A decorative garden hose holder provides a useful way to store, move, and deploy your garden hose without having to deal with unsightly lengths of tubing that can trip up unwary walkers or get chopped up in lawn mower blades. More than that, a holder that has an attractive exterior can add a decorative touch to your garden or patio. If you don't want to have a garden hose holder visible at all, you can select a holder that completely conceals the hose when it's in storage.
Decorative hose reels can come with exterior themes that resemble the appearance of lawn furniture or garden walls or fences. They can be stationary or they can be mounted on wheels to allow them to move about in your yard or garden. When the hose is retracted into the holder, the reel blends nicely with your other patio or garden furnishings.
Moving large garden hoses from one area to another, or laying them out to reach a selected location, can be quite a challenge, especially for new gardeners. When the holder is set up on wheels, it is easy to move from one place to another. When equipped with a hand crank or motorized crank, it is much easier to deploy the hose and to retrieve it for storage.
Sometimes a hose reel can be mounted on a wall or deck, keeping the hose off the ground and allowing it ample opportunity to fully drain for storage. This stationary mounting is a good choice for a hose that will connect to a sprinkler system or to a soaker hose set-up. A hidden receptacle is also nice, especially if you often host social gatherings in your garden or patio space and would like for it to look as if your garden never needs something so ordinary as watering. A decorative hose holder is an ideal way to deal with having your garden hose on hand, while not allowing it to mar the general appearance of your garden. In fact, the right holder can make your outdoor space even more attractive. There is also a convenience factor in having a hose reel that will make storing and using your garden hose so much easier than trying to coil it up by hand. Here are a few examples of holders that can make your garden more beautiful and your watering chores easier.
A garden hose is to your backyard, what arteries and veins are to the human body. Now, what if your arteries were not properly managed and they become an entangled mess? The same can happen to your garden hose if it is not properly coiled and stored. That is why you need a good garden hose reel to store your hose.
Although apparently a mundane purchase, an informed choice makes your hose last longer and perform better. Follow these tips to get the right one for your garden.
If left unattended after use, a garden hose will have to withstand UV rays that interact with its material and make it brittle or cause cracks. A hose reel will keep it safely coiled and increase its life and performance.
A garden hose carries water, which corrodes the inner metal mesh lining. This weakens the structure and if it is not preserved in a reel, it will start leaking.
You can move the hose effortlessly in a hose cart rather than carrying the bulky coil manually.
An unattended garden hose can come in your toddler's or pet's way and cause accidental falls.
If it is left lying on a driveway, vehicular pressure will damage the hose.
Your garden will look a lot neater and tidy with the hose tucked away in a reel.
Hangers, holders, and stands
These are simple and basic but very effective devices to coil and store a garden hose. Made from metal rods or pipes, they have a base or a stand on which the hook is welded. It can be a single hook or a rack for additional support if the hose very long. They often have decorative wrought iron crowns for aesthetic appeal.
Being simple designs, they are the most affordable of garden hose reels. Choose this type if you want to add style and elegance on a budget. For enhanced aesthetics, paint the reel in a bright, cheerful outdoor color such as spring green, autumn orange, or cherry-red.
Carts
These are portable hose reeling devices mounted with two or four heavy-duty casters or wheels. The design usually provides a handle for easy coiling or uncoiling of the hose. Some designs have baskets to store garden equipment and accessories.
Below are some standard capacities and which one to choose for your needs:
Hose dimension/Cart's holding capacity
5/8" - 175' (for small backyards, front-yards, and kitchen gardens)
5/8" - 229' (for medium-sized gardens)
½" - 393' (for patios, multi-level, stepped, rock, and other gardens)
Carts are ideal for you if you have a larger garden or backyard where you need to move the hose to different places to water your plants. Choose a neutral gray, black, or white-colored body that will harmonize with the outdoors in all seasons.
Wall-mounted
These garden hose reels have a wall-mounted plank on which the reel is fitted. It can be operated with a crank to coil and uncoil the hose. They will be your choice if space-saving is your requirement in a small backyard or a kitchen garden. Go for sand, concrete, or brick-colored reels that match the wall surface.
A lot of the wall-mounted type reels are very decorative and have some quirky designs like frogs, pinecones or watering cans. Choose this type if you want your hose reel not only be practical, but also spruce up your exterior by providing decorative elements to your garden.
Self-retracting
These are mechanized reels, usually wall-mounted. You don't need to manually uncoil or coil the hose. Just pull out the hose to the needed length and it will get locked. When you are done watering, just give a gentle tug and the hose will self-retract smoothly without any tangling.
With a different nozzle, you can use this reel for spraying the shrubs and plants, apart from watering your lawn.
Being in the high-end price range, opt for this model if you own a big garden and want a practical garden hose reeling solution that will last for years. Designs are available in thoughtful garden-friendly colors and finishes, so suit yourself and your garden!
Hose container
This is an enclosed reel that shelters the garden hose fully, from all sides. It has louver-type ventilators or perforations for air circulation. Depending upon the model and design, the operation could be manual or automatic rewind of the hose.
Top-end models are battery-powered automatic devices.
Hose containers are designed to save time and increase productivity through automation. Choose one if that's your objective. A range of factory-finishes will suit any type of outdoor ambiance.
Pots
Pots are a great solution when you want to hide the hose completely. If aesthetics is your top priority and you don't want to destroy your garden decor with some plastic hose devices, pots are your 'go to' solution. They are attractive and practical and will add to your garden decor. An additional bonus of pot storage for your hose is that it will protect it against direct sunlight or rain.
Available in a big variety of colors and finishes, the choice of hose pots is as wide as your imagination. If you already have some flower pots in your garden, choose your hose pot in the style to match what you already have. Alternatively, if you want an accent piece, go for a pot that will stand out and attract attention.
These reels are all-season outdoor objects that have to be:
Considering the above factors, look for the garden hose reel that is made from any of these three materials:
Plastic: Look for garden hose reels made from outdoor-friendly, light-weight resin materials such as Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), polypropylene (PP), or high-density polypropylene (HDPE). These plastics withstand UV rays and can take a lot of rough handling and wear-and-tear. In particular, HDPE has a high strength-to-density ratio.
Metal: It is used for hangers, holders, and stands. Wrought iron will be the best material. It is tough yet malleable to form elegant decorative designs. Bronze, steel, and copper are also used for pot-type of garden hose reels.
Ceramic and terracotta: For the pot type hose reels. They are breakable, but then so are planter pots. So, go ahead and buy an elegant terracotta pot to store your hose reels in a stylish way.
