A shed of one's own
What is it about sheds that is so appealing? Do they remind us of the hiding places of our childhood, when we made dens out of anything and everything, turning bunk beds, packing cases, ruined walls and hedges into our own secret places, and lost ourselves in the world of our imagination?
2. These two allotments on the Norfolk coast sit side by side. They belong to Trish, who delights in growing organic food all year round. A grass path, bordered by lavender and rosemary, leads to the shed, from which Trish can gaze out over her plot 3. This shed stands in the garden of Ann’s B&B in Suff olk. There are plants inside the shed and Ann has painted a verdant landscape of palms on the wall
As we sit in our centrally heated houses, amid the trappings of consumerism, do we, as adults, crave that simpler life? Is there a collective primal memory of a more elemental existence that gives us direct contact with the few things we need in order to live? When we enter our sheds, we see a table, a chair, a bench, boxes of tools, seeds, a simple stove, a kettle. We can pretend, play, create, be ourselves, and find freedom from the paraphernalia of everyday life.
4. Jenny’s arty, comfortable shed in Norfolk
When we were young we tried to understand the mystery of our fathers disappearing into their sheds, their own private realms. But as girls then and as women now, we, too, have built, converted and kitted out spaces of our own. Women, too, have sheds.
5. Bold colours take visitors by surprise as they step inside the converted ‘showman’ wagon in Norfolk, which stands in a fi eld, surrounded by trees, where Kim makes and sells Saori knitwear 6. Maddy uses various objects in her art making, from royal photographs to an old violin
When the idea for my book, A Woman’s Shed, arose, I keyed in the words ‘women’s sheds’ on the internet, which led to the digital universe scratching its patriarchal head. The initial response was that ‘shed’ meant losing weight.
A second attempt brought the reply, ‘Did you mean “men’s sheds?” No, I did not! I tried again. ‘Did you mean “women’s shoes?”’
7. The quirky flue makes a compelling focal point in Julie’s squat ‘hobbit house’, which is built from cob, with sedum plants covering the conical roof 8. With train tracks at the bottom of her garden, Sarah’s shed, designed in the shape of a train carriage, suits its setting
In the West, women have been primarily identifi ed as ‘homemakers’, even when they have paid work outside the home. Women have snatched moments and spaces for their own creativity, while dealing with the demands of domestic and working lives. Nevertheless, in this context, ‘the shed’ has been a sanctuary for men to ‘retreat’ to or for women to be ‘banned’ from. Thus it has never been known as a space for women.
The greenhouse (9.), made of cast iron and almost 100 years old, is grand compared to Brenda’s shed (10.). At night, it becomes an enchanting space, lit only by candlesThe greenhouse (centre), made of cast iron and almost 100 years
old, is grand compared to Brenda’s shed (above). At night, it
becomes an enchanting space, lit only by candles
Women as gardeners may be the exception to this generalisation, but what’s certain is that, historically, women have built, bought and converted spaces for themselves for a variety of reasons and for a wide range of uses. And they still are. Here are some of the most interesting.
A Woman’s Shed, by Gill Heriz, is published by CICO Books (£19.99).
2. These two allotments on the Norfolk coast sit side by side. They belong to Trish, who delights in growing organic food all year round. A grass path, bordered by lavender and rosemary, leads to the shed, from which Trish can gaze out over her plot 3. This shed stands in the garden of Ann’s B&B in Suff olk. There are plants inside the shed and Ann has painted a verdant landscape of palms on the wallAs we sit in our centrally heated houses, amid the trappings of consumerism, do we, as adults, crave that simpler life? Is there a collective primal memory of a more elemental existence that gives us direct contact with the few things we need in order to live? When we enter our sheds, we see a table, a chair, a bench, boxes of tools, seeds, a simple stove, a kettle. We can pretend, play, create, be ourselves, and find freedom from the paraphernalia of everyday life.
4. Jenny’s arty, comfortable shed in NorfolkWhen we were young we tried to understand the mystery of our fathers disappearing into their sheds, their own private realms. But as girls then and as women now, we, too, have built, converted and kitted out spaces of our own. Women, too, have sheds.
5. Bold colours take visitors by surprise as they step inside the converted ‘showman’ wagon in Norfolk, which stands in a fi eld, surrounded by trees, where Kim makes and sells Saori knitwear 6. Maddy uses various objects in her art making, from royal photographs to an old violinWhen the idea for my book, A Woman’s Shed, arose, I keyed in the words ‘women’s sheds’ on the internet, which led to the digital universe scratching its patriarchal head. The initial response was that ‘shed’ meant losing weight.
A second attempt brought the reply, ‘Did you mean “men’s sheds?” No, I did not! I tried again. ‘Did you mean “women’s shoes?”’
7. The quirky flue makes a compelling focal point in Julie’s squat ‘hobbit house’, which is built from cob, with sedum plants covering the conical roof 8. With train tracks at the bottom of her garden, Sarah’s shed, designed in the shape of a train carriage, suits its settingIn the West, women have been primarily identifi ed as ‘homemakers’, even when they have paid work outside the home. Women have snatched moments and spaces for their own creativity, while dealing with the demands of domestic and working lives. Nevertheless, in this context, ‘the shed’ has been a sanctuary for men to ‘retreat’ to or for women to be ‘banned’ from. Thus it has never been known as a space for women.
The greenhouse (9.), made of cast iron and almost 100 years old, is grand compared to Brenda’s shed (10.). At night, it becomes an enchanting space, lit only by candlesThe greenhouse (centre), made of cast iron and almost 100 yearsold, is grand compared to Brenda’s shed (above). At night, it
becomes an enchanting space, lit only by candles
Women as gardeners may be the exception to this generalisation, but what’s certain is that, historically, women have built, bought and converted spaces for themselves for a variety of reasons and for a wide range of uses. And they still are. Here are some of the most interesting.
A Woman’s Shed, by Gill Heriz, is published by CICO Books (£19.99).