Water Barrel Ideas for a Garden Shed

Choosing a Location

• In order to collect the most water runoff from a garden shed roof, ideally a rain barrel sits directly under a gutter downspout of the shed. Placing the barrel directly under the downspout makes the most efficient use of gravity and lessens the possibility for leakage, splashing and overflow. Where the ground does not permit such placement, position the barrel close to the shed where it can be reached by an elbowed downspout. Large rocks, steps and outdoor installations such as air conditioners may dictate placing the barrel away from a shed wall, but provide bracing if possible for lengths of drainpipe that protrude from the wall to reach the barrel so they are not dislodged by falling branches or strong wind.

Choosing a Side

• When placing your rain barrel, choose a shady side of the shed. One reason gardeners are urged to use rain barrel water promptly, usually within one week, is the potential for algae formation in the standing water. Heat and sunlight can accelerate the algae formation process. So a rain barrel's water benefits from shade. A shrub or other planting also can provide shade for the barrel.

Adding Hardscaping

• Ideally, the barrel will sit on a platform of masonry blocks or pavers, and the platform will be elevated about 2 feet off the ground so that it is simple to attach a hose to its spigot or fill a watering can from the spigot. Building outward from the platform with a few more pavers keeps cans and feet dry, especially if the barrel occasionally overflows . Extending the pavers farther lets you create an outdoor work area for storing hoses, washing flower pots and transplanting. This strategy works especially well if the shed roof has a deep overhang, giving the work area a bit of weather protection.

Decorating Your Barrel

• If your shed and rain barrel are clearly visible from other parts of your yard, you may wish to use paint for camouflage or decoration. In a formal or tailored landscape, the barrel could be painted the same color as the shed. In more formal or playful landscaping, paint can make an attractive virtue out of necessity. Whether you copy the silhouette of white fence pickets against a blue sky, paint all the flowers that grow in your garden or create a watery abstraction, your water barrel will become a cheerful focal point. Add further visual interest with a water chain instead of a pipe.

Using Screening

• Planting shrubs close to your shed can screen the water barrel from view. Choose from columnar or conical evergreens such as "Emerald Eastern" arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis "Smaragd), hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) plant hardiness zones 3 through 7, or "Fairview" Chinese juniper (Juniper chinensis "Fairview"), hardy in USDA zones 4 through 8, for year-round screening. They grow 10 to 20 feet in height but only 3 to 6 feet wide, making them capable of concealing the homemade waterworks while maintaining clear access. Use prefabricated wood or resin lattice to build a screen around your work area. A vine such as clematis (Clematis spp.), which is hardy in USDA zones 3 through 11, depending on the cultivar, can add greenery and colorful flowers to your lattice screen, whether it is a single, free-standing panel or a more complex structure such as an arbor. Containers of tall, ornamental grasses or flowering perennials also can be spaced to form a screen.