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Space is at a premium in many Canadian households, and my home is certainly no exception.

What started with a treadmill in the garage had slowly expanded to include a stationary bike, a power tower, free weights, and other assorted workout accoutrements. My home gym was steadily taking over an area where space was already in short supply.

And something had to change.

After searching for ‘home gym solutions’ online, I stumbled upon an interesting idea: the gym shed.

The project proposed the creation of a functional workout space on a budget, in a relatively contained structure, that doesn’t require any city permits. Check, check and check.

While we often look to outdoor sheds as a hideaway spot for patio furniture or garden supplies, the small structures are increasingly being reimagined as creative extensions of our main living spaces.

“We’re seeing Canadians rethink how they use their outdoor space, with sheds becoming a natural extension of the home,” says Jennifer Tang, online merchant, seasonal at The Home Depot Canada. “What started as ‘she sheds’ and backyard offices has evolved into wellness-focused spaces like home gyms, yoga studios and meditation spaces, reflecting a growing focus on convenience and multi-functional living.”

Rather than a repository for old outdoor gear or the lawn mower, I imagined a curated workout space that would offer privacy, as well as a reprieve from my current garage clutter.

Checking on building size limitations for my area, I knew the gym shed could have maximum dimensions of 10×10 feet or 8×12 feet. Leaning toward a structure that was easy to assemble (read: didn’t take too much skill with power tools) and also had water-resistant capabilities, I selected the Keter Resin Outdoor Storage shed . Billed as a medium-sized structure, the model measures a sensible 9×7 feet.

Made from the company’s composite material, which features a 10-year limited warranty and will not peel or rot, the stylish shed features functional details such as a steel-reinforced roof that can withstand a snow load of up to 50 kg/sqm, upper windows for natural light, a locking double door that opens wide for added ventilation and more.

“Shed kits like the Keter model are designed with ease-of-use in mind,” says Tang. “The panels are designed to snap and lock together intuitively using the innovative groove‑and‑lock system. Once the main structure clicks into place, you just secure it with screws. This makes for a reliable and low-stress experience for customers who want to take on a backyard project without needing advanced construction skills.”

Beginning my shed on a pre-existing concrete slab (as with any structural project, an even and flat base is essential), I kicked off my gym shed project around 9 a.m. on a Sunday and was finished about six hours later.

“It’s manageable enough to complete in half a day, and many people turn it into a shared project with family or friends,” says Tang of the design.

Once the structure was completed — and suitably admired — I put down interlocking rubber mats. I chose an option that was both durable and lightweight . It was easy to find a layout that provided ample coverage while also adding comfort for mat-based workouts such as Pilates or yoga.

In the preplanning stages of my gym shed, I’d measured the workout machines and gear that I already had, so that I was sure the shed I’d selected would provide enough space to fit everything inside. After a bit of playing around with the arrangement, I was able to fit my folding treadmill, stationary bike, power tower, and small collection of free weights inside with enough room to still have space (when the treadmill is in its stored position) to workout on the mat.

Electricity is essential in a gym shed, unless you’re going to just do mat-based or weight training workouts. Knowing I also wanted to add a small light source in my gym shed so that I could work out after hours, I purchased a heavy-duty, multi-prong outdoor extension cord that I could run from the side of the house to the shed. An easy solution for an electricity source, I like that I can also easily store the cord inside the shed when not in use.

As with any do-it-yourself project, there’s some room for personalization in a gym shed space. Upping the style factor of my project, I added a plug-in pendant light with a geometric metal design . I even added a small faux plant and a decorative storage basket to keep my yoga mat, resistance bands and bike shoes inside the shed.

Who says gym sheds can’t also be a little bit glam?

“With the right decor and storage, from gym flooring to mirrors and shelving, small touches can turn them into a functional, well-designed retreat,” says Tang.

While a workout space might not be everyone’s version of the ideal shed project, the flexibility afforded by different sizes and prices permit the freedom to create a flex space at home via a shed that can suit a variety of different needs and properties.

“As long as you consider safety precautions, weight limitations and community bylaws, you can let your imagination take over and use the shed in a way that uniquely works for your home,” says Tang. “It could be a meditation space for one, a crafting studio with a painting setup, or even a quiet book nook.”

Aharris@postmedia.com

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I’m choosing the sunniest spots in our garden and using raised beds and containers for extra warmth in the soil so I can include a wider variety of cool-loving, early plants. My goal is to enjoy the earliest crops possible, as well as spacing out subsequent plantings for continuous harvesting, so I can still harvest late vegetables for Thanksgiving and beyond.

