How to Landscape Around a Garden Shed: 10 Practical Ideas
GARDEN SHED DESIGN GUIDE
Make Your Garden Shed Feel Like Part of Your Backyard
Garden beds, pathways, screening and practical landscaping ideas for Australian homes.
Thoughtful landscaping can help a garden shed complement the rest of your outdoor space.
Does the shed at the end of your garden look a little tired and sad? If so, you're not alone. Many homeowners buy a new shed, drop it in whatever free space they have, but aren't really sure what to do with the landscaping around it. How do you make a garden shed look good in your backyard?
Well, that's exactly what we're going to find out in this article! We'll share some of the best landscaping ideas for sheds and how to make your shed look attractive (yes, it is possible!). Get ready to turn a simple storage unit into a charming highlight of your garden!
How do you make a garden shed look good?
Whether you're buying a new garden shed or improving the area around your existing shed, you want it to look good. It doesn't have to be just a place to store your lawnmower and shovels! Here are 10 important steps to follow if you want to make your shed look more appealing and blend it seamlessly with the rest of your garden design:
1. Plan The Shed And Garden Together
If you are planning a full garden redesign, plan the shed, planting, paths, drainage, hardscape, and outdoor living areas together to get the best result. If you treat the shed as an isolated object, it will always end up looking out of place.
A garden shed should be viewed as a feature, just like a gazebo or a pergola. When planning a new garden, a professional landscape design team can help you integrate your shed into the plan so that it is both functional and beautiful!
NOTE: Before finalising your design, make sure to check your local council regulations. As noted by the NSW Planning Portal (or your state equivalent), many sheds fall under 'exempt development' if they meet specific size and placement criteria, but landscaping elements like retaining walls or significant earthworks might require approval.
If you are trying to landscape around an existing shed, don't worry; you can still do it without totally redesigning your garden. Just follow the rest of these steps!
2. Create A Defined Pathway To The Shed
No one wants to trip over weeds on the way to their gardening tools. Creating a clear, defined pathway to your garden shed is a simple way to make your shed more attractive and make it easier to access, too! Choose pathing materials that match your home's exterior or surrounding patio to make sure you get a cohesive look.
3. Use Garden Beds To Soften The Shed
Hard edges make any garden look harsh and unwelcoming. Using garden beds around your shed will soften the appearance of the structure, helping to blend it into the natural environment. If your shed is old, planting at the base can hide rust, weathering, or unsightly foundations and keep your garden looking smart.
4. Use Screening
Some Australian homeowners like to use screening around their shed for more privacy and security. If your shed contains valuable contents like power tools, lawn mowers, or sporting gear such as bicycles, kayaks, and gym equipment, screening prevents unwanted eyes from peering inside. If you want to hide your garden shed, you can use dense shrubs like Lomandra, Gardenia and Bamboo to protect it from prying eyes while also making it look more visually appealing!
5. Add Climbing Plants Or A Trellis
Another way to make your shed look more attractive and make the best use of your space is to add a trellis to the side. This means you can grow gorgeous flowering vines! This adds colour to your garden while also breaking up that solid, boxy shape that sheds typically have. This is honestly one of the easiest and most effective landscaping ideas for sheds, to add life and movement to an otherwise boring structure. Some of the best climbing plants for sheds include Bougainvillea, Wonga Wonga Vine, Star Jasmine, and Climbing Roses!
6. Think About Drainage Before Planting
Water and wooden sheds do not go together well. So before you start digging your garden beds around your shed, it's important to make sure the water isn’t going to pool against your shed walls. Careful drainage planning will prevent wood rot and keep the area around your shed looking tidy. Integrating a slight slope away from your shed is essential for good drainage.
7. Leave Enough Access For Shed Maintenance
Of course, for a shed to be useful, you need to be able to open the doors and get inside! So don't plant so densely that you end up having to hack your way through a jungle just to get at your trowels. Leaving enough access also lets you do essential shed maintenance, like painting or roof repairs, to keep it looking its best.
8. Use Gravel, Paving Or Stepping Stones
Without a defined edge, a shed often looks like it was dropped into the garden by accident, surrounded by uneven grass that's hard to mow around. By introducing hardscape elements, you anchor the structure to the ground. This is particularly important for making a shed look attractive because it signals that the shed is a deliberate part of the design, not an afterthought. To make your shed look intentional, a gravel base or paved area around it will define the space and separate it from the rest of your garden.
