[BETHPAGE BLACK]

I can use some suggestions on what I can use to hide thos big ugly green thingies (electric water or whatever they are) in my yard? I sit on my lanai and the view is not pretty..I do not like those tall grasses..any suggestions please....Thanks...Laura

[graciegirl]

We were just discussing that at lunch after golf. I was thinking to plant some fast growing bottle brush.

Looking for any other good ideas.

[angiefox10]

What are you two talking about. I tried googling Electric Water Plant... and that's what I got.

[Boudicca]

My neighbor planted beautiful tall pampas grass in front of her "green monsters" and it does a perfect job of hiding the box. There is a sign on the box which states nothing can be planted within 3 ft of it, and that whatever IS planted there is subject to removal if the box requires attention. Hence the grass. It can be cut back, but will quickly revive. Happy planting. I will upload a photo later today. Shrandell

[Mudder]

I planted Mexican petunias all around mine. They spread easily and really are not in any way obstructing those boxes. The flowers are a pretty purple which fall off every night and come right back the next day, bloom pretty much all year long. May look dead for a while in winter, but they spring right back up and the best part.....no maintainence required.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Mudder

I planted Mexican petunias all around mine. They spread easily and really are not in any way obstructing those boxes. The flowers are a pretty purple which fall off every night and come right back the next day, bloom pretty much all year long. May look dead for a while in winter, but they spring right back up and the best part.....no maintainence required.

What do Mexican Petunias look like? I was offered some by a friend who was digging them up because she had too many. I couldn't think where I would put them. So they get kinda big?

[Jim Straz]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

What do Mexican Petunias look like? I was offered some by a friend who was digging them up because she had too many. I couldn't think where I would put them. So they get kinda big?

I think we dried those out and tried to smoke them back in the sixties.

[Halle]

Originally Posted by Jim Straz

I think we dried those out and tried to smoke them back in the sixties.

[fwpc3]

This website has info and a picture. http://www.floridata.com/ref/r/ruellia.cfm It's attractive and a good grower but it can be invasive.

[Boudicca]

Yes, Jim, and when its legal I'm gonna grow my own

[BETHPAGE BLACK]

Bottle brush sounds like a plan with maybe some wandering jews at the base..Hey Gracie, is there a special variety that is fast growing...?
By the way..not for this area anyway..have you seen the weeping willow bottle brush..they are awsome!
Just had another idea to put some Oleandar with a ground cover..See what happends when we get those "electrons " going.....Laura

[wendyquat]

Oh, so that is the plant that is around our green monsters! It's pretty but sure does shed the purple flowers bad. I'm thinking of replacing them with the small bushy palms. I can't remember the name of them. They look more like a thick, heavy fern to me.

[mulligan]

Just to be sure we're all on the same page, when planting near an electric transformer box(which is the bigger one, about 3'x4'), you need to keep 10 feet clear at the front of the box, and 3' clear on the other 3 sides Per elec. company.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by mulligan

Just to be sure we're all on the same page, when planting near an electric transformer box(which is the bigger one, about 3'x4'), you need to keep 10 feet clear at the front of the box, and 3' clear on the other 3 sides Per elec. company.

Hmmm. Wonder which is the front? They are on property line and no one has built on other lot...Should I plant closer on my side, assuming that is the BACK?

But those folks won't like to look at them either...

What would a good middle class Catholic girl, ex girlscout, former cheerleader, mother and grandmother do in this ethical situation???

[ajbrown]

I think alot depends on the location of the box on the property.

Our home backs up to Villas, so we have a wall behind us. There is a box about three feet onto my next door neighbor's lot. Our solution was to have corner bed on that side. We planted pudocarpus to line the lot on the corner. Each side about 10 feet long. It is a great hedge, keep trimming it back and it really fills out. We plant color in front of the hedge annually

I was going to use bottle brush but I was told that it is hard to keep thick (lots foliage) at the bottom (do not take this as fact). Sadly my personal issues have delayed my trip south or I would send a nice picture. All I have are these two, the first shows the box, the second the hedge. The second picture is when it was cold and all way gray. The hedge has really filled in since that picture. Identities in the photo have been hidden.