How to hide the ugly telephone pole and wires?

last year

last modified: last year

We just lost the huge, enchanted spruce tree that hid all of this telephone pole mess in our urban backyard. Another spruce will take forever to grow (and was actually too big for the space anyway), and the neighbor already has the arbor vitae. I imagine two poplars there, but I won't do it because I know they're invasive. The vine just seems to highlight the problem (although I might put in a clematis just to soften the corner a little.

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Comments (11)

M Riz
last year
Picture, zone and sun exposure.
Mary Poole
Original Author
last year
I added the picture three times... (!) Zone 7b, mostly afternoon sun, at least 6 hours.

The second picture is better. Thanks!
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Dean, what I would do is to drive (4) 6" long spikes into the pole (each 90 degrees apart) a few inches above the bottom. Drive (4) matching spikes above them, as far up as you can reach (or as high as the vines will climb). For better support against strong winds, you might place an extra spike in the middle between each set. Drive the spikes in a couple inches, leaving about 4 inches sticking out. Tie strong strings between the spikes. You will end up with 4 vertical strings, equally spaced around the circumference. Because the strings stand out from the pole, the vines will be able to climb around them... and as the leaves begin to fill in the space, the pole should be completely covered. The spikes should last for years, you'd only need to change the string each year. Visualizing this makes me wish my telephone pole was abandoned!
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I realize this is an older post but I wanted to bring to people's attention the danger in this. Two years ago I planted a gorgeous climbing ivy at the base of a hideous hydro pole right outside my house (I live in the city so these things are crazy close). This past month, it had successfully made it to the top of the post - covering it all and looking glorious. I was quite pleased. Unfortunately sometime last night, the vine must have connected to the live line and the entire thing fried right up to a point at about eye level on the post where there is a metal ring. I guess the metal ring broke the surge so the plant from that point down is still alive. Silly me, I was touching the vine trying to figure out if someone cut it on me. Nothing happened thankfully while I was doing this but had I been daft enough to cut it, I could have died. It turns out that the sap acts as a conduit. We now are going to hack off of the dead part with a sharpened wooden instrument while wearing rubber boots. The rest will have to sit there looking dead and hideous as I dread calling the hydro company and getting billed for them to clean up the mess. So moral of the story, as tempting as it is to improve these ghastly things, think twice...
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The electric company can tell you the cost and procedures. And your builder has probably dealt with it before. I'm not sure if it's an rule of our electric coop or of the county but all new lines here must be underground now from any existing poles. Going underground from the nearest pole to the new transformer for the house was "free" meaning that we didn't have to pay for the wire (up to I think about 150' and that's right where we were). The electric coop would have dug the trench but the upcharge for rock was very steep so we had our concrete excavator dig it (there was a bunch of rock in the way and he charge around $400. It was required that the transformer be a certain nearness to the house. From the transformer to the house was another 150' or so for us and the electric company handled the digging and charged by the foot for the wire. It was around $400 for that section all paid to the electric coop.
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Invest in some of the Velcro straps or plastic ties to hold all your cords together to make one length of cords to hide rather than a lot of stray cords. Use a power strip available at most big box stores -- one with a half dozen outlets for plugging in multiple electrical cords so you only have the one electrical cord going to the electric outlet to hide. https://www.bhg.com/shop/ge-ge-power-strip-surge-protector-6-outlets-10ft-extra-long-power-cord-flat-plug-800-joules-safety-locks-multi-outlet-wall-mount-white-14092-pcfd338f8a0d939373d7901b4c5a9dd38.html For your entertainment -- I like the city skyline. http://industrystandarddesign.com/11-sneaky-tricks-to-hide-those-ugly-wires-at-home/
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tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
last year
I’m trying to imagine a spruce in there. Maybe something like Taxus xmedia ’Beanpole’.

tj
D Bee
last year
It is an unfortunate spot for a pole but I'd try to attract attention away from the pole with something dramatic rather than covering it up. Our city gets pretty difficult if we grow vines on the poles here. I have a Sun King, Golden Japanese aralia that is the most dramatic perennial I grow. You'd have to check the sun you get. I grow mine in a pretty sunny spot and it does really well here in Zone 6/Canada. It grows quickly to about 6 x 6 feet and dies right to the grown when the heavy frosts hit.
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
last year
If you could make a focal point at the base of the pole it would draw the eye away from the top of it. There’s a lot of clutter in the bed so the eye doesn't know where to look. Even the edging is distracting. A single large container of something bright and striking, lined up between the newel posts, with a background of shrubbery would force the eye to look at it. It would also take the eye past the ac enclosure, or whatever it is.
PRO
HALLETT & Co.
last year
Something like a Natchez White Crepe Myrtle will grow there and the canopy will help hide the pole and wires (they also grow fairly fast) In my jurisdiction (SE Georgia) the power company has approved Crepe myrtles for under the wires since they never grow large enough to interfere
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Jarret Yoshida Design
last year
I agree with floral_uk, and would add that having something climbing the pole onto the wires will add weight and then possibly interfere with service, possibly leading to the wires coming down.

Add to the bottom of the pole with maybe a beautiful bush and flowers at the base to grab attantion, it will bring the eye to those and take away from the pole.

Hope this helps. Jarret Yoshida.

https://jarretyoshida.com/
littlebug zone 5 Missouri
last year
Agree with an attractive eye-catching plant at or near the base of the pole. If you don’t want to call attention to the pole, don’t plant flowers on it!
cearbhaill (zone 6b Eastern Kentucky)
last year
I'd rig a sailcloth or put in a pergola type something overhead so I simply rarely looked up.

You could tuck in a nice shady retreat back there oriented to face back out into the yard.

Keep that mess overhead/behind/out of your sight line.
Mary Poole
Original Author
last year
Wow! Thank you for all of your input - what a great community! I agree with everyone that the vine on the wires has to go (I still have to convince my husband to drag it down), and the pergola idea is intriguing, too. Any suggestions for a tree that would work here?
charles kidder
last year
I would plant a fast growing arborvitae in front of it and be done with it.

How to hide the ugly telephone pole and wires?

Comments (11)

M Riz

Mary Poole
Original Author

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tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱

D Bee

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cearbhaill (zone 6b Eastern Kentucky)

Mary Poole
Original Author

charles kidder

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How to hide the ugly telephone pole and wires?

Comments (11)

Mary PooleOriginal Author

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Mary PooleOriginal Author

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Mary Poole
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