blvd. | gardening
A room of her own SANDY FISHER TURNED A GARDENER’S COTTAGE INTO A COZY NOOK FOR READING AND RELAXING. by Whitley Adkins photographs by Richard Israel
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ong before Pinterest, and before “she-sheds” became a thing, Sandy Fisher transformed an unused space in the backyard of her Barclay Downs home into a rustic retreat for herself — along with a few carpenter bees and, occasionally, birds looking for a spot to build a nest. Fisher, who worked for 25 years as manager and buyer for retail operations at The Mint Museum before retiring in 2014, moved into the home in October 1988 with her husband, George. Over the years, the Maryland native has filled the space with gifts from friends and decorative items purchased on trips to England and France. “There have been times I’ve been tempted to purchase more items and/or upgrade it with fancier things, but I like the charm of its rustic look,” Fisher says. Fisher’s comments have been lightly edited. “I know the term ‘she-shed’ is popular right now, but being an Anglophile, I have always preferred to call this my cottage. When we moved into our home 33 years ago, this space had a brown canvas hanging down and nothing inside except a few tools. Any garden tools could easily fit in the storage side of the cottage, and this space just seemed like it was waiting to be reimagined. I pulled down the rotten canvas and found the twig chair and the old school desk.
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