Storage bench

Southern Living, Apr 2000

Nancy Porter of Little Rock discovered a great way to hide the uglies in her garden. She designed a small wooden bench that backs up to a water spigot. The bench can be used both as a nifty place to hide a hose and a place to stop and take a rest.

Nancy is lucky enough to have a handyman husband who enjoys taking on projects. So she drew up a plan, and her husband, Duncan, went to work in the wood shop. He cut a small square in the back of the bench allowing access to the spigot. This way the bench can sit flush against the house.

The seat is hinged so it can be raised and lowered. While Nancy waters the garden, the bench remains open. Once finished with the hose, she rolls it up and tucks it under the seat and out of view.

The way the bench is boxed around the spigot helps insulate the pipe, keeping it from freezing in cold weather. This is a good place to store a trowel or other frequently used hand tools as well. Nancy says her bench also makes a nice home for toads.They like to crawl inside where they enjoy the shade and moisture.

A hose stretched out through the garden not only looks bad, it can also be a hazard. If you're tired of tripping over hoses, build a little bench for storage.