Yes, sort of. Bought a glass top patio table and i do most of my potting there. It's located along a fence and on the fence DH had put nails for me to hang hand tools. handy.

No, but I'd love to - especially one of the nice ones I've seen in catalogs like Gardener's Supply. I'm thinking maybe DH can build one for me, or perhaps a tool storage unit that I can place in the veggie garden - it's a walk from the barn to the veggie garden, so I have a habit of leaving all my tools out there, looks messy, plus being exposed to the elements isn't so great for them.

The previous homeowners had a potting bench outside, but that quickly has become but another place to display my million pots and plants LOL. So, these days my 'potting bench' is more or less my entire deck. My objective in the next week is to clear it up, put up my gazebo cover and really begin to use my outdoor space as my relaxation area and not the mad creative potting area!

I did for years. It was the favorite place to do tasks and store things. Had to move and now use a patio table from Goodwill. I preferred the bench as it was a few inches higher.

I had one in my old garden, located on an enclosed patio. Open and exposed to the weather, it had both drawers and upper and under counter shelves. I used the under shelves to store empty containers and some weatherproof supplies and the upper shelves to display smaller potted plants. The drawers held potting soils and some tools although my better tools were stored out of the weather.

I did not find the bench all that practical for potting as most of my containers are far too large to be hoisted up and down off of a bench!! Hard enough to move or work on when at ground level ;-)) For repotting smaller houseplants and the like it was fine. But as a decorative accent to a very private garden area it was very nice. Mine was made of redwood, very heavy but very weather durable.

I have one, nothing fancy tho, just a half sheet of plywood attached to two posts in my lath house, I used to have a large (250 +) fuchsia collection and I needed something to make up my potting mix in large amounts. Those decorative ones are really nice to look at and for potting up the odd plant they are ideal but wouldn't fit the bill in my case.

Annette

I surely do. In my greenhouse. Although it started life as a desk at my local police station. When they had a big refurb, all the old desks were put out on the forecourt for anyone who wanted one. Mine is against the back wall (my greenhouse is 10x14ft). I have a large zinc soil mixing tray, which can take a good 60 litres of potting mix, and this takes up half the space with the rest for..cups of tea, radio etc. Handy drawers and cupboard. I have a comfy chair in there too. I spend more time in the greenhouse than I do in the sitting room. I shudder to recall mixing up, sowing and potting at the kitchen table or worse, using a plank balanced across my wheelbarrow.

Love all these creative examples--and I enjoy imagining that someday I'll have a greenhouse with a comfy chair! Keep 'em coming!

I have a small 2 door shed with stand-alone shelving and wall hooks where I keep all my outdoor tools and equipment. I do my potting on an old picnic table next to my garden.

Thanks for all your stories and suggestions! I'm thinking of purchasing one of these:

https://www.customraisedgardens.com/potting-benches.html

They seem to be excellent quality and are not too terribly expensive, even with shipping.

Here's my question: Other than ease of access, is there a benefit to having an open lower shelf of the potting bench? I want to get at least one enclosed lower cabinet. (With cabinets/drawers they do the top slats tightly butted so there will be less water getting in to the storage area.) Will I regret getting the whole bottom part enclosed? Since we want to use it for entertaining as well, I figure there's no point in displaying my pots and bag of potting soil.

Here's what I mean. Any benefit to the first over the second option?

Indeed, Mads. I am a fan of the separate mixing station - mine is zinc but plastic will do. I did just heap the soil on top of my bench (with solid top) but so much fell on the floor, stuff used to germinate in it. It all stays nicely contained, at exactly the right height and I can get my arms in up to my elbows for that tricky perlite mixing.

I would not be going for that top shelf thing either. Dunno about you but my potting requires a certain amount of banging and slamming (to level the soil, settle the seedlings etc). and anything sitting on that shelf would be upside down on the bench. Space underneath is better...but doors are a nuisance too because I just want to chuck stuff into the rubbish bin I have beneath my desk...although some covered space, like drawers, are the ticket.

OK...good points...still thinking. I don't think the top shelf is a problem for me but I see what you mean about the soil. They do make a model with a soil tray (plastic basin under the slats). hm.

A low back and side walls to the surface would also be sensible to keep mix on the table and not falling off the edges. And maybe it's just me but I inevitably bang my forehead on any shelf that close above a surface as I focus on what's going on on at hand height.