Best of BrickNerd: Weekend Highlight — Article originally published July 2, 2021.

Here at BrickNerd, we go that extra mile for our loyal readers. When we see an awesome MOC, we want to know everything about it. A single paragraph just won’t do! So today we are pleased to feature another BrickNerd guest article by LEGO builder Andrea Lattanzio about his new MOC, his sketch process and work-in-progress photos. Enjoy!

The Concept

Every time I visit a Garden Shop I am fascinated by the mixture of colors and shapes of the plants that you can find there. I really like that atmosphere, especially in the old rustic shacks.

I tried to recreate that kind of environment by building a barn-shaped shed surrounded by flowers and plants. The inspiration came from a drawing by a Japanese dioramist that I really appreciate. The outcome is this medium-sized diorama called “Magda’s Garden Shed (or the Shed with the tree).” So let’s take a deeper look.

The Barn

In the middle of the scene is the actual garden shed which has the classic American barn shape (does it remind you of anything? … for a hint, check out Tommy’s BrickNerd feature on it) and a warm color combination: reddish brown for the roof and eaves, combined with the tan of the walls and the dark tan of the doors. The entrance steps are medium nougat.

The large tree that sprouts up from the roof immediately catches the eye, and it’s the leading feature of the entire scene. The outdoor flooring is made with many light bluish gray slopes of different sizes, among which I have inserted white tiles to give the idea of porphyry. The effect is very pleasant.

The Details

All around there are many plants, flowers, and a couple of saplings (one on the left in the foreground and the yellow one in the background). On the right, you can spot the scarecrow made with different types of bars and with the head and hat of the collectible Scarecrow Minifigure, one of my favorites.

The Swirling Rocks element on the left, coming from the Sandman Minifigure, is used as a vase holder, I think it’s a NPU (Nice Part Usage). A flower holder made with a fishnet hangs from the side wall, and close to it is a plant set in a Scala and Belville series Flowerpot. I have already used that element in my Winter Garden.

There are also two wheelbarrows in the scene: a red one leaning against the wall near the pumpkins, and another in the foreground on the right. The latter is made with different LEGO pieces. Can you guess which ones they are?

On the top of the façade there is a porthole made like the ones in my previous Blue Cottage. On the left, you can see a compass that represents a sort of sundial. There is also a nice little roof over the door made with many slightly raised 2X1 tiles.

The Garden Shed is the kingdom of Mrs. Magda (can you spot her?), a friendly Spanish lady who has retired to the countryside with her funny cat. She spends her spare time taking care of the multitude of lush plants and flowers.

Probably there are many other details and strange pieces in the diorama; have fun finding them! What do you think of the process from sketch to final build?

The Process

One thing that is great about BrickNerd is their willingness to show more about a build than just the final photo. Here are some WIP (work in progress) photos to help show how the entire diarama was constructed.

Preparing the base made with many dark tan plates and plate wedges, the flooring is made with many light bluish gray slopes of different sizes, among which I have inserted white tiles to give the idea of porphyry.

The facade is ready, only a bunch of details are missing.

Coupling the base and the main building.

Adding the details on the left side, the plants and utensils on the right side and the eaves made with many slightly raised 2X1 tiles.

The two-piece roof is made with reddish brown plates and tiles.

With the roof on top the shed is almost complete.

The Garden Shed is complete and ready for the photo shoot!

I hope you enjoyed the photos from beginning to end, from sketch to the final model. Happy building!

Are LEGO plants the closest thing you get to nature? Or do you like to get out there in the garden, knee-deep in manure? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

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