Last time, we looked at the ways in which you could disguise your oil tank using landscaping. As we discussed previously, camouflaging your tank has multiple benefits, primarily preventing theft (out of sight really is out of mind) and making owning one more aesthetically pleasing. In this month’s instalment, we’re going to be looking at plants, in particular how a bit of garden grooming can help avoid your tank being targeted and making it generally easier on the eyes. Best of all, this method is also environmentally friendly!
- Climbing plants that produce plentiful creepers or even trellises of roses are often the first choice for those looking to disguise their oil tank. Depending on the type you chose, such plants usually grow quite fast and well, but beware of any particularly thorny or rapacious varieties: while they can provide good coverage and quickly, they can often be invasive and incredibly hard to remove. Additionally, you don’t want to make it difficult to actually access the tank when you need to.
- If you don’t go for climbing plants, ornamental grasses and shrubs can work quite well. In the case of the former, you’ll want a variety that grows tall enough to disguise your tank, pampas grass being a popular choice as it grows quite quickly and also has unexpectedly sharp leaves – a great deterrent for anyone poking around your tank uninvited. If you plump for shrubbery, it pays to go for evergreen plants as they provide cover all year round.
Whatever plant you pick to disguise your oil tank with, be sure you set aside enough time to maintain it. Many creeper and evergreen plants are quite hardy, but others such as roses need watering and tending to throughout the year. As previously mentioned, you’ll also want to make sure that you keep any parts of the tank you might need to get at exposed, regularly trimming back any surrounding plant life as necessary.
