Nothing conjures up the Victorian flower garden so much as the potting shed. Shelves held rows of different sized terracotta pots, bays held leaf mould, compost, grit and all the other necessaries needed to make up potting mix. Sieves for sifting the compost hung from shelves, stakes, labels and ties sat neatly in boxes, tins of tobacco powder and other somewhat vile chemicals sat next to the garden syringe, trowels and knives and hand rakes hung from nails, broken shards were carefully stowed in pots to be used in the base of pots for drainage, while bunches of dried herbs and everlasting flowers for winter house arrangements were hung to dry from the rafters. If the garden had a brick wall, then the potting shed (as all other garden sheds) would normally be built into the north (or cold) facing wall. it would be convenient to the garden, but out of view of the walkways and arbors.

If there was not a separate tool shed, then all the garden tools - the rakes, shovels, forks etc., would be hung on pegs from one wall, nearly cleaned from their last use (no self-respecting gardener put away his tools in a dirty state). If this was a large garden, with many gardeners employed, then above the pegs might be names or initials scratched into the woodwork, denoting which tool belonged to whom (tools were closely guarded and no gardener used the tool of another without permission).

Aside from the tins of tobacco, you might find various sulphurators, smoke diffusers, various spray guns, various bottles, canisters and jars of poisons, herbicides, insecticides and plant food as well wasp and mouse traps.

There would also be neat trays of paper-packaged seeds, carefully labelled, together with assorted hanks and ties, strings, cords and coils of wire, large bundles of raffia and an apron or two, generally coloured blue.

The potting bench was the heart of the shed. Generally the bays of the various mixes for compost (or potting mix) were underneath, and some might also line the back of the bench. Scissors, strings etc would be close to hand, as would sieves and labels. The bench was usually kept meticulously clean, being swept and washed down after every session of pricking out or potting on.

Anyone who has ever had the privilege to step inside a potting shed that has been in use for generations will tell you it smells of sweat and warmth and tobacco and companionship.