Landscape Ideas to Cover Up Air Conditioning

Shrubs

• Shrubs can be used to screen your air conditioner, provided you have room to allow for the mature size of the shrub and leave enough room for servicing the equipment. Ideally, shrubs should be evergreen, because deciduous plants will leave the equipment visible when dormant.

  Before you purchase plants, check with your local nursery for advice as to what is suitable. You will need to know your climate zone, culture requirements and mature plant size so you can plan accordingly. Keep shrubs at least 3 feet away from the equipment so people can work around it as needed. Measure the height of your equipment to make sure you select a plant that grows tall enough to make a sufficient screen.

Trees

• Trees can also be used to screen air conditioning equipment if their branching is low to the ground. As with shrubs, plant far enough away so maintenance can be performed comfortably around the equipment. Trees for screening should also be either evergreen or broadleaf evergreen. Again, check with your local nursery for trees that are appropriate for your climate zone.

Trellis

• If you have a tight space to work with, sometimes a trellis with vines will work where shrubs will be too large. Placing a trellis at least 3 feet from the equipment and growing evergreen vines up the trellis provides an attractive screen. This also works well if the air conditioner is in your back yard and visible from at least two sides, as you can place two trellises in an L-shape to make an enclosure that will hide the unit. Flowering vines would make a nice addition to your back yard, and no one would know what was hiding behind the screen.

Fence or Wall Screen

• Another option is to build a fence or wall to hide the unit using materials that complement the construction of your home. Fencing materials need to be solid, such as wood slats, unless you intend to plant shrubs in front of the fence. Walls can be block, stucco-covered block, brick, or other masonry. If desired, soften walls by planting small shrubs or vines in front of them. Do not forget to leave room to access the unit for repairs or replacement.