Poet Laureate Simon Armitage's The Shed podcast returns

 

 

Excellent news, arguably the world's best shed-based podcast is back in business. After the BBC mystifyingly decided not to renew Simon Armitage's series, he has quite rightly decided to simply carry on regardless, with Yorkshire Tea as his podcast partner. Here's what he says:

"I’m delighted to announce that I’m opening up the doors of my garden shed to welcome in half a dozen guests for a chinwag. One at a time, mind - there isn’t much room in there, even when I’ve moved the lawnmower. Feel free to put your ear to one of the many holes in the wall and eavesdrop my natterings with Self Esteem, Susie Dent, Richard Hawley and others who’ve ventured into the Pennine uplands."

It's available in the usual places such as Apple and Spotify, with Frank Skinner - himself a poetry podcaster now - the first interviewee of the new series.

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Monday's posts are sponsored by Smart Modular Buildings, the UK's best garden room company

Friday Finery: Mudeford Sandspit beach hut view

It's not always the shed, it's sometimes the view from the shed. In this example for Friday Finery it's the view from Hut 363 at Mudeford Sandspit which has just gone on the market with beach hut specialists Denisons at the bargain price of just £475,000. Features include timber double-glazed windows and bi-fold doors (pictured above) that open onto the beach and deck area, two double beds upstairs, fitted kitchen, and solar panels.

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Friday posts are sponsored by Warwick Buildings, manufacturers of outstanding quality timber buildings. Click here for more information

 

Dr Jenner’s Hut added to 2025 At Risk register

Historic England has released its latest Heritage at Risk Register 2025 which shows which buildings around the country need some help to survive. Among them is the thatched brick and stone garden office/hut/shed belonging to Edward Jenner in Gloucestershire in which he experimented with vaccines in general, and smallpox vaccine in particular, and which has been dubbed the birthplace of immunology (he called it "the temple of vaccinia"). 

"The heritage we see all around us impacts how we feel about our local places," said Historia England CEOs Claudia Kenyatta and Emma Squire. "The annual Heritage at Risk Register gives us the opportunity to celebrate the many benefits of bringing our historic buildings back into use. The best way to protect our buildings is to reuse them, turning them into places of local connection and joy. The sites that have been saved and have come off the Register this year really highlight the benefits of working together in partnership, and with communities, to create positive, sustainable change. Together we can safeguard our heritage for future generations."

Photo courtesy Historic England.

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Thursday posts are sponsored by Cabin Master, bespoke garden rooms and offices designed, manufactured and installed throughout the UK

New painting of Dylan Thomas's writing shed

An absolutely fabulous painting of Dylan Thomas' writing shed in Laugharne by artist David Cowdry which you can see from this Saturday until November 22 when it goes on show at the Ivy House Gallery in Llandeilo as part of an exhibition of David's work. There's so much to enjoy in it but the Shedworking team was especially taken by the dust in the air in the centre of the painting. "I have visited the writing shed of Dylan Thomas many times and on each visit I have peered in through the window and thought that I must paint the scene one day," said David.

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Wednesday posts are sponsored by Booths Garden Studios, the UK's No.1 supplier of zero maintenance and portable garden studios

Garden office with extended height

A nice example of a bespoke garden office project from Haon Garden Rooms. The Oxfordshire-based hotelier client wanted an extended height garden office. Features include cedar brown composite cladding (front and right side) and anthracite Hardie Plank (left side and rear), and large anthracite French doors framed by glass panels. More photos and details of the very attractive interior here.

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Monday's posts are sponsored by Smart Modular Buildings, the UK's best garden room company

Friday Finery: Elegant garden room

Sadly no longer in production, it's still nice to remember for this week's Finery the intriguingly curved Elegant Garden Room from Harrod Horticultural with floor-to-ceiling windows.

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Friday posts are sponsored by Warwick Buildings, manufacturers of outstanding quality timber buildings. Click here for more information

 

 

Tiger marks 20th site with new franchise opening

Woodlands Home & Garden Group’s consumer retail brand Tiger has launched its 20th UK show site at Dobbies Garden Centre in Andover.

The new site continues Tiger’s franchise expansion which has more than doubled its retail footprint in 2025. 
 
Sam Jenkinson, Head of Marketing at Tiger said: "Reaching 20 sites is an important milestone for us, and Andover is the perfect location. The relationship with a number of garden centre chains gives us high-footfall retail environments, and the franchise model continues to deliver strong results, with several partners already taking on additional sites, and also, as in this case, helping to bring other franchisee operators to us.”

The new show site is open 9am-5pm on Monday to Saturday and 10.30am-4.30pm on Sunday. 

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Thursday posts are sponsored by Cabin Master, bespoke garden rooms and offices designed, manufactured and installed throughout the UK