Structures such as the shed you hope to build play an important role in a garden's framework. They serve as a connection between house and garden and offer an anchoring point from which we can begin to view the entire space. Structures add to the sense of enclosure, screen unwanted views and provide a center of visual interest. This is why it is so important to put some thought into the buildings, pergolas, or cabanas that are added to a garden.

To create continuity use the style of your house as your guide, starting as you are with the roofline because it is the most defining feature. When I designed the tool shed in my home garden I copied the pitch of the roof of my house and used the same red shingles. To further connect the two structures I painted the exterior walls the same color as the house.

For your garden I suggest you try your hand at creating your own design. Start by looking through magazines and books to find ideas that you like and then think about how those structures can be modified to suit your garden. If it is simple enough, a good contractor can build your shed without detailed plans.

An alternative is to purchase a prefab building. This is what I did at the Garden Home Retreat. I found just what I was looking for from Walpole Woodworkers. The building itself is a simple 10-foot x 15-foot box that Walpole customized for me to fit right in with the style of the Garden Home Retreat. For the exterior I chose cedar clapboards and roof shingles and then added a shuttered window on either end. To make it easy to get in and out of the building with a wheelbarrow a ramp leads up to 6-foot tall double doors. You might have luck with Walpole as well. They produce architecturally correct modular structures, post-and beam kits and panelized storage sheds. The available sizes range from 6-foot x 8-foot to 10-foot x 20-foot and larger. Check them out at www.walpolewoodworkers.com.