Venting issue, need plant ideas...?

3 years ago

I have some temporary plants (sundrop and plumbago) in this area until fall, when I'll be moving them. I know the vent on the right is for the hot water heater, middle is the furnace, left is... not sure. I had a dwarf lilac bush here throughout last year and this spring I pulled it because it seemed like the vent air killed part of the plant (no growth on one side). This area desperately needs something, and because it's in the back of the bed under a window, I wanted something tall (5 ft?). What can I do to either 1) make this space more hospitable for plants or 2) choose a plant that wont be affected by the venting...?

Featured Answer

cecily 7A

3 years ago

I'd use a decorative screen to hide the pipes then place a row of pots in front of the screen so everything can be moved when home maintenance is needed.

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Comments (6)

ladybug74
3 years ago
How about a water feature? Like a fountain, ceramic bubbler or bird bath? There are solar ones, if you do not have an outlet nearby.
mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
3 years ago
Which way does the house face?

TBH, it sounds more like a shade issue than a vent issue.
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Olychick
3 years ago
I'd paint those pipes the color of the house so they disappear and maybe put a large planter with something evergreen growing in it, in front of that area. Or a trio of planters to kind of block the whole area. The planters should protect the plants in them from the effects of the vents by raising them far enough off the ground.

Or as ladybug suggested. a water feature:
Lauren W. (z5b - CNY)
Original Author
3 years ago
South facing house - not a shade issue, not even a little!!!
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
3 years ago
does your ground freeae in witner.. the real z5... a lot of suggestions above.. for much warmer clime...

in my ground freeze MI ... plants with dormant frozen roots would not appraciate the hot air in winter.. basically thawing plant tissue every few ours or so...

i dont think your remedy os plant related... unless you put in a trellis of some sort.. and a either annuals.. or die to the ground perennials... or something you can cut back in fall...

morning glory comes to mind....and you could angle it.. so the bottom is further out.. than the top.....

lets see if a search engine can help:

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=hiding+funace+pipes+on+the+side+of+the+house++in+the+garden&t=ffab&iar=images&iax=images&ia=images&iai=https%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2Foriginals%2Fa7%2F82%2F50%2Fa78250b179d344d09c25664775c968c0.png

the second and fifth are general ideas of what i meant.. the third.. no on a water pot in cold winter places.. unless its plant.. and you drain and dry it in early fall.. expanding freezing water will break just about everything... thats where an extra zone or two will help ..

if anyone can hone in on better words to use int eh search.. we will find better ideas..

ken

ps: and thinking outside the box we already sealed ourselves in.. how about some vines on the deck fencing.. and since you can plant further away.. you can plant perennials that the heat wont hit... you would just have to train them toward the house... which shouldn't be all that hard in full sun.. this is probably the way to go... what drunk is going to go stand in the corner of the deck.. and look past the greenery to comment on the pipes over there.. probably the guy who will be peeing off the porch.. and he needs to go and never come back anyway.. so who cares what he thinks.. lol... sober up dude...but i digress...