What does candlelight, kerosine and calamagrostis have to do with each other. Better yet, what the blazes is Calamagrostis? And why are we talking about it? Well, candlelight and kerosine lamps are pre-electric and therefore pre-utility staples. Calamagrostis is better known as Karl forester grass and may have been found out on the prairie, but is now a present day staple for hiding utilities around the home. Very few of us really want to live in the pioneer days without electricity or running water, but we would gladly get rid of the unsightly utility box or loud air conditioner unit so we don’t have to look at it or hear it while trying to enjoy the outdoors. So instead of going back to candle light let’s consider ways to hide the utilities within the parameters the utility companies set forth.
The biggest concern of said companies is that the utility is accessible, without needing extra work when repairs are needed. Really who wants to tear out a tree or shrub just to open a box for a fix that should have taken 5 minutes of their time? Who needs more frustration? The good news is we don’t have to cause our utility repairmen to “go postal” and we don’t have to drift back into the pioneer days. All we have to do is consider the needs and find the right plant for the job.
Workers require space for panels to be removed or opened and gauges to be read easily. Upon simple examination one should be able to deduce what space is needed where, in order to make this possible. On a utility box they often only open one direction requiring a larger space on one side, and underground cables necessitate smaller root systems. Grasses are exceptional yard mates to the utilities as they grow sizably over a season, come in different heights and colors, have small root systems and can be pushed aside or cut down without harm to the plant. There are a few small shrubs that are also easy to work around and give when shoved around. The Hardy hibiscus, peony and arborvitae mature to a good “hiding” height and are fairly easy to work around. One can always plant other shrubs; but the mature size (or maximum size) has to be taken into consideration and then planted as if it were already full grown to keep good spacing around the utilities.
When considering air conditioning units it is easier to have a larger shrub planted around it that can buffer both the sound and sight of the unit. The main growth you want to avoid is a “wild” shrub that has random or spreading branches and any vining plants that could grow up into the grate of the unit. Meters and downspouts are attached to the home so proximity is more an issue than repairs. Tall, slender shrubs and ornamental trees can help hide the downspouts easily enough and there are plenty of those. Taylor junipers, De Groot arborvitae, and Serviceberry are all good examples of “tight quarters” growers. Whatever you decide to plant be sure to give space to walk between the utility/meter, for any obstruction will simply be removed by the company without obligation to replace said specimen. There you have it. Although there is a certain romanticism to pioneer days and candle-light, we need not abandon our modern amenities to design your own peaceful scenery around your own home.
