Photo courtesy Jane and Mort Shurtz.

To Decorate or to Disguise? Making Rain Barrels Visually Appealing
Rain barrels, like compost bins and other vital gardening objects may not contribute to the visual appeal of one's landscape. What to do? Use your creativity to disguise or decorate rain barrels, either by blending them into the landscape or turning them into a beautiful addition to your garden. Share your examples of rain barrel enclosures, disguises and decorations by sending a photo to rainbarrel@sustaindane.org.

Rain barrel owners often inquire about painting their barrels. Plastic can be difficult to get paint to adhere to, and sustainable, low-VOC paints or finishes designed for plastic are difficult to find. We recommend wrapping your rain barrel in chicken wire and growing a vining plant like morning glories up around the barrel to inexpensively disguise it (for an example, see "Hidden in Vines" at the bottom of this page.) Several painted examples displayed here describe the types of finishes or techniques used.

The rain barrels featured on the rainfordane.org home page as well as shown here, were decorated by Jane Shurtz. A base coat of taupe was spray-painted on the barrels, and Jane then hand painted the word "Water" in many languages on the barrels. To preserve the barrels, two coats of spar varnish were then added.

Wooden Barrel System
This beautiful wooden barrel, used in conjunction with a RainReserve diverter kit, would be a welcome addition to any landscape.

Double-barrel system
Placing a barrel on either side of the garden gate gives the homeowner a convenient water supply for two sides of the house.

Bulk Tank
A rectangular 225 gallon IBC (Intermediate Bulk Container) is camouflaged by lattice and vines. When the vegetation fills out, the tank will blend into the landscape completely.

Pond Critters by Janet Zanck Photo by Lori Compas Photography www.loricompas.com

Pond Critters by Janet Zanck
In July, 2008, several Dane County area artists donated their time, talent and tools to create spectacular works of art which are also functioning rainbarrels. These pieces were auctioned to benefit Sustain Dane's on-going work in the community to promote sustainability.

Artist's Statement: Wisconsin water creatures (bluegill, large mouth bass, minnows, snails, bull frog, tadpoles and a turtle) are presented in a fanciful fashion swirling around the barrel. It was very challenging to locate eco-friendly exterior paints that would adhere to the plastic barrel. Due to the difficulty of nontoxic paints adhering to plastic, a steel sleeve was wrapped around the barrel to facilitate use of low VOC exterior house paint. Artist's paints could not be found that would take the weathering that a rain barrel must withstand, in addition to possessing a more environmentally friendly rating.

Untitled by Garner McCandless Photo by Lori Compas Photography www.loricompas.com (www.garnermccandless.com)

Untitled by Garner McCandless
Artist's statement: This barrel features a Whooping Crane and a Sandhill Crane, framed by the Madison skyline. The work reflects Madison's environmental heritage, and describes an aspect of the watershed. It reminds us that these birds are on the receiving end of pollution and effluence from the city, and that rain barrels ultimately help to protect the wildlife in our watershed Much of my recent work focuses on the local Madison and Wisconsin environment, and features birds, plants, landscape, etc.. With these subjects, I am interested not only in their beauty, but also in motion, presence, and the sense of place that they create. All of my work begins with active, detailed observation. I have been working concurrently with art and the environment for fifteen years, and hold a B.A. in both Visual Arts and Environmental Studies, as well as a Masters in Fine Arts. You can see more of my work, and contact me through www.garnermccandless.com.

Hawaiian Habitat by Sheree Keehoe Photo by Lori Compas Photography www.loricompas.com

