Composting: The Aesthetics

We should discuss the aesthetics of the compost pile. A pile of rotting organery waste does not offend most gardeners, but that may be for the straightforward fact that they know what they will be getting when that pile shrinks down and turns into compost. They will get the best darn stuff known to gardening. Oh, the wonders of compost! But that is a whole other discussion. Back to aesthetics.

There is no two ways about it. The compost pile is less than keen to most people. It seems folks have an aversion to composting plainly because it detracts from the beauty of their yard. This may be true, but only if you let it. There are several ways to fix this problem. Let's go over some of them.

Hide and Seek

As with all things important but not pleasing to the eye, the compost heap should be settled in an out-of-the-way place. Half secret behind an existing structure such as a tool shed or even the greenhouse would somewhat hide the compost pile and, in the case of having it near the greenhouse, make it ever so favorable to use.

Forgotten place in the yard turned useful

You may have a forgotten place in your yard which no one actually pays much attentiveness to and you haven't done much with, maybe by choice. Maybe shrubs and/or vines grow a bit tangled and wild here and the leaves from the trees are left to do their thing where they fall. You may even leave it this way to provide a place for birds to nest and feed and to attract other forms of wildlife. Next to this forgotten spot would be a good place for this. It would look like a natural progression of things. And those leaves that fall to the ground, well, now they'll just drop onto the pile, rescue you the problem of raking and adding good material to the pile.

Plant a hiding place

This is practically like placing the pile behind an existing structure, only this is done on purpose. That is to say, you may reconsider planting a somewhat tall hedge around the area you select for the compost pile with the expressed purpose of hiding it from view. Pick one easy to grow plant and space them according to their spread. Pick one which flowers and produces fruit or berries and you have duplicate duty. This pretty hedge will hide the compost pile while giving you and/or your feathered neighbors something nice to look at and yummy fruit to eat.

For a permanent hiding place tall shrubs, prolific perennial vines and small multi-stemmed trees will do the trick nicely. Recommend shrubs for the purpose: Forsythia, Tartarian Honeysuckle, Lilac and Globe Arborvitae. Small multi-stemmed trees include: Crape Myrtle, Russian Olive, Hydrangea paniculata, and Star Magnolia. Lovely vines for good, thick cover are: Trumpet vine, Wisteria, Honeysuckle and Hops vines.

Make it Pretty

There's nothing saying you can't try to make this organic heap pretty. How? That all depends what you reconsider pretty. Some folks think a nice picket fence is sufficient to beautify the compost pile. You may reconsider production a box for the compost with a movable front panel for easy passage to the concluded compost.

Here are some suggestions to make the compost pile most attractive. Temporary or seasonal screens created by planting rows of Sunflowers, Hollyhocks, Golden Rod, Miscanthus decorative grass or Hardy Hibiscus make a very lovely surround for anything, even a compost pile. Fast growing annual vines such as Morning Glory, Moonflower, Scarlet Runner beans or any vine of your choice can climb on and cover a small chainlink or chicken wire fence if you are willing to put up this sort of structure around your compost pile. This would be actually gorgeous and you'd never know that a compost pile is back there.

Create a Barrier

You may reconsider surrounding the compost pile with hay bales stacked up. If these hay bales are effortlessly available to you, that would be a fine idea. They may even do duplicate duty if you are inclined to convention archery. A bull's eye target can go on the hay bales toward the back of the compost pile. Please, make obvious no one is working in the compost pile before letting loose with arrows!

Go Techno

Okay, not exactly techno but sort of. We're talking about those compost tumbler contraptions and the prefabricated plastic composting bins which hide all the unpleasantness of composting inside and away from delicate sensibilities. These work fine even if they are way too small for a someone with loads of organery waste (your ardent gardener, for instance) But be forewarned, you will need to spend huge amounts of money, and unnecessarily. To take a so totally natural process like decaying organic matter and then having to buy something in order to do it? There is not much the sense in it but if that's what it takes for you to start composting, then so be it.

You see? There actually is no need to fear your visitors will find your compost pile ugly. How can they if they can't find it?

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