Question
We are in a brand new home-there is a 33"w x 31"L x 28"high green utility box in the middle of the front yard.  We have an extremely sloping yard and this box is at the lowest level (our house sits on a hill at the highest point).  We haven't quite established our grass yet and so there is some drainage water in this area. We thought we would design a kidney shaped area around the box -fill it with landscape rock, several tall grasses, smaller bushes/perennials in front of the grasses and perhaps an ornamental tree.  Do you have any suggestions that might work better?  It would have cost us $5000 to move the box and we just didn't have the $$$.  Thanks a lot for any ideas you can give us

Answer
Hey, Sue.

First thing you need to do is check with the utility company to make sure they don't have any requirements or prohibitions. They usually have an easement around their utility boxes into which you may or may not be allowed to encroach. They will also be able to give you some guidance as to what types of bushes and trees would not be allowed due to root systems interfering with underground utility routes and trunks and branches making it difficult for service personnel to get to the utility box.

After you do that, I like your idea.

Something else that I have seen done -- I think it was in Louisiana or Texas -- is lattice surrounding the utility box -- leave clearance for the utility personnel to get to the box -- and then planting something like morning glory, trumpet vine, jasmine, or columbine so that it grows on the lattice.

Hope that helps.

Russel