Landscaping Suggestions...

[Sakura]

I have an area at the corner of one of my paddocks that gets full sun... there is also an ugly utility pole there that I would like to camouflage somewhat as it is quite an eyesore.

What kind of big, bushy, non toxic choices do I have for such an area? The soil is a zone 7 clay mix a bit on the acidic side. I was thinking about a couple of butterfly bushes, but don't know if they are safe since they will be planted right up to the fence within nibbling distance... What other options do I have...?

[Bluey]

Depending on what kind of light post you have there, an electrician may be able to bury the lines thru there and so problem solved.:D

Here, if it is a public's utility post, they will bury the lines, gladly and at their cost.
Why? Because lines above ground cost them so much more to maintain, so they are, where feasible, getting them buried.:yes:

Would not hurt to look into this, even if it is your post, the electric company may cost-share.:)

[Sakura]

Depending on what kind of light post you have there, an electrician may be able to bury the lines thru there and so problem solved.:D

Here, if it is a public's utility post, they will bury the lines, gladly and at their cost.
Why? Because lines above ground cost them so much more to maintain, so they are, where feasible, getting them buried.:yes:

Would not hurt to look into this, even if it is your post, the electric company may cost-share.:)

:sigh: We did look into it when we moved in... they will not reconfigure the electric lines for our property (we have quite a few zig-zaging across our little farm)... So we considered having just the line that comes from this particular pole to our house buried... but the quote for the 30 or so yards was $1,200 :eek:.

[Bluey]

:sigh: We did look into it when we moved in... they will not reconfigure the electric lines for our property (we have quite a few zig-zaging across our little farm)... So we considered having just the line that comes from this particular pole to our house buried... but the quote for the 30 or so yards was $1,200 :eek:.

When I moved here over 4 years ago, the electric company was going to put a meter on an existing pole, but we agreed on the house wall was better, so they took the old pole away and buried the 90+ feet of big line at their cost, I had to pay a $120.- fee only.

I would ask them again, in case you have a new, more accomodating engineer looking over that now.;)

If you have to keep that pole there, I would not plant anything around it that makes it harder for them to access the pole, or something that will grow high enough to interfere with the wires, so you are restricted in what you can do there.
It may not look so bad if you have a fence line going right by there.:)