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Hiding the compost heap
• Create a scenery with pots
• Growing plants in unusual containers
• Make your potted plants more beautiful
• Choose the material of pots
• Look after your pots to make them last
• The right pot for the right plant
• Upright-growing plants in pot
• Growing a tree in a pot
• Hiding a cumbersome stump
• Hiding the compost heap
• Optimize Trees
• How to redesign a flowerbed ?
• Create a flowering border like a painter
• Harmonise foliage between them
• Succeed with your borders
• An attractive garden in winter
• Create a Mediterranean corner
• Create an exotic area
• Create a Japanese corner
• Create a green roof
• Create a rockery
• An Acer, for all gardens
The compost heap is not the most aesthetic looking item but it is really useful in the garden. Fortunately, there are solutions to make the most of it and conceal it!
Using a climber
It is the most aesthetic and greenest solution. Plant a small creeper against the composting container, making it go along the most visible part. But be aware, to succeed you must choose the plant carefully. Choose a vigorous liana, able to cover the surface rapidly but without taking roots in the compost as it would drain it of its nutritional elements. Wisteria for example does not provide the covering solution looked for and its vigour is too important to hide the compost heap. Avoid also Ivy, Boston ivy and Virginia creeper as they are difficult to keep under control.
Plant the climber right against the composting container.
A small flowering Clematis is ideal to conceal a composting bin.
The chosen climber must also like humidity, as at the base of a composting container the soil is always damp. Star jasmine (Trachelospermum), Passiflora (Passion flower), a small-flowering Clematis, or a Honeysuckle are ideal to conceal the compost bin.
If the soil around the compost bin is too hard, place a few planters fitted with trellis so as to plant a climber which will cover the support and conceal the compost bin from view. It can be an annual climber such as a Nasturtium or a perennial which withstands drought.
Using a trellised screen or a trellis
Wooden or metal panels and heather or wicker panels hide things instantly and durably. For efficient camouflage, the entrance of the composting bin must be side facing, behind the screen so as to keep easy access, while hiding the compost bin entirely. You can also of course grow a climber on the screens to brighten them up.
Painted and garnished with flowers, it is straight away brighter!
Panel in patined wicker
Do not hesitate to paint the support with a colour which is going to enhance plants like red or blue. You can also let them get a patina, for a natural effect but they won’t be as long lasting. The only delicate point regarding the trellised screens is their stowage so that the wind does not blow them down. Plan for adequate fixing feet or screw them to the composting bin’ supports if it is made of wood.
Composting and working surface, the all in one solution!
Using a countertop
It might not be the perfectly aesthetic solution but it is the most functional of all. In small gardens, placing a countertop on the composting bin (or two compost bins) allows gaining space while enjoying the benefits of real, homemade compost. The work surface must be easy to lift to throw the matters to decay and look after the heap. Be careful though, the looking after of the compost by mixing it weekly must be regular and constant. Failing this, bad odours could emanate from the compost bin. But regardless of its camouflage, mixing regularly the decomposing matters is the only way of getting beautiful compost!
