Garden sheds hold a certain romance for men

Garden sheds hold a certain romance for men

» 8th September 2010 «

Garden sheds seem to have a certain allure among men, one commentator has observed.

Christopher Howse of the Daily Telegraph argued that while women are still generally perceived as the primary homemaker, men are "model-makers or gardeners" who enjoy finding solace in a garden shed.

He was commenting after it was reported this week that a man in Weymouth lived in his shed for a year to avoid creditors.

Indeed, Mr Howse joked that while the man surely deserves sympathy for his financial situation, "most readers, at least male readers, will probably envy his shed-life".

The writer also noted that "shed-life" can be used as an excuse to earn a living, with a host of famous authors including Philip Pullman, Roald Dahl and Harrison Birtwistle all finding creativity in a shed.

A widespread desire for outdoor solitude was highlighted by the recent Post Office Mortgages Homebuyers Report which found that a quarter (24 per cent) of home buyers are prepared to pay on average an extra £10,043 to secure a garden or roof terrace.

Posted by David Webb