Help with hiding an electrical box in yard

13 years ago

We have a very unsightly electrical box in the middle of our backyard. Years before our house was built, the neighbors behind us paid to have the box moved out of their yard and into our's. It now sits in a horrible spot in my backyard. I had someone come out from the electric company to look at it, and he said it would cost over $5,000 out of our pockets to have it moved into another spot in our yard. The trouble with the spot it's in too is occasionally that spot in our yard floods pretty badly when it rains hard. (The guy from the electric company said the box being surrounded by water wasn't a hazard...I don't really believe him). Any and all ideas on how to hide the box and incorporate it into our yard would be GREATLY appreciated.

Featured Answer

yvonnecmartin

13 years ago

I don't know what horticultural zone you are in, but dogwood bushes love water. Red twig dogwood is especially pretty when the leave fall. I have a cultivar that has white-edged leaves. Probably there are other shrubs that like occasional wet feet.

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Comments (11)

honeapathsc
13 years ago
How did your neighbor get to move the box out of their yard and on to someone elses? Is it in an electrical right of way? Unfortunately you can not obscure the box in a way that prevents access by the electrical company.
DIAspoton
13 years ago
what are the restrictions by the power company? they need access of course. could you put a 42" dark stained wood fence around it? have the gate on the back side. plant low maintenace dwarf bushes around the other 3 sides. i don't know if that would give them the access they need. call them for suggestions. surely others have come up with acceptable solutions.
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lesliemahler
13 years ago
My sister hides her well mechanicals with tall grasses. It works very well except in the early spring when she cuts back the last year's growth and awaits the new year's growth to fill in. Good luck!
janishill
13 years ago
Purchase a faux rock to cover it. Here is one example: http://www.buzaar.com/rock-cover-114.html?gclid=CIWUpeC487UCFdFT4AodtSQARA
mamao1956
13 years ago
We have a big cable box in our yard too, fortunately it close to the fence. A few years ago we planted some tall grasses in front of it and the put a small statue/ bird bath in front of the grasses. Does a good job of hiding the eyesore. The electric company could still have access to your box from the backside.
Lynn Crankshaw Metzger
Original Author
13 years ago
I don't know how the neighbors managed to have it moved. It was on the border of both of our property lines, and he had it moved into our yard so he could put up the fence that you can see in the background of the picture.
The electric company has to have access to the box from the back, but he said we could put something around the front and sides. I asked him how people have hid them in other yards, and he said by planting bushes. That would work for us except our yard floods and I'm afraid anything I planted would get washed up.
honeapathsc
13 years ago
What ever you plant to hide the box from your point of view be sure to leave it open from your neighbors point of view, pay back. he he he. How about planting four foot tall evergreens as a screen in a C configuration with the back side open. Ask your garden center about the water issue before planting or have them plant the trees and get a year warranty.
Lynn Crankshaw Metzger
Original Author
13 years ago
Thank you very much for all the suggestions! It's nice to have a few options now.
Jayme H.
13 years ago
Plants are probably the easiest..and tall grassed won't prevent access.
Gail
6 years ago
Bamboo loves water, too!! Get the dwarf variety, as it is tall enough. Very invasive, but that doesn’t sound like an issue in your case.