A vertical garden shed is one of those very logical storage systems that seem to surface every few years or so. You know the ones...once they start being advertised you begin asking yourself where they've been all your life.

For many home gardeners space is becoming a premium commodity. While you may have been accumulating all those garden tools over the years having somewhere to store them means parting with garden beds - and that ain't gonna to happen!

[Enter stage left the vertical garden shed] This storage facility (aff.) can easily fit under the eaves of your dwelling - a location where growing plants is almost impossible anyway - and can be kept tucked out of view away from the garden you want to display.

While the garden shed is still the ideal and there are ways to organise your garden tools without a shed, both have problems. The former takes up space while the latter may, over time, ruin your tools.

So a vertical garden shed seems to fit in the middle of these issues and presents a genuine option to remedy the situation. Depending on how much eave space you have may dictate how large a vertical shed you could accomodate. The larger the shed the more tools you can store.

Regardless of size, these sheds are perfect for storing the basic garden tools: hoes, rakes, shovels and spades, a mattock, plus a spot for your garden tool belt and even your garden clogs. Even the smallest of these vertical garden sheds could house a small push mower if you have a postcard lawn to tend.

These sheds are so versatile you could even locate one next to your allotment, if that's how you garden. They can be locked via padlock-able doors and secured to a concrete base through a few well-placed dyna-bolts. They offer gardeners many more options than constructing a garden shed and are much more portable should you need to vacate your allotment or rented premises.

What to look for when buying a vertical garden shed?

• Weather and Climate Tolerance - these sheds are predominantly constructed from high-density polyethylene which offers some great benefits when it comes to weathering the extremes of our climates. However, there are some cheaper alternatives made from less durable materials that won't give you the longevity you need.


• Vertical or Horizontal? - while vertical garden sheds are very versatile opting for a horizontal alternative may give the extra benefit of combining a garden seat at the same time.


• Actual usable storage space - if you get a vertical garden shed that is too short for your long handled tools then storing them at angles will take away some of your usable storage space. Check to ensure your tools will use this space as efficiently as possible.


• Colour - these sheds come in a range of colours so check to ensure that your preferred model gives you a colour range to match your home.


• Securability - does the shed offer lockable front doors and a way to secure it to the ground. The latter point is very important in areas where high winds can be a problem.

Now, you should be able to purchase your vertical garden shed with confidence, knowing that it will stand the test of time and provide a good option to protect your garden tools.