Potting Bench Becomes Mobile Potting Shed

I'd been looking at potting benches in catalogs for years, planning for the day when I would actually need one. And now that we have a little plot of sand, I started showing them to DH - knowing that if I could show him a picture, he could build it (awsome to be married to a man like that - every girl who wants to live in the country needs to marry someone like that). Discussions and playing the "what if you could have everything you wanted in a garden bench" lead to the fact that what I really want is not a garden bench, but a garden Room. Something windproof, sturdy and - somewhat mobile. Something that the tractor could drag around the property (a few acres) 3 or 4 times during the growing season, so that I could have all my "stuff & more & more stuff" near wherevere I was concentrating at the time. Which brought me to another List Making Frenzy, the results which are below. I'd be interested to hear if any of you have built anything similar (or not similar), and what you liked (or did not like) about it. Or what you would build if you had time, energy and cash to spare, all at the same time. (Home Depot and the Lumber Yard love us :-)

So, on with my list making, in no particular order

* On 3 or 4 skids - probably pressure treated, but I'd love to hear if there's a better alternative.
* Wind-proof - i.e. 40 MPH gusts won't knock it over
* Small enough to put on the porch in winter
* Windows to the outdoors - lots
* Wind/rain/snow protection
* Shade protection in the summer
* Weather protected place to plug in heavy duty extention cord connected to a GFI circuit from house
* Non-electric heat source
* Battery Fan, maybe a clamp on type or two
* 5 + gallon elevated water supply - I was thinking of one or two 5 gallon buckets elevated about 2 feet above work surface height with little spiggots put in them with a hose and nozzle on it
* Hose hookup for when I'm close enough to a water line
* Solar powered or battery light
* First Aid Kit
* Storage space for 4 large bags of compost, dirt, mulch, etc.
* Paper towel rack
* Regular towel rack
* Apron hook
* Clothes hook for coats, scarves, gloves (away from apron & dirt areas)
* Place for mucky, yucky boots
* Worm Bin
* Storage for seed starting stuff (seeds will actually be kept in the house). This stuff would move into my imaginary greenhouse at the time that it is no longer imaginary
* "Old Fashion Looking" seed catlog covers & pages and seed packets decopoged on the inside walls and cabinet doors
* Securely attached planter box(es) and/or flower pot holders on the outside for summer garden
* Paint/stencil Morning Glories and other favorites on the outside so I can pretend I have a garden when it is still below freezing outside
* Multi-function roof - snow & rain proof, removable to be replaced with shade cloth in summer
* Attached storage space for roof & shade cloth (like my head, if it ain't attached, it'll get lost!)
* Small ice chest
* Attached bird feeder & waterer
* Comfy sitting stool
* Comfy standing surface
* Garden tool "bin" that is accessable from both inside & outside - with built in string dispenser
* A clean, safe spot for a laptop for when the mood strikes me
* Ditto for camera equipment
* Roof overhang on the leeward side of the shed for sitting in the shade with a tall, cool ice tea so that I could take a break from taking a break
* Rodent-proof (if that's possible), low moisture something to keep my "must have in the yard" garden books and journal
* Place for tall tools like rakes, hoes, etc. also preferably accessible from both inside and out
* Lacy curtains
* CD player/radio
* Doors and windows and floor must be "large critter proof" - as in able to keep out skunks, 'possums and racoons. I'd like it to be able to keep out teenage boys and their fathers, but I'm not sure there is such a thing. On the other hand, if it has flowers painted on it, lace curtains and classical music eminating from it, that may be a deterent for the two-legged males in our household! I'd like to keep out bugs, snakes, rats and mice, too, but my prior experience is that it is nearly impossible to do that, so I'll settle for keeping the big things out.

Ok, my wrists are tired of typing now... thanks in advance for any ideas, advice or general comments! :-) Karla

When you figure out how to build that, let me know, because I absolutely have to get one!!

Oh, did I mention that somehow, I'd like it to be afordable, too? Hahaha :-)

potting bench http://www.woodcountry.com/Item/PB1%2DAcc.htm

Thanks for the link!

Okay, I thought about this for a minute and I have the perfect solution for you! You want an old fashioned covered wagon, with a small fireplace and a heavy duty plastic cover that you can roll back in the summer. Make it so it fits on a flat trailer that tips, that you can pull behind your vehicle. Whew! Am I close? LOL

Wow, what a great idea! It'd look great in front the house with all of our South West Desert Sand and Sage, too! Several people around this area have old-fashioned looking covered wagons - I could make mine functional to boot! (You think I am joking, but this is a great idea!)

what you are lookking for is exactly what sams club sells during the season. it has skylights, shelving, a sink, windows, front and rear doors. its made of that hard plastic and its yours for about 1900.00 dollars. i think its over 400 sq ft.

i have been looking at it for 2 yrs now

400 sq ft! Can you imagine the dirt I could play with! ... but I see why you've been looking (and probably drooling?) for years - that is a bit of change for it. We have a Sam's Club near my work, although I've never been in it... might be a good excuse to go exploring! Thanks!

I started looking up garden wagons, sheds and potting benches and the covered wagon was the best I could come up with.

I looked at the big plastic one too. I posted a link somewhere. I think it is made by Step 2.

Is it this? http://www.thinking-outside.com/html/index-g.html

I was at a nursery/greenhouse last summer and they had one sitting at the back of the property, using it for empty pots. What a waste!

Gives me another idea - design it to look like a hobbit hole... I still like the whole South West theme of the covered wagon. We have so much sand and sage and did I mention sand? Now I just have to figure out how to design it -- and then, afford it! Oh, and I want a greenhouse, and while I'm at it, I'm going to try for the moon, too :-)

Actually the covered wagon could be really easy. Build the frame out of wood and use pvc to make hoops....I think we could be onto something. :)