Permanent plants can make great visual walls around a propane tank.  If you want a year-round visual wall, we suggest arbor vitaes or upright yews.  The arbor vitae will grow faster and do the hiding sooner, but an upright yew requires less maintenance and can be shaped to a nice smooth hedge.  If you want more variety in looks and color and don't mind seeing the tank in the colder months, then old fashion privets, burning bushes or forsythias make good visual borders.  Then, of course, one could go the artificial way and plant a privacy fence around the tank.  Such a fence keeps the tank out of sight, doesn't have to be trimmed, and could give ivies something to climb. Combinations of the above can make for interesting effects, also.

When planting, plan for the future by considering the extent of the plant when mature and install accordingly.  A good "rule of thumb" would be to plant any of the above about 3 or 4 feet on center and about 5 feet from the tank.  When planting or building a fence, please keep in mind that the tank needs to be serviced from time to time which requires some space.  So it's a good idea to give the tank some space - about two feet or so from the tank to the extended mature growth of the plants should be sufficient.  The same goes for a fence.

These are just some ideas. Other 'unique' cloaking ideas can be seen (or not seen). Some of these ideas are good and some not so good.  If, for some reason, you want to conceal such beauty and have an idea that you would like to share with us or if you have any questions about what is acceptable in the industry, please email us at bdusen@shelbygas.com.  We still accept letters too: PO Box 508, Shelbyville, IN 46176-0508.