Hawaiian Habitat by Sheree Keehoe (www.WatercolorsPlus.com)
Artist's statement: I was lucky to visit Hawaii recently, and brave enough to go scuba diving there. It made me realize how much the entire environment relies on water. The ocean is never far away, and the rainiest place on earth is in Kaua'i, Mount Wai'ale'ale with an average of 440 inches of rain per year. This became my theme when applying for the rain barrel exhibition. I am very concerned about environmental issues including global warming, and hope projects like this initiate interest and discussions about possible solutions. You will see the following Hawaiian themes used in the design: State tree flowers (Candlenut/Kukui) State flower (Yellow Hibiscus/Ma'ohau hale) State fish (Reef triggerfish/Humuhumunukunukuaoua'a!) State marine mammal (Humpback Whale) Whitetip Reef Shark Spinner Dolphins Green Sea Turtle (endangered) Hawaiian stilt (endangered bird) Fish (Blue striped Butterfly, Coris gaimard) Native flowers (Plumeria and Beach Morning Glory) Introduced flowers (Heliconia and Bird of Paradise) Taro plant (used to make Poi) volcanic mountains (Na Pali on Kauai). Paint and sealer used are certified to contain no materials in sufficient quantities to be toxic or injurious to humans. No glue was used to connect the materials, only fishing line. In addition, the following recycled materials were used: scrap wood, garden wire fencing, rubber floor molding (Habitat for Humanity of Dane Co. Restore), milk cartons, discarded container lids, plastic plant pots, rope, silk leaves from discarded artificial plants, fishing line, wine cork, metal scraps, cat litter bags and handles, plastic bag handles, plastic screen (from gutter guards), and excess tubing from my own rain barrel.

Untitled by Aaron Laux Photo by Bryant Moroder

Untitled by Aaron Laux (Smart Carpentry, 608-333-6159)
Artist's statement: Inspired by the community work of Sustain Dane and by my artistic mentor, Steven Spiro, I created this sculpture using salvaged building materials culled from deomolition sites around Dane County. Materials include wood decking, cedar siding, and copper flashing. My intent was to create a work that commands the eye yet recedes from view.

Erratic by Krome Burke-Scoll Photo by Lori Compas Photography www.loricompas.com

Erratic by Krome Burke-Scoll Photo by Lori Compas Photography www.loricompas.com Erratic by Krome Burke-Scoll (Artisan Exteriors and Plastering, www.AskaStuccoMan.com)
Artist's statement: A single-use plastic barrel is a quintessentially "manufactured" object. As rain barrels they help give life to the landscape, so I used masonry materials to try to get this barrel to harmonize with that landscape. Using earth-toned pigments, the barrel has a rough, natural stone look. With its cylindrical shape, it will probably never be mistaken for an actual boulder, but it does transform an object that is obviously recent and human-made into something that looks old and natural. As a result of developing this technique, we are now able to offer this service to our clients, including matching barrels to the exteriors of stucco homes.

Prairie Garden by Peggy Timmerman Photo by Lori Compas Photography www.loricompas.com

Prairie Garden by Peggy Timmerman
Artist's statement: I work in a variety of media, including calligraphy, drawing, painting and fabric banners. Much of my work focuses on environmental themes. I am forever trying to depict the beauty of the landscape in southwest Wisconsin, which is a constant source of inspiration. I also own a prairie remnant and am doing prairie restoration, so this project was a way to depict some of my favorite plants, many of which would be appropriate in a rain garden. I hope whomever ends up with this barrel appreciates having a little bit of "instant prairie" in their yard! Species depicted on this rain barrel include: Compass plant (Silphium laciniatum) Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) New England Aster (Aster novae-angliae) Joe Pye Weed (Eupatorium purpureum) Culver's Root (Veronicastrum virginicum) Stiff coreopsis (Coreopsis palmata) Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) Black-eyed susan (Rudbekia hirta) Spiderwort (Tradescantia ohiensis) Harebells (Campanula rotundifolia) Blue false indigo (Baptisia australis) Queen of the Prairie (Filipendula rubra) Rough blazing star (Liatris aspera)

Photo courtesy Peter Berthold

Hidden in vines
For an easy and inexpensive option to disquise your rain barrel, consider growing a vining plant around the barrel. In this photo, morning glories have completely hidden two rain barrels.

Photo courtesy Gretchen Hansen

Gretchen Hansen's beautiful painted barrel was a multi-step process. First, she washed the barrel with a vinegar and water mix. Then two coats of Rust-Oleum's green paint for plastic were applied as the base. Gretchen painted the flowers with acrylic paints, and the barrels were completed with two coats of clear water-based polycrylic protective finish by Minwax.