Hiding Pool Equipment and Handling Lake Winds: A Side Yard Strategy

The Scenario

A homeowner recently asked:

My side yard needs a facelift—it gets hot afternoon sun and faces a lake. I also need to hide the ugly pool equipment without making maintenance a nightmare.

The GardenOwl Diagnosis

The Assessment

You have a classic suburban side yard with a lot of potential but a few glaring utility issues. Addressing these problems is crucial for maximizing your curb appeal. You are dealing with a "fishbowl" effect from the neighbor’s house, exposed pool equipment that looks like a mini chemical plant, and a location that faces a lake. Many homeowners fall victim to The Atmospheric Sail Syndrome or similar landscape design mistakes when trying to solve utility problems quickly by boarding up fences or boxing in equipment. That lake view is a blessing, but it brings two challenges: wind and afternoon sun. Most homeowners look at this space and think, 'I need to build a box around the pumps and nail boards over the fence gaps.' As a landscape architect, I’m telling you to put the hammer down before you create a rot-prone, wind-sail disaster.

Most homeowners look at this space and think, "I need to build a box around the pumps and nail boards over the fence gaps." As a landscape architect, I’m telling you to put the hammer down before you create a rot-prone, wind-sail disaster.

The Trap: Don't Build a Fortress

There are three specific traps visible in this photo that will cost you money if ignored.

1. The "Permanent" Pool Screen: If you build a solid, immovable box around your pool equipment, your pool guy will hate you. Worse, when (not if) a heater or filter cracks, you will have to demo your beautiful carpentry just to swap it out.
2. The Wind Load: You mentioned boarding up the inside of the fence. Since you are on a lake, you likely get strong gusts. Your current fence allows wind to pass through the pickets. If you seal it up solid, you turn that fence into a sail. In a heavy storm, it won't just lean—it will snap the 4x4 posts at the base.
3. The Mulch Volcano: I see this in the photo, and I have to call it out. That mountain of black mulch piled up the trunk of your tree is suffocating it. It rots the bark and encourages girdling roots. That tree is the best asset in this yard; don't kill it with kindness.

The Solution: Airflow, Access, and Movement

Here is how we fix this side yard to handle the sun, the wind, and the ugly equipment.

1. The Pool Equipment Screen (The "L" Shape)

Instead of a box, build an L-shaped screen. It should block the view from the patio and the house windows but remain open on the back side (facing the fence) for airflow and service access.

• Material: Use horizontal slats with 1/2-inch gaps. This hides the tanks but lets the equipment breathe. Pumps overheat if you box them in completely.
• Access: If you must enclose it fully, the side facing the maintenance area needs to be a double-wide gate or a completely removable panel. Do not screw it shut.
• Reference: For a similar approach to hiding utility features, check out how we handled water meters in this project.

2. Softening the Fence (Don't Board It Up)

Instead of doubling up the fence pickets, use plants to create privacy. Since you have afternoon sun and lake wind, you need tough plants that move with the wind rather than fighting it.

• Ornamental Grasses: Plants like Maiden Grass (Miscanthus) or Switchgrass (Panicum) are perfect here. They grow 4-6 feet tall, screening the fence gaps, and they look beautiful swaying in the lake breeze. They also love that hot afternoon sun.
• Layering: Plant these grasses about 3 feet off the fence line. This creates depth and prevents the yard from feeling like a cage.

3. Fixing the Tree

Before you plant anything new, grab a rake. Pull that mulch back from the tree trunk until you see the "root flare" (where the trunk widens into the ground). The mulch should look like a donut, not a volcano. For more on why this matters, the University of Maryland Extension has a great guide on mulch application best practices.

4. The "Hot" Border

That strip of grass along the river rock border is likely struggling because rock absorbs heat. Consider removing a foot of grass along that edge and planting creeping groundcovers or heat-tolerant perennials like Coneflower (Echinacea). If you want to see how to handle hot, rocky areas, read our case study on turning a rock yard into a welcoming entry.

Visualizing the Result

It is hard to guess how high a screen needs to be to hide a pool filter, or how wide a tree will get. This is where you test before you dig.

I recommend using GardenDream to overlay these ideas on your photo. You can drop in a wooden slat screen to see if it actually hides the pipes from your favorite patio chair. You can also layer in the ornamental grasses to see if they provide enough privacy without needing to reinforce the fence.

Avoid expensive rework. Upload your photo to our Exterior Design App and build your blueprint first.