Disguising a telegraph pole
Learning lou
Posts: 3
in Plants
Hi
Currently landscaping the front of my home and in the front garden is an unsightly telegraph pole. I don't want anything high maintenance which might interfere with it, but I would like to try disguise it.
It's a sunny dry spot but we're also on top of a hill so need something quite sturdy. Ideally I don't want it to take up too much of the lawn or lose any light into the house.
Any ideas please?
0
Posts
Ivy?
Learning Lou, hi
be careful what you do, if the pole is still in use it doesn't actually belong to you
in the old days you got a discount off your telephone bill for having a pole in the garden, sadly not any longer!We had a pole in our old house and again in this property, access has to be available at all times
I once planted honeysuckle under ours and had to remove it.
A A Milne
We had one in the middle of our front border in our previous house - we allowed ivy to grow up it and to mature. In the autumn it was alive with bees as they made the most of late flowers. It also became a home to lots of critturs - and wrens regularly nested there.
It disguised the telegraph pole well. However, from time to time some jobsworth would come along demanding to cut it down, the better to provide space for a sign saying "Danger of Death! Do not climb".
We managed to persuade them that no-one had ever tried to climb it. That climbing it would be almost impossible. And that it was a significant habitat for wildlife.
(We went back there recently to visit old neighbours: the new owners had cut down all the ivy: it now looks a mess, and the neighbours are not very happy!)
We continued to receive the "Wayleave" payment for it being on our property, though.
Last edited: 18 May 2016 19:30:28
I have a honeysuckle all around the base of mine and a rose (climbler...I still can't tell the difference). There's barbed wire on mine about ten feet up in case I have the uncontrollable desire to shinny up it! I'm 127 for goodness sake!
Hi Lou,
I have the same in my front garden, I planted evergreen honeysuckle and a climbing rose. I then wrapped chicken wire around pole. Once you have the wire on you could grow anything. Maybe a winter clematis and a summer one.
Thing with ivy is that it's very easy to grow and if the Jobsworth wants you to cut it down, you don't feel as though you have lost a precious plant. And it is marvellous for wildlife - I couldn't believe how many insects/birds took full advantage of ours.
hi to above we have a t/pole on the way to school with g/children it has ivy all over it and Iight we are out in the fringe of the village. with the ivy and light it looks just like PINGU the kids programme we say every day morning pinju and kids love it we have on the way back from school if you look at a big tree it has 2big ears and abig branch like a trunk
You might try growing some tall annuals around it, perhaps Sunflowers, Sweetpea or Morning glory. I can only think of things that die down again like a tall Salvia like Amistad or even some Verbena Bonariensis. I have one in my allotment plot and growing annuals means I don't have too much to loose if they need to get access to it etc.....
hi Tetley that is brilliant what a good face and tash well done