Hi
I've just put a deposit on a beautiful new home. The only fault with it is there is a 1.5ft x 1.5ft stainless steel Electricity Supply box in the garden.
Has anyone any idea how I can camouflage this?
My mother recommended planting a weeping will shrub behind the box which would drap over the front?
Any advise? Thanks
I might call the Elec company and ask if it might be alright to paint it a dark green? That way it will eventually blend. Maybe you know someone who does tole painting? That would look so neat in the garden while waiting for your weeping thing to grow. Is that a willow and is it far from your plumbing? If not I'd reconsider. They choke off water pipes etc. I was told this and have no experience.
Betsy
Hi Betsy
Thanks for the advise. I'll definitely look into painting it - great idea. Apologies for my typing error earlier. Yes, its a weeping willow. My mother has some in her garden so I'll talk to her more about it.
betsyb wrote:
Your mother isn't thinking straight. Weeping willows become big trees with wide-ranging roots. You do not want that near utility fixtures. Tell your mother "Good idea", and then forget she ever said it. What you want is shrubs, not trees.
Next, take pictures of the yard, including the box. Bring the pictures to a real garden center* and tell them what your goal is. If you get what seems to be an overly fast answer, ask this question about whatever shrub you seem to be falling in love with: "What sort of care will this plant need in 2, 5 and 10 years?" If you get a blank stare, head to the library. Find 3-4 books which discuss the shrub in detail.
I'd kinda think about the future. As others have stated, you need to consider what happens with a mature shrub. Will the root structure interfere with the utility wire? If the utility company needs to do repairs, will the shrub be damaged, or removed? There are several companies that make fake boulders to cover up just the thing you're asking about. Granted, a fake boulder by itself may stick out like a sore thumb unless some other landscaping (other hardscape and perennial flowers) were placed around it. But, lifting a fake boulder for utility repairs may do less damage to your established garden/bed than a more permanent shrub planting.
Also, depending upon the location and overall design of the garden/bed you may consider using a sculpture, pedestal, birdbath, planter, bench etc. to conceal the utility box.
FWIW, I've used a hollowed out stump to cover a well head pump and surrounded it with smaller rocks and some perennial flowers. Cost...next to nothing...I already had the stump, rocks, and perennials from another bed.
However you hide the box, consider the cost of replacing the camouflage. You appear to be in Ireland, but I assume the laws there are similar to in America. The power company usually owns the box, and have an easement to the property that allows them to access the box whenever they want.
Before you do anything expensive, call the power company and ask them what the requirements are. I have a transformer in my front yard, and the power company has the right to clear anything within a 5 ft radius of the box. It might be once in 10 years they need access to it, but they always seem to need to tear out the most expensive plants. Keep that in mind when you design a screen for it.
Consider hiding it behind a few lava rocks, light cheap, easy to move around. Perhaps a few inexpensive hedge or shrubs.
-S
How about purchasing a wishing well (if there's a bottom just cut it out) that could fit over the box? I've seen them made out of all sorts of materials and in many different styles/diameters/heights. I see their price range run between $100 (Target) and $300 (custom). Something structural is easily movable and immune to damage should the utility company need to excavate in the area. An old barrel is another idea and probably cheaper.
-- Tara
Box it in with chicken wire. Plant a vine or 2.
Carl
Hi! Have you thought of planting perennials or annuals tall enough to hide it? You did not specify where it is located in the garden but if it is in the front of a shrub bed make a flower display out of it. Sue
Paint it some colour that will blend in and plant fast growing shrubs or small trees around it that will hide it (if possible) or at least break up the square lines so they will be less obvious. Stuff that actually covers the box is not a good idea, somebody will need to get in there some day and you may want them to do it quickly.
David
There are plastic rocks that might fit over it.
If you are wanting a natural look without planting anything, you may find this very unique,functional as far as moveable, and very inexpensive.
JIm
On 14 Sep 2006 09:38:54 -0700 in , "noli" graced the world with this thought:
Have you seen the fake boulders that you can buy and set over the top? They're pretty cool, and look real.
The electricity people might need access to it at certain times..........
What about a trellis with something evergreen around the side(s) you see from your window?
Jenny
If the OP can build his own fibreglass rock, he could make it with recesses and pockets into which he can sit pots of cactus or succulents or a spreading succulent, so it has the appearance of a rock garden covering a rock.
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