How to Disguise a Garden Hose — 5 Tips to Hide This Backyard Essential

Imagine sitting in your beautifully manicured garden, gazing out at the flourishing foliage lacing through your backyard, only to have your sight hitch on a garden hose. Considering all the effort that's gone into making your garden a serenely stylish space, this just won't do.

No modern garden should face a drop in its style quotient due to a humble garden hose. And if you have a smaller space, sans shed, then you might have to get a little creative when disguising this common eyesore.

However, you won't have to think up solutions alone. Lucky for us, landscape designers have dealt with camouflaging garden hoses on many occasions, and they've generously shared five genius ways to hide a garden hose for us to steal.

1. Use Foliage for a Fitting Disguise

Landscape designer and founder of Staghorn NYC, Katherine Aul Cervoni, tells me that there are plenty of nifty ways to hide outdoor eyesores like garden hoses. For one, she recommends using foliage for a natural cover.

"I like using screening utilities to create a shrub border or hedge to hide hoses and other outdoor necessities that need covering," she says. "Just be sure you leave ample space behind the shrubs for easy access to the hose."

So if your garden has living privacy fences shielding your garden from outside view, you can utilize it to screen eyesores within your home, too.

2. Shield with Intentional Decorative Elements

If you have a small garden that doesn't have quite enough room for large privacy shrubbery, then worry not. David McCary, founder of Seattle Sustainable Landscapes, tells me that you can resort to other creative solutions.

"You can always hide your garden hose behind something more decorative," he suggests. "Consider the likes of boulders, faux rock covers, or even a raised garden bed."

Although there's nothing quite like real boulders for authentic hardscaping, these Artificial Landscape Enclosure Stones from Amazon are a great lifelike option if you prefer going the faux, lightweight route.

3. Utilize Functional Furniture

The best garden furniture also provides a stylish distraction from the disruption of a garden hose. And it's a doubly winning addition when your garden furniture offers the multi-functional benefit of storage.

"I find that outdoor furniture like storage benches, trunks, or cabinets can be a lifesaver for hiding hoses and other smaller gardening tools and other miscellaneous items that require organization," says Kat.

An outdoor storage ottoman or multi-functional furniture, like this set of Nestable Rattan Storage Boxes from Cox & Cox, is my personal favorite when it comes to using furniture to downplay your yard's worst features.

4. Pop it in a Planter

"My go-to super-simple way of disguising a hose is to use a gorgeous pot or empty decorative vessel to contain it," says Kat. "If you choose to hide your hose in a pot, just be sure it has a drainage hole in the base."

Personally, I love the asymmetry offered up by a pair of empty outdoor planters by a garden entryway or as an ornamental touch to an awkwardly vacant corner of a backyard.

There's no doubt that the covert use of planters, like this rustic nkuku Ulla Planter from Anthropologie, will hide away your garden hose while also brightening up your outdoor space in an incredibly inconspicuous way.

5. Introduce a Sleek Hose Rack

"And if all else fails, a stylish hose rack should do just the trick," says Kat. "Preferably wall mounted, a sleek hose hook or container will keep this garden accessory tidy and out of the way."

Angelique Kreller, interior designer at Yabby, also finds this to be a clever trick. "You can use a decorative hose holder to blend in with the aesthetics of your outdoor environment," she assures.

This Farringdon Tap Hose Hanger from Garden Trading is a smart tool that will keep your garden hose coiled and in close proximity to your outdoor tap.

FAQs

How Do You Roll a Garden Hose?

"When it comes to how to wrap a garden hose, first of all, you need to start with a loose coil, so the hose doesn’t crimp," says Angelique. "Then, hold the end of the hose and gently wrap it around your arm like a hose reel.

"Make sure that there isn't tightness on the hose or sharp bends, as these can cause potential kinks. When it's wrapped, make sure you store it somewhere dry to make sure mold doesn't build up over time."

All of these clever, designer-approved tricks will disguise your garden hose with ease. But considering that the problem centers around the typically un-chic garden hoses on the market, perhaps investing in a pretty hose could solve your problems as well.

So if you're looking for a refresh of this essential garden accessory, I recommend this Garden Glory Hose from Nordic Nest. The Sahara Desert hue, in particular, is calling my name and will likely be the encouragement I need for any outbound tasks this spring.