How do I turn this storage area into a beautiful Haven ?

Since we have no garage, we have to supplement our storage area with these units. It’s gotten a bit clunky. Also grass does not grow in this area. We would love to turn it into something more beautiful for our children and our family.

We are unable to grow grass here and the kids would like a zen garden with fountain. But we need help and guidance please

The ground is uneven as well and mosquitoes love it here.

  7 answers
  • FrugalFamilyTimes.com FrugalFamilyTimes.com on Sep 22, 2018

    Could you install a patio here? It could be small with a bistro table and some plants around it. :)

  • Tracy Miles- Stone Tracy Miles- Stone on Sep 22, 2018

    I have a similar situation and have decided to make a fire pit area

  • Christine R Molina Christine R Molina on Sep 22, 2018

    Nice answers guys! So how? Smile?

  • Cathy Cathy on Sep 23, 2018

    Since it's a shady area, hosts will grow well there. Be careful to give that tree some room to breathe. People often kill their trees by planting too close to the base of a tree. I would probably do a patio there with maybe raised beds to create a kind of separation from the storage area. You could put up a trellis and grow some climbing roses or clematis to hide the sheds.

  • 19698379 19698379 on Sep 23, 2018

    How about creating an outdoor seating area with lawn chairs and a small table? Plant some plants that like shade, like fern, hostas, mint, chives, kale, broccoli, etc. Sorry, I don't know what grows in that area, but you could plant flowers, veggies, herbs, or some of all 3. Add a barbecue grill and install some pavers, and you have a nice outdoor entertaining and sitting area. Maybe add a diy bench like this one?

    https://diply.com/cinder-block-garden-bench-diy?config=25

  • Paula McCarthy Paula McCarthy on Sep 23, 2018

    Um, your photos are a little confusing. How many 2 door sheds are there? Are these moveable? It's hard to suggest what to do with the open space if it's going to be looking at these sheds. Part of your design plan would have to be some sort of camouflage for this area. A floor plan type sketch with some dimensions would yield better suggestions for you. The area you want to fix actually looks lovely. Some square pattern lattice panels with or w/o planters, in either wood or white vinyl or whatever color suits your existing outdoor color scheme would block off what I assume is a view of your storage area. You can't get Zen with a distracting view. Add a dimensional border along the edge of patio. There appears to be some bricks already there which you can use, placed on edge to an appropriate depth to contain 2" or so, of mulch. Rubber mulch is soft and durable and available in a variety of colors, although I favor the brown myself. You could also use wood mulch or stone dust. You can then add a few well placed large, flat pieces of blue stone, precast concrete, etc. your choice covering only where you need it. You can put a fire pit on the flat stone and then situate whatever seating you want right on the mulch. Wherever you want some color or a touch of softness and greenery, push aside the mulch or crushed stone and plant some hostas, or coleus or begonias, whatever is suitable to what looks like a warm year round climate. If you do add some planting, don't space it out in a row along the fence or patio. Group them by height and give the planting bed or beds, a curve to soften the rest of the linear effects of patio, furniture, fence, etc. Hope this helps.


  • Christine R Molina Christine R Molina on Sep 24, 2018

    Wow you all are amazing thank you 🙏🏼