9. Connect The Shed To An Outdoor Entertaining Area
If you have the space, connecting your shed to a deck or patio is an excellent way to transform it from a lonely storage facility into an extension of your living space! You can really let your imagination run wild here, maybe even setting up an outdoor bar or coffee station, whatever you like.
10. Use Lighting Around Your Shed
The right lighting around your shed will add atmosphere and also make it safer to navigate around before and after dark. Solar-powered spotlights are a great, eco-friendly way to highlight the texture of the shed walls or the plants nearby.
Choosing The Right Plants Around A Shed
When selecting plants around your shed, you need to think about shade, colour, and structure:
TOP TIP: The Australian Institute of Horticulture (AIH) recommends selecting plants that are indigenous to your region, as this ensures the plants are adapted to your local soil and climate conditions, reducing the need for excessive maintenance and watering!
Allow for pathways and access when planning landscaping around a shed.
How to Landscape Around A Shed In A Small Backyard
In a small garden with a shed, every inch counts. If you have a small backyard, it's important not to over-plant. Instead, focus on vertical gardening. Use wall-mounted planters or hanging baskets instead to add greenery without taking up floor space. A narrow gravel path and a few well-chosen shrubs can make the area feel larger and more intentional than a cluttered patch of grass.
The space beside a shed is often wasted, but it could be used to create a small seating area, a mini herb garden, a composting station, or a potting bench!
Three Simple Shed-Layout Examples:
Okay, now it's time to get practical and give you some real-life shed landscaping examples. Here are three simple garden shed landscaping ideas to address different layout scenarios:
1. Your shed is against the rear boundary
This is how most homeowners put their sheds. When your shed is placed near the back of your garden, the key is to soften the view of it from your house. Plant a row of tall, dense shrubs or a hedge along the boundary line. This creates a green screen that hides the shed from the main living areas. Don't forget to leave a small gap for ventilation and access! A simple pathway to the garden shed winding through the planting can add beauty to your garden and draw the eye away from the structure itself.
2. Your shed is visible from the house
If your shed is in plain sight or close to your house, treat it as a design feature. Paint your shed in a colour that complements your home's façade, or choose a colour that blends into the background (like dark grey or forest green). Use garden beds around the shed to make it more attractive, and plant tall grasses in front of the lower half to break up the roof's horizontal line and make it look less bulky.
3. Your shed as part of a larger outdoor area
Many modern backyard shed ideas designed for larger outdoor spaces use the shed as an outdoor room, its own separate zone. To achieve this, use paving that goes from your home to the shed, making it feel like a destination. You can even incorporate a pergola that connects your shed to a seating area! If you use the same materials throughout your garden design, whether that's timber decking or stone pavers, you can blur the lines between storage and garden, making everything look well-blended and cohesive.
Ready To Transform Your Garden Shed?
Your garden shed doesn't have to be an eyesore. With a little planning, the right plants, and some careful landscaping around your garden shed, you can turn that plain old storage unit into a beautiful, functional part of your home! So pick your favourite garden shed ideas that fit your style, and start transforming your outdoor space today.
Garden Shed Landscaping FAQs
Should I plant trees next to a shed?
Usually it's not a good idea to plant trees right next to a shed. Large trees can drop leaves onto your shed, and roots can damage the foundation over time. However, you could plant smaller ornamental trees a safe distance from the shed!
What are the best shed colours?
Many Australian homeowners go for neutral tones like charcoal grey, sage green or natural timber stains, as these blend in well. If you want the shed to pop, choose a colour that contrasts with your garden but matches your house. But it's your shed, so you can paint it whichever colour you like!
How can I make my shed look nice inside?
Lighting, organisation, and paint. Painting the interior walls white or a light colour will make the space feel larger and brighter. You can use pegboards to keep your tools tidy and clear bins for smaller items. A clean inside makes the outside look better by association!
How much does professional shed landscaping cost?
Prices vary depending on the project size and your location in Australia. A simple DIY planting job around your shed will be cheaper, whereas a full professional landscape design will cost more. It’s best to get a quote from your local Sydney landscape designers for the most accurate price.
How to hide a garden shed?
You can hide a garden shed by planting dense native shrubs like Gardenia and Lomandra to create a natural screen. This helps hide your shed so people can't see in, and it also helps blend the shed into your landscape.
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