We cook from scratch most evenings, which means fresh herbs are a genuine requirement rather than a nice-to-have. The narrow alleyway beside the house — dead space that was doing nothing — turned out to be the perfect location.

I built a garden herb ladder to fit the available space above the outdoor tap, giving us somewhere to grow basil, rosemary, thyme and whatever else the season calls for, within arm's reach of the back door. As a bonus, the leftover cladding material went to good use on the back doorstep — widening it and tidying up what had been an awkward, unfinished edge.

Two problems, one project, no wasted material.