Hiding the utilities

I could use your help in figuring out what to do with the utilities boxes that are on the property line. My neighbor informed me she was planning on removing the juniper on her side, and I've been planning on removing the juniper on my side. So it sounds like we could use a plan to have a nice cohesive look.

As you can see from the picture, there's a lot of space to deal with, plus a tree. The sidewalk is East, and the larger junipers (my side) is on the North side. With the ash tree there's a combination of sun and shade.

I have various ideas to hide the utility box but no real details, nor an idea of what to really do. W/o research, I was thinking some kind of medium tall not too fat evergreen (yew maybe?) to plant directly around the box, which we can use as a backdrop. Or maybe put up trellis around it for vines and again as a backdrop. That's all I got so far.

Ideas? (and more pix to follow)

Here's a shot of the back. That's a lilac my neighbor planted years ago. Gives you a decent idea of how large the box is, and the smaller things should be easier to hide.

evie is there any clearance that you have to leave for access? A shrub would work wonderfully if not. I finally finished the 'hide the gas metre' plan. We have to leave the front completely open and accessible but the 'Miss Kym' lilac will screen it from one side without shading the bed too much and my new enviro-container (made 100% from recycled products) will screen it from the other side once the plantings grow. Here's the lilac side.

and this is from the other side showing the container.

How many hours of sun?

Sorry, I should have been more clear - the area is not for things like meters, but the big box where the meters get their mojo. You can see in the second picture the big gray box - that's what we want to hide.

I'm not sure how much sun it gets because of the ash tree (which is on the south side). I don't know about my neighbor's side, but I think my side gets shaded in afternoon as the sun is on the south side moving west. I bet my neighbor's side gets more shade than mine.

If you have deer, a yew would not be good. How about a rhodie?

We can try them. Had some near there that took a beating in winter - we get wind through that area in winter time - and looked all brown so I finally removed (were also in full sun - stupid home builders).

I decided to look up the power company's info on accessibility to this sort of thing, and they want a huge area available around these things. Like 10 feet or something crazy. Don't think so! I'll just not put anything I love over there in case it ever gets cut down :)

eevie_beevie they're really evil here about the 'access' thing. They just take it out if its in the way without advising you so you can transplant. I took them on when they ripped out a planting of a dear friend who is a senior on a fixed income and had spent $$ on shrubs and perennials fronting the 'big box'. I finally got them to pay half of the $$ for what they had ripped out which is better than nothing. I still get REALLY ticked off every time I think about it.

Is there a skinny version of arborvitae?

Yes - after the deer eat it.

hahahahahahaha

We dug the two huge junipers today (I think the buried tag said sea green juniper?). Here are some pictures so you can see what we're dealing with. You can also see how much the junipers outgrew the edging :)

The big transformer box thing-y is 3'1" and the smaller tube thing-y is about 2'3". I forgot to measure the distance from the box to the sidewalk, and anything in that specific space will have to be replaceable because the box opens from the "front" (if they ever need to access it; talking about side where big stickers are).

Picture taken around 3pm. Sidewalk is easterly and will get morning sun. Neighbor's juniper will also get replaced (looking ok now, but the back one split over the winter).

Ideas??

Picture would help!

View from front

Closer look at box.

Top inch or so of soil is really really good (thank you worms!), but under that is sandy soil.

One of the ideas I had is maybe some ninebark planted close together?

And what about ornamental grasses? Do you think they might work?

Other than that, I got nothing!

I'll do a soil test as soon as the soil dries and such. I'm hoping it won't be too acidic given all the juniper needles :o

Lots of possibilities. If enough sun, grasses will do fine. However, you do cut them down each early spring so you will have a period where you will see it.

I was thinking some aboritives - wally world about 12 bucks and then you cut them to the formal style. Then put some clemantis or dwarf morning glorys to trail up the aboritives. It would be a cheap way to go. They should make it fine.

Not if she has deer.

liquid fence

Sunday my neighbor helped get the junipers out and I planted this week.

I had trouble finding shrubs that were tall enough to hide but wouldn't get so big that they'd become a problem. So spiraea to the rescue!

I only have the one picture, but I think you get the idea. I transplanted most of these - the four in the upper right that will hopefully form one large grouping, and the two yellow guys at the bottom. There are two other greenies that will get 3-4 feet, and behind them is an ornamental grass that is supposed to get 5'x5'. It is a tiny thing right now.

I'll probably also move the spiraea that is in front of the diablo ninebark (upper right) to directly behind this bed. I don't like that spiraea so I'm hiding it, and it'll hopefully fill in back that and finish it off.

Not sure yet if I'll do perennials. Will eventually edge, but that's for when I'm not so sore from all this work! :)

Looks nice, Eve.

Turned out great

Spirea self-seeds a lot for me, but maybe not in your zone?

Thanks guys.

Spiraea self seeding? Never heard of that one! With all the spiraea that's around here (builder used it on just about everyone's house in one way or another), I haven't seen a problem. I did find a small spiraea under my deck, but that's it.

So I guess that's an advantage for zone 4 over 6b?? yay, that's one! ;-)

Yes - that's what I was thinking.