I'd like to plant a shrub near my ac unit to block the view of it from the yard (I won't plant it so close that it signifcantly affects air flow, besides, the other three sides would be open). It is a spot on SW side that gets half day sun (we have lots of mature maples) I'm thinking junipers are quite practical from a xeric standpoint, but just wondering what else might work well. What about a buxus?

On the NE side, I have a power vent that is noisy as all get out. All the neighbors ask what is it (ask, code for, want to complain but too polite). Long term we plan to get the hw heater off that venting system, so it will run less frequently in the winter and not at all in the summer, but for now--noisy. I'm sitting by an open window facing west, and I can hear the noise, travelling half the length of the house and around the corner! I digress.

Anyway, I can't plant anything directly under or adjacent to the power vent, but if I leave some space, I could plant some shrubs and hope they soften the noise. This spot only gets sun in the morning. Hot dry blast from the vent. (Funny, I moved all my herbs under the vent last fall to see what would live. Rosemary died, but parsely is thriving.) Anyway, I think again from the dry heat and sound standpoint, junipers would be good. But I don't think this spot gets enough sun for a juniper. Suggestions?

We gardeners, as if everything could be solved by planting something. But then again, look at the Green Belt movement in Africa!