Friday Finery: Babylon Beats

Malvern Garden Buildings sponsored the Houseplants Studios section again at Chelsea Flower Show this year and among their six studios transformed by horticultural designers Shedworking staff picked this one, Babylon Beats, as their favourite.

It's a Studio Flat model, designed by James Whiting of Plants By There and The Little Botanical and, ambitiously, aims to reimagine the Hanging Gardens of Babylon via a 1980s mindset. Lots more images of it at the RHS's own site here and of the other Malvern studios at the show here. 

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

Camping Barrel Royal

Though aimed at the glamping market, the Shedworking interns' eyes were caught by the Camping Barrel Royal (4.5m x 2.4m) offered by Northern Log Cabins. It's made from Thermowood and can easily be customised into varous sections, such as sleeping and living quarters, or into garden office space.

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

Garden office suppliers at Gardeners' World Live

Visiting garden offices in situ or taking a look at a garden office supplier's show site are great ways to get a feel for what's available and what you really want in a build. But if you want to compare and contrast then another idea is to visit lots of suppliers at the same time which is exactly what you can do at the BBC Gardeners' World Live expo thing at the NEC, Birmingham, running June 12-15.

Among the fine folk you can chat to and savour their offerings will be Arctic Cabins, Breeze House Designs, Cabin Master, Noah Garden Rooms, and Northern Log Cabins.

Image courtesy Cabin Master 

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UK workers increasingly rejecting employers' return-to-office push

New research from the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at King’s College London and King’s Business School indicates that less than half of UK workers would comply with a full-time return-to-office mandate.

Researchers found no evidence of a mass move back to offices, with working-from-home rates remaining stable since 2022.

The study analysed more than a million observations from the Labour Force Survey and 50,000 responses from the Survey of Working Arrangements and Attitudes UK, providing a comprehensive picture of remote working patterns across the UK workforce from early 2022 through to the end of 2024.

Only 42% of workers say they would comply with a five-day return-to-office requirement – down from 54% in early 2022 - while from early 2022 to the middle of 2024, the proportion of workers saying they would look for a new job with homeworking opportunities if their current employer tried to make them return to the office full-time rose from 40% to 50%.

Over the same period, the share of workers saying they would quit straight away if forced to go in five days a week doubled from 5% to 10%. Overall, 58% of workers now say they would either quit immediately (9%) or start looking for a new job (49%) if required to return full-time. Women are more likely to resist, with 64% saying they would quit straight away or seek alternative employment, compared to 51% of men.

Heejung Chung, Professor of Work and Employment and Director of the Global Institute for Women's Leadership at King’s College London, and lead author of the report, said: “An increasing amount of research shows that well-designed hybrid working models offer significant benefits for both employers and employees. Alongside this, there has been a marked shift in attitudes, with workers now seeing flexibility as the norm. Managers need to understand and adapt to this new reality. Rather than forcing a return to pre-pandemic working patterns, organisations should be looking to formalise hybrid models, invest in remote collaboration tools, and set up coordinated in-office days to maximise engagement.

“Where possible, workers should feel emboldened to hold their ground in the face of return-to-office mandates, as the weight of the evidence demonstrating remote working does not harm productivity is growing. In fact, many studies are finding flexible workers tend to work longer and harder compared to those who do not work flexibly, and importantly, those who are able to work remotely tend to be more loyal and committed to their jobs.”

Photo courtesy Warwick Buildings

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Monday posts are sponsored by Cosy Garden Rooms, the UK's No. 1 bespoke garden room designer and builder. 

 

Friday Finery: Tranquil garden office

The weather is lovely at Shedworking HQ in Hertfordshire today so in honour of that, here's an equally lovely shot of a garden office in Reading by Kingdom Rooms. It's a 4.1m x 3.1m garden office which is also used as an entertainment room.

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

 

London Fire Brigade warning about incense sticks in garden offices

London Fire Brigade has issued advice following an incident in Charlton, London, where four fire engines and around 25 firefighters tackled a shed fire.

A shed, pergola and garden fence panels were completely destroyed by the fire, as well as half of a garden office. Happily, there were no injuries.

The fire is believed to have been accidental and caused by incense sticks placed too close to combustible materials.

A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: "Incense sticks, candles and oil burners are one of the most common causes of fire within homes. It’s really important that you never leave these items unattended. Make sure you place incense sticks in a suitable, fire-resistant holder and keep them away from curtains and anything else that can easily catch fire. Remember to put them out entirely when you leave the room and especially before bed.

