Disguising Sheds, Wheelie Bins, Trampolines and More – Some Ideas

A good garden design should not only be beautiful, it should also be practical.  And practical inevitably means disguising those ugly wheelie bins, the trampoline, the garden shed, or other unsightly garden objects!

Particularly in small gardens, this can be a challenge, but here are a few tips to consider:

• Everyone tends to locate their shed at the bottom of the garden, where the eye is immediately drawn to it.  If practical, consider siting the shed nearer the house so that you look beyond the shed to something more aesthetically pleasing.  It also means you don’t have to walk as far…
• Consider access – it’s all very well hiding those wheelie bins away, but remember they need putting out each week!  In one of our recent garden designs we build a bespoke sliding planter – good screening but easy access too.
• Rather than always using trellis as a screen (nice as it is), think about using plants.  Perhaps a variety of evergreen shrubs planted to achieve a mixed and varied foliage tapestry.
• Not all screening needs to be immediately in front of the object to be hidden.  Think of staggering plants, trellis etc, and of bringing these closer to where you will be sitting – the screening plant won’t have to be as tall then.
• Is it feasible to sink the trampoline?
• If you don’t want your neighbours to be able to see your kitchen, patio etc, consider using lollipop evergreen trees.  Or perhaps a pergola, or some form of timber building which will provide screening and be useful and attractive in its own right.
• Rather than focus entirely on screening, it might be more productive to do things within the garden which will divert the eye away from the unsightly shed.  For example, re-shaping the lawn or adding a feature or two.
• Consider building (or commissioning) a bespoke structure to hide your wheelie bins (or whatever else it is that needs hiding!).  That way, the materials and dimensions can be chosen to fit with the existing surroundings.  (See our bespoke timber buildings blog post for some examples).

If you need bespoke design advice – whether concerning disguising wheelie bins or not! – please do get in touch, call 0118 934 2958.