2 comments.

Few ornamental grasses will hide your utilities for more than 3 seasons. Most will have to be cut to the ground in spring, and will take a few months to regain sufficient size.

Spend some time at the Bluestem website, linked below. They have a very informative site, with lots of pics and lots of great grasses for your zone.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bluestem

I have a similar problem on my front yard. I planted Miscanthus sinensis ÂMalepartus around my cable and telephone box.

Donn is quite correct when saying that it has to be cut down. I do so mid March after snow is starting to melt. We get quite a bit of it here in zone 5 Ontario, Canada as you might expect.

It certainly does cover it nicely during the summer and fall. Last year, the crews had to do some repair work on it, and needless to say, trampled it to bits. I cut it back then, but it rebounded well this spring. Right now, one cannot see the boxes at all.

Here is a link that might be useful: Miscanthus sinensis Malepartus

Thanks donn and jroot for the responses, suggestions and the link to Bluestem.

Being new to ornamental grasses I do have a few questions.

Donn you wrote, "Few ornamental grasses will hide your utilities for more than 3 seasons.." I am unsure what you mean "for more than 3 seasons.."

The Bluestem site looks a good location for information about ornamental grasses. Have either one of you ever ordered ornamental grasses from an on-line-site such as Bluestem? Do you think I would have any luck getting grasses for fall planting, or is it best to wait until spring?

Jroot your yard such looks nice. The suggestion of Miscanthus sinensis ÂMalepartus looks like a possiblility.

Thanks again for your help

One item to be aware of is this ... the utility companies can and will, if needed, dig up and or destroy any plantings around their facilities.

They do not have to replace or pay for this damage.

Also remember, you need to trim back the grasses in the spring therefore, the utility boxes will be exposed for 2 -3 months before they once again are eliminated from your sight.

many people seem to forget this minor fault of ornamental grasses.

it has been suggested rather than trying to hide the boxes w/ plant material create a bed or landscape that draws ones eyes away from the boxes.

Then you will be known as a garden designer/ landscaper that has vision and talent to make a passerby not see the utility boxes.

Jake

I got my grasses. Purchased "Malepartus" and "Purpurascens". Got both at a local garden center - 6" pots for $9.98 each. Can't wait to see how they do. Thanks for everone's help.

Jake is right about the utility companies. I had experience with this first hand with a dwarf variegated pampas that had to be butchered and chopped for the work on the utilities to get done. The utility workers weren't as impressed by the greass as I was and had no mercy.

Hey grass guy: How tall does the dwarf pampas grass get? I didn't know there was a dwarf. The regular ones are so pretty, but they get huge!

There's a dwarf pampas, 'pumilla' that is basically a scaled down version of the species, but only gets about 5 to 6 ft tall.

What I have is a dwarf variegated variety called Cortaderia s. 'Gold Band'. It is around 4 ft tall in foliage with plumes reaching about 6 ft. I really like this grass, mostly because I dislike the larger species so much. It just seems so overused in my area and is always planted in a poor and crowded location.

This Cortaderia Gold Band is almost 4 years old.

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