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What shade of paint to hide a telegraph pole?

JadeyJadey Posts: 36
in Garden design
Our garden has a telegraph pole smack dab in the middle of the patio and I hate it. I'm going to try and grow some climbers over it but before I do I think I should paint it. The fences have recently been painted a deep dark brown and the patio is grey so I feel like this grotty brownish greenish grey pole might look a little less horrible if it were freshly painted too (or at least the bottom 10 feet of it).

Has anyone else tried this? Or does anyone have some recommendations for how to help it blend in to the background? Should I stick with the same colour as the fence paint or try a nice off-white or grey instead? Like Wilko Garden Colour Coastal Cliff or Cuprinol Garden Shades Silver Birch? Any advice would be very welcome. And yes, I'll get permission from BT before I paint it ;) 

Here's a few pics, sorry about the mess - I'm very busy in the garden lately so sacks of compost everywhere :)


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Posts

  • josusa47josusa47 Posts: 3,530
    I don't know the answer to your question, but I think I'd be more inclined to make a feature of it:  rainbow colours, or paint some climbing plants up it, or fantasy totem-pole figures.
  • K67K67 Posts: 2,506
    edited May 2020
    Good idea to paint have a look at this web site
    https://www.pinterest.com/klh327/landscaping-ideas-to-hide-utility-pole/
    Or search for Art Poles 
  • SlumSlum Posts: 385
    If you paint it a light colour it will shine out like a beacon. If you’re growing climbers up it I’d paint it black. 
  • YviestevieYviestevie Posts: 7,066
    I'd go with black too.
    Hi from Kingswinford in the West Midlands
  • JadeyJadey Posts: 36
    edited May 2020
    I know what you mean about the white but I wasn't sure if black (or other dark colour) might stand out more against the pale sky...? I like the idea of doing something arty with it as others have suggested but not sure I have the necessary artistic skills!  :D
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    RAINBOW!


    Very light grey is what they paint wind turbines etc, because it makes them less visible against the sky. Maybe paint the top two thirds like that? I'd be really worried it wouldn't work out though and then you'd be stuck with this odd looking white pole.
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    Learn to love it and join a community of like minded people?

    https://www.telegraphpoleappreciationsociety.org/product/life-membership/
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Just wondering if you are allowed to paint it - I would imagine it's not your property. Worth checking out the legal position.
  • JadeyJadey Posts: 36
    edited May 2020
    Oh wow, talk about thinking outside of thee box!!! :) Mirror film is a thing but we'd have to take it off every time it got inspected so it might not be ideal - Great idea though. 
    And yes, I am a bit concerned whatever I do won't work out and the thing will become more visible... but it's just so grotty looking that a bigger part of me thinks it can't possible look any worse. Good point about windmills, that seems the least obvious at sky level and maybe I'll have a go at what others have said and try painting a mural of some sort at the bottom.
  • JadeyJadey Posts: 36
    Treeface said:
    How often does it get inspected? I admire that you went ahead a bought a property even though you hate the telegraph pole. I hope you find a solution :)

    Thank you. It's inspected about once every 2 or 3 years, I think. When we bought it the whole garden was a mess so the pole was the least of our worries! It's only since we've tidied it, paved over the rotten decking and got rid of all the overgrown shrubs and brambles that it became noticeable, maybe leaving it a mess was the solution :D
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