Pro Design Tips for Landscape Eyesores

We all have them…unsightly views of gas meters, A/C units, and trash cans. Particularly challenging are those large green boxes or green plates in the ground that house the cable for the neighborhood or electric poles positioned right in the center of the front yard. It is tempting to decorate and attempt to cover them with white trellises or plant a bed around it with flowering perennials and shrubs. Or to plant vines that grow up electric poles (which by the way is illegal in many areas).

Unfortunately, decorating an eyesore attracts attention and does just the opposite of the intended goal to hide it. My number one design motto is: Never decorate an eyesore. Instead, follow these tips to address the frustrating and immovable structures in your yard.

Design Tips:
Avoid Colors / Use Neutrals:  Color attracts attention.  So stay away from yellow and white plants and structures. This includes yellow leaved plants. Instead, use neutral or colors that occur in nature like greens (not yellow green) and browns.

Absorb light: Use colors that absorb light like black, browns and dark greens rather than those that reflect light like whites, yellows, and silver.

Keep it natural: Inanimate objects in the landscape draw the eye. So whenever possible use dark green plant material that does NOT flower.

Create a distraction. Sometimes, due to the location of an object, planting around it or creating a structure is impossible, impractical or too costly. My pro design tip is to distract.  If the problem can’t be made more attractive or cannot be hidden, then a distraction is needed. The idea is to create something more interesting, which demands attention. The best distractions don’t just look visually attractive. They have to work harder than that. As far as possible, all the senses need engaging; that way the brain concentrates processing all those sensory signals it receives at once, which means the solitary eyesore doesn’t get noticed as much. Use a lovely focal point that directs the eye away from an eyesore, like a bench, rock, birdbath, planter, door wreath or ornamental plant. Below are additional strategies specific to other landscape blemishes.  

Trash Cans

When shielding the eye from garbage bins, be sure they are conveniently assessable for daily use and easy to pull to your curb for trash pick up.  If you have tight garden space, consider adding a planting station on top.  The picture on left has too much color and will draw the eye towards the trash cans.  Black trash cans behind the doors would fade into the shadows and be less visible.  Instead of a flowering container the top could be used a potting station.  The picture on the right is creative, functional and appears to be a planter box with simple greens. Some of the ideas for A/C units could be modified and used for trash receptacles.

A/C and Front Yard Utility Boxes

All A/C units should allow for air circulation.  The picket fence allows for this, but is a typical example of what not to do.  Decorating an eyesore attracts attention. In this case the flowers, white fence against dark brick and lights all send the message: "Look at me!"

This example is a good start, but the potted plants decorate the area and draw attention to it.  This would be a good alternative without the pots.  Owner could place the pots nearby to distract attention away from the A/C unit.

A white trellis is an effective alternative if your home is white brick or white siding.  If you have a dark house or backdrop, this trellis would reflect light and make the area stand out (like the first example).  Like the example above, decorative planters near the unit make it a focal point.  Instead place the planters somewhere else to divert attention away from the area.

This is an excellent solution for an A/C unit or trash storage area.  Dark against dark, blends right into the shadows.  The only improvement is not to have blooming plants and replace the hydrangea with a large green leaved hosta.

A creative and attractive method to hide trash and A/C.  The contrasting colors draw attention and the lighter wood reflects light.  As the wood ages it will 'pop' less.  To reduce contrast of light and dark the wood could be stained.  Since the house is almost white or light tan, the entire piece could be painted to match the house.

Utility Meters

Utility meters are often in the front yard or front and center near an entertaining space. Whatever solution you choose, ensure that meter readers have easy access.

​ This solution makes a lovely background for house number.

This creative solution also adds additional storage.  Notice how the tubes and wires are painted the same color as the house.

The utility box is effectivly hidden with a simple green shrub.

This solution for A/C or utilities fades into the shadows at night.  Greens have varying texture, but don't accent the screening.

Flush in-ground lids for utilities and sewers

Sewer lids and septic tank lids/vents pose a tough challenge.  They must remain accessible for workers and for emptying.  Unfortunately, they are often in front yards.  This example is exactly what NOT to do.  Just leaving the lid in the grass, and diverting attention to the front door is often the best way to address the issue.

This isn't the best quality picture, but is an example of how to hide a lid in your yard.  This homeowner put a light and easily movable planter on top and planted some green foliage perennials around it.  The perennials are easily replaceable should they get trampled or injured during work or cleaning of septic.

Septic vent covers like these are available at The Dirty Bird online.  They have all types of creative garden solutions.

Examples from my own home

Below are my attempts to distract attention away from utility boxes and sewer access in my front yard.  My neighbor planted the yews, that are naturally trimmed by the deer in our neighborhood.  The Verizon workers occasionally cut them back for access.  Sometimes we mulch right over the sewer lid since it is easily pushed aside by workers.  Paths are an excellent strategy for pulling the eye towards a direction. In this case, I used the path to draw attention away from the utility area and towards a decorative trellis/fence panel.

Another eyesore is a gas meter near our front door and along the sidewalk from the drive to our front steps. Behind the chair is a gas meter.  We hid it with an evergreen hedge; when walking on sidewalk,  attention is diverted by the water feature and owl.  Workers can easily walk behind or step over the hedge for access.  This year, they actually replaced the gas meter without affecting the shrubs.

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Hopefully, these tips and photos are instructive and even inspirational.  For those of us who've been "gifted"  the added challenge of dealing with an eyesore in our yard, these examples offer creative strategies for hiding or directing attention away from it.