I will plant early seeds like radishes, peas, onion sets, and early potatoes now but mostly rely on pre-started transplants for other varieties, which will save me waiting weeks and months for harvest times.

I love pre-started lettuce and other salad greens because they grow so quickly this time of year. Butterhead and other Bibb lettuces like Buttercrunch are favourites, both for flavour and ease of harvest. Red leaf lettuce is perfect for adding colour to salads and sandwiches and Romaine varieties, like Green Towers, are the heart and soul of Ceasar salads. I’m also a fan of the blended lettuce mixtures like City Garden Mix, which has a good range of flavours and continues to produce all summer long.

It’s important to get greens like arugula started early as they will tend to bolt or go to seed when we get those sudden bursts of hot weather. The same is true of all those remarkable Asian greens and mustard greens. If you can find them already started in a four-inch pot, they will likely be ready to harvest just a few weeks after being transplanted.

Speaking of bolting, spinach is another crop that needs to be set out early. Fortunately, spinach varieties are all fast cropping, maturing anywhere from 30 to 45 days from transplanting started plants. The old standby is Bloomsdale Savoy, but there are many other varieties available today. It’s ideal to harvest as soon as the leaves begin to size up, because long days with higher heat will spark the bolting process.

Although not a true spinach, the well-known New Zealand Spinach or tetragonia tetragonioides, is a heat lover. It takes longer to produce, often taking up to 60 days, but will produce soft, tender spinach-like leaves all summer long.

Swiss chard is one of my favourite greens, not only for longevity in the garden and for the beautifully coloured foliage but also for the wonderful flavour. Both Celebration and Bright Lights are blends of red, yellow, pink and white stems, making them a garden showpiece.

Of all the brassicas, broccoli has always been a favourite. Purple-headed broccolis, like Summer Purple, are nice to spice up your salad plates. Most broccoli varieties will produce smaller side shoots if you cut out the central head when it’s young, providing a longer harvest. Now, the mini-head varieties like Aspabroc and Artwork, commonly called broccolini, have really become very popular.

Kale is still a hit in our younger gardening community. Not only are they the hardiest brassica, but they also perform well in hot summer. I love the Bor series, like Redbor, Winterbor and Darkibor. The latest trend is to let them grow large as garden specimens, which are especially attractive in fall and winter, while remaining edible.

Pure white cauliflower is a prized culinary specimen, and by making sure you have self-wrapping varieties you’ll be sure to achieve this. They also now come in vibrant purple, green and gold heads to add flair and flavour to any charcuterie board or veggie tray.

Cabbage is still popular, with smaller heads and faster harvesting varieties, like Fast Vantage, available today. Savoy types, with their wonderful, ruffled leaves, are the go-to favourite for cabbage rolls, and red cabbage is perfect for slaws, pickling and mixed salad plates.

Many growers are now starting beets, carrots and other root crops for transplanting. Beets produce wonderful greens for early harvesting, and as they are a fast crop, you can lift the younger “baby beets” to enjoy both the foliage and the smaller roots.

Onions are an early must-have. Multiplier sets will produce green onions only weeks after planting, and then all summer long. Although not huge, Dutch sets will produce medium-sized onions in early summer, so they’re great for a wide range of recipes.

If it’s the giant sweet Spanish onions you’re after, setting out transplants that have likely been started in January will be the fastest and best way to enjoy those spectacular giants in late August. Walla Walla is an all time favourite, but probably the best is a variety called Riverside Sweet Spanish. They are the most productive and have the best keeping quality of all the varieties. If you would like to show off just a little, then try either Ailsa Craig, or the biggest giant of them all, Kelsae. Not only are they sweet and wonderful, but they can reach the size of a soccer ball. In fact, Kelsae, which was developed in Scotland, holds the Guiness World Record for the largest onion — weighing in at 6.8 kg.

Don’t forget potatoes: Early varieties like Norland, Warba and Caribe can go in now for you to enjoy those fabulous nuggets in late June.

We’ll have to hold off until mid-to-late May to plant our warm-weather loving veggies, meanwhile it’s exciting to see the wide variety of cool, early vegetables we can safely get underway now. It’s a promise of some wonderful flavours, and somehow, when we’ve grown them ourselves, they always taste better.

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