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

Garden office and gym

An increasingly popular combination in garden office design is a studio with a gym area incorporated into it. Here is a 5.5m x 3m one by Cabin Master for a client called Hollie who wanted multi-use space for her and her young family, attracted initially by the company's show site in Nottingham.

“We wanted something natural looking and loved the vibe of the Redwood cladding," said Hollie. "Where the building was being located in the garden was quite focal, so it was really important that it blended into its surroundings. We also wanted to make sure both areas were inspiring places to be in and that there was plenty of natural light.”

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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

 

Working from home isn’t changing where people live, says new report

Although working from home has surged since the covid lockdowns, new research has revealed this hasn’t significantly changed where people live, or helped spread talent more evenly across the country.



Led by the University of Southampton, in collaboration with the University of St Andrews, University of Birmingham, De Montfort University, and the University of the Arts London, the research found most home workers still follow hybrid patterns, staying within reach of major employment hubs.

The findings show that just over 52% of workers in the UK never work from home, but among high-skilled workers, this figure is 29%. The majority of those who work from home do so in a hybrid pattern, with at least some days spent in the office.



Professor Jackie Wahba, from the University of Southampton and lead of the study, said: “Working from home is now a normal part of working life, with the potential to change where and how people work. It could offer major benefits, giving both employers and workers more choice and flexibility. But to achieve this, we must tackle key obstacles to residential mobility.

 It was widely believed that working from home would let high-skilled workers move further from their employers, opening up opportunities for less wealthy areas. But so far, it remains most common among higher earners in a few sectors, mostly near London and other major cities."

The study also found that when high-skilled workers change where they live, housing needs tend to be the driver, rather than jobs. This suggests the idea that working from home will allow lagging regions to attract high earners has yet to materialise, and in fact may not be realised at all.

 Co-funded by the Economic and Social Research Council and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, the project warns that without stronger policy action, working from home may even deepen regional divides.

Anne Green, Professor of Regional Economic Development at City-REDI, University of Birmingham, said: “Hybrid working patterns are still evolving in Birmingham, with the business district adapting to demand for collaboration space. The city is attempting to retain and attract high-skilled talent while addressing entrenched deprivation and economic inactivity. Inclusive growth has become a guiding principle, but as is the case for many cities outside of London, progress will depend on deeper collaboration across local and regional stakeholders.”



Professor Wahba, added: “We need investment in transport links, fast broadband, schools, healthcare, green spaces, cultural venues, and affordable housing are as important as providing flexible work options in drawing and retaining skilled workers.

 Working from home isn’t yet bridging the gap between regions. Policymakers, businesses, and local leaders need to act to ensure that job flexibility does not exacerbate inequality but is harnessed to support real, long-term regional growth.”

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Monday posts are sponsored by Cosy Garden Rooms, the UK's No. 1 bespoke garden room designer and builder. 

Friday Finery: Shed of the Year

The marvellous winner of Shed of the Year 2024 'Wrinkly, Rusty & Retro’ by Wayne Dawber is this week's Finery focus to remind everybody that time is running out to enter the 19th annual competition. For 2025 there's a new category in Cuprinol Shed of the Year, Eco Haven, which celebrates the role of biodiversity in our gardens and in particular aims to raise awareness of the decline in bees and pollinators. More details at the link above.

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

The Glasshouse Garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025

Continuing our look at the finest shedlike structures coming up over the next few months at various garden shows, here's an early glimpse of Hollaway Studio's collaboration with longstanding friend of Shedworking the award-winning garden designer Jo Thompson for her garden at this year's Chelsea Flower Show (May 20- 24).

The garden is for the horticultural social enterprise The Glasshouse which supports training and employment opportunities for women in UK prisons and those who are recently released.
 
Hollaway Studio’s pavilion right at the centre of the garden is a contemporary interpretation of a Victorian glasshouse that offers a practical space for shelter and refuge, but also a peaceful retreat where women can connect with nature and one another - a space for women to come together as a community through gardening, and discover how horticulture builds confidence and skills.

Alex Richards, Managing Partner of Hollaway Studio said: “This has been a rare and rewarding opportunity to dissolve the boundaries between built form and nature. Designing a building to be part of a garden, rather than beside one, has allowed us to rethink the relationship between structure and setting in a truly collaborative way."
 
