gin & Tonic to enjoy the garden when the day’s work is done,” Dianne shares. “It has become my favourite spot on a summer evening.”

Flawless Installation Among the Flower Beds

With a garden worthy of the National Garden Scheme, Dianne admits she felt incredibly nervous that an installation crew might trample her carefully maintained borders and delicate flower beds. Those anxieties quickly disappeared on build day. The installation team treated her property with the utmost care, delivering an organised, respectful, and premium service from start to finish.

“I was worried about men working in the garden ruining my borders, but I needn’t have been. The team were incredibly careful and respectful of the garden.”

Like all Crane structures, Dianne’s shed was handcrafted to order at our Norfolk workshop using high-grade, sustainably sourced Scandinavian redwood timber. Delivered and fully installed by our expert in-house fitting team, it comes complete with our 10-year guarantee.

“The installation team were brilliant, and the craftsmanship is second to none,” Dianne reflects. “It really has completed the garden.”

Ready to Design Your Own Custom Potting Shed?

Whether you need a dedicated workspace for seed propagation, high-security storage, or a dual-purpose garden retreat, our team can help you build the perfect garden structure.
•    Design Your Superior Shed in Our Building Configurator
•    Find Your Nearest Crane Show Centre (Visit display models in Oxfordshire and nationwide)
•    Request a Free Printed Brochure