There is nothing more frustrating than structures and features in the garden that look out of place. I'm talking about things like outdoor faucets, downspouts, and utility boxes – all essentials that can't be removed and will disrupt your otherwise carefully curated landscape.
It's far from ideal to have already brought the idea of a dream garden to life only to have to compromise on those features. But what if I told you that they could be cleverly hidden so that they actually become attractive garden features?
(Image credit: Future/Jacky Hobbs)
5 Innovative Ways to Hide Outdoor Eyesores
Many of these ideas can also be used to transform an awkwardly shaped garden into a space that flows effortlessly.
1. Cover gutters with climbing plants
(Image credit: Tunatura/Getty Images)
One of the biggest yet unavoidable eyesores in a backyard is a gutter downspout.
While many people try to hide it by painting it the same color as the house's bricks, this is not the most effective way to hide this long, unsightly post.
Instead, landscape designer Paul Robbins recommends enlisting the help of the best evergreen climbers and flowering climbers.
“You can plant trailing plants like creeping jenny, vinca and sweet potato vines around your gutter to hide them,” says Paul. “The leaves hang down and completely obscure your actual gutters.”
“From the street, all you can see is a nice green border around your house.” Plus, your hanging plants will benefit from the extra water dripping from your roof,” he adds.
There are several ways to do this. For example, you can install a downspout trellis (like this one from Amazon) or train climbing plants to grow up a house.
Paul is an exterior and landscape architect as well as an expert in patio construction. He is the CEO of Austin Fence & Deck Builders and Atlas Deck Builders, trusted outdoor construction companies serving Central Texas since 2015.
2. Replace your compost bin
(Image credit: Jacky Hobbs/Future)
While making your own compost is a great way to get free organic material for your garden, it's not always the prettiest thing to do.
Even if you use a closed compost bin (like this one from Amazon), a black structure in the garden doesn't always match the outdoor aesthetic.
Luckily, Paul has a creative way to transform your compost pile into a chic addition to the garden:
“Invest in a plastic outdoor storage bench (from Amazon) and turn it into a compost bin,” he says.
“Simply remove the contents, open the door and place your compost bin or pile inside. “You can even put a few cushions on top to create additional seating,” he adds.
Be sure to follow our advice on how to stop compost from smelling bad to make this area of your garden more inviting.
3. Hide utility boxes behind attractive screens
(Image credit: H. Mark Weidman Photography via Alamy)
Although utility boxes are of course essential, they can disrupt the garden landscape.
Instead of allowing them to draw attention away from your carefully landscaped garden, landscape designer Michael Clarke suggests concealing them with a garden screen.
“To hide utility boxes, you can use outdoor cedar screens and panels (like this cedar garden screen from Amazon), vinyl mesh, or composite slat panels,” he suggests.
“These are easy to install and easy to move when utility workers need access,” he adds.
A bonus: You can transform garden umbrellas into green spectacles by climbing vines up them, just like you would on a trellis.
“You can also create a small garden island around the house box by planting layered beds of low ornamental grasses, perennials and taller shrubs to hide the boxes behind them,” suggests Michael.
Michael Clarke is the founder of Yardwork and Pulled, the online platforms for everything home and garden. He holds a degree in landscape architecture and horticulture from the University of California Davis. Previously, he was the founder of a landscape development and maintenance company.
4. Cover weedy areas with stones or gravel
(Image credit: MelanieMaya via Getty Images)
There are many ways to get rid of weeds, including using a weed remover (like this one from Amazon), but sometimes keeping track of them seems like an impossible task.
If you have a particularly weedy area in your garden that continues to thrive no matter what you do, there's an easy solution to hiding it (and getting rid of it for good).
“This is the easiest outdoor eyesore to conceal with landscape stone,” says landscape architect Dawn DeFeo.
“Lay down some landscape fabric (from Amazon) and then 3 to 4 inches of rock mulch, such as pea gravel, crushed granite, or Mexican beach pebbles.”
“Nothing grows over it and it never needs to be mowed or trimmed again, apart from a few small maintenance tasks,” she explains.
This is essentially a weed suppression technique and one of the best ways to weed a garden quickly.
The result is a beautiful stone landscape that you can enhance with outdoor seating, planters or a gravel garden.
Dawn is the Director of Landscaping and Gardening at Landscape Barn and with decades of experience in landscaping, gardening and outdoor design, she is an expert in all things landscaping.
5. Landscape with large boulders for hiding outdoor faucets
(Image credit: Beekeepx/GettyImage)
This is perhaps the quickest way to hide outdoor eyesores on our list. When it comes to your outdoor faucet, you can simply place a large boulder in front of it.
“A single large boulder or a dense cluster of two or three medium-sized rocks will completely hide an irrigation valve box or hose nozzle while still allowing you to flip the lid open in seconds,” says Dawn.
This is the best way to hide a faucet without rendering it unusable.
This will especially improve this area of your yard when it comes to covering an outdoor faucet in the winter with a Faucet Antifreeze Cover (from Amazon).
Other stone landscaping ideas can also be used for this purpose and to shield other unsightly, functional areas of the garden that you need regular access to.
FAQs
How do I hide an eyesore in my neighbor's yard?
There are many things you can do to hide an eyesore in your neighbor's yard. For example, you can try planting tall trees or setting up trellises to allow climbing plants to grow as a natural privacy screen. Other options include installing a pergola to block the line of sight and prevent you and your guests from seeing the eyesore in your yard.
All of these ways to hide outdoor eyesores can be tailored to the specific situation in your yard. For example, you may choose to also use plants to hide a garden wall, or you may want to create a thriving, living wall instead of a fence.
Buy garden supplies to spruce up your garden:
A rain chain is a great way to catch rainwater, and this one has beautiful hummingbird designs. The copper surface makes it look timeless.
This white trellis is a staple of the cottage garden. Use it to train climbing plants and create a natural privacy screen in the garden.
This beautiful blue glazed ceramic birdbath adds an elegant touch to wild gardens. It has UV and frost-resistant finish for long-term use.