Designed in the round, the curved lightweight pavilion has no front or back, and features various pivoting screens to blur the lines between inside and out. Features include a completely retractable recycled acrylic façade, green sedum roof, integrated rainwater outlets. Interestingly, the garden was built using a green hydrogen-powered zero-emission JCB digger to build the garden, and the whole thing was built without concrete, the reclaimed stone floor resting on paving slabs, making it ‘no-dig’ and making minimal environmental impact.

Following the show, the garden and pavilion will be re-built in a women’s prison in the South of England.

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

 

Garden studio and children's den

A family-friendly combination from BAT Studio which combines a garden office setup with a den for the owner's children in which they can have sleepovers (note the beds in the left of the studio, opposite the desk). Outside, as well the delightful setting in the garden it features Shou Sugi Ban larch cladding. Lots more marvellous photos, including interiors, here.

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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

 

Plankbridge at RHS Chelsea Flower Show

 

One of the pleasures of Chelsea Flower Show each year is the trade stand from shepherds' hut specialists Plankbridge. Here's an artist's impression of how it will look this year, a collaboration with trainees from The Urban Garden, a social enterprise and garden centre in Bath, featuring one of Plankbridge's Guest House models. The stand is in a slightly different spot this year and will feature silver birch trees, foxgloves, and two corrugated planters of homegrown vegetables, herbs and fruit. 

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Monday posts are sponsored by Cosy Garden Rooms, the UK's No. 1 bespoke garden room designer and builder. 

 

Friday Finery: The Blooming Shed

A very distinctive garden building space for this week's Finery from BAT Studio (photograph by Martina Lang) called The Blooming Shed. It was designed as part of the community garden at Chase Farm Hospital in Enfield, London, which is a key element in the hospital's mental health facilities, giving patients the opportunity to enjoy the restorative effects of nature.

Quite unlike most hospital buildings, the facade is actually on giant runners in three sections so it can be moved around, the roof has corrugated steel panels, and the interior has attractive barrel vaulting. Quite rightly, it has been shortlisted for the AJ Small Projects 2025 prize.

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

 

Healer’s Hollow at RHS Hampton Court

Garden show season is upon us once again and as always we'll be highlighting some of the best examples featuring garden offices and other shedlike atmospheres. We're particularly looking forwar to Healer's Hollow at RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival running July 1 - 6.

It's designed by
 Jude Yeo and Emily Grayshaw from Inspired Earth Design and will be built by
 Cobham Court Landscaping. They describe it as "an exploration of the history of our human connection to plants and the benefits they bring to our health and wellbeing" so it will be of interest to those keen on medicinal plants, herbs, and wildlife, all set in a British native woodland. Obviously, our eyes are drawn to the shepherds' hut-type builid towards the back of the garden in this early illustration of the garden and it will be good to see how this pans out in real life.

After the show, the garden will be moved to Farncombe Community Garden near Godalming.

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

Garden office with lovely garden

Simply a lovely garden surrounding a garden office in the sun to help you enjoy the rest of the day. The build is by Cosy Garden Rooms.

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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

Friday Finery: Lyme Regis beach hut

This week's focus is on this rather attractive beach hut on Monmouth Beach in Lyme Regis which is being marketed by Fortnam, Smith & Banwell at £245,000. While this is still a lot of money, it's only half of what has been paid in recent years on the south coast, and this little beauty also has overnight sleeping permission, as well as a mezzanine bed deck, kitchenette, decking area, plus mains water and electrics, not mention absolutely splendid views. Lots more pix to make you dream here.

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

My Outhouse Garden Rooms accredited as a Which? Trusted Trader

My Outhouse Garden Rooms is a family-run business based in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, just down the road from Shedworking HQ, so we were delighted to hear that it has just been accredited as a Which? Trusted Trader. This means it has passed Which?'s trust and reliability standards, requires the supplier to adhere to Which?’s Code of Conduct, and gives clients access to free dispute resolution services through Which? without involving legal action if issues arise,

“We strive to deliver a fantastic product that gives you what you need, for good value and that lasts for decades,” said a spokesperson for My Outhouse Garden Rooms. “We pride ourselves on offering a reputable service based on honesty, knowledge and a drive to provide our clients with the best service available in the industry. Our aim to succeed and motivation to our work is what distinguishes us.”

The company uses composite cladding that does not require treatment, low emission foundations, and very thick insulation to retain heat with SIP panels. Each build is tailor-made and built on high endurance ground screw foundations.

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