TV Dish - A Garden Eyesore

by Barbara Stanley

5 Materials

A TV dish is a necessary but aggravating structure in my garden border...not exactly garden art! I wanted to make it less obtrusive and decided to try to paint it to better blend in with the foliage and add a screen to hide the post.

I scrubbed the metal dish with a scrubber pad and soapy water and dried it well. After covering the receiver (the little round knob on the front arm) with masking tape I spray painted the dish and arm with flat green paint that I already had on hand. I also lightly sprayed a different green to soften the color and give it a more camouflaged effect.

To screen the post I placed an old galvanized gate from my flea market garden junk stash on a metal stand salvaged from the local landfill. I painted the gate with Valspar "Spring Sprout". I planted a pink mandevilla vine in a pot that I already had. By frost it should mostly cover the trellis and hide the post.

While no one would mistake the dish for a bloom or a piece of art, it doesn't offend my sensibilities nearly as badly when I admire my late Summer/Fall garden border!

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Green spray paint, 2 colors for dish; Valspar "Spring Sprout" for gate (Lowe's)
Galvanized gate (thrift store)
Wrought iron stand (metal recycling at landfill)
Masking tape
Mandevilla plant (local nursery)

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Frequently asked questions

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3 questions

Bgd1823167 on Sep 03, 2016
Does paint interfere with the reception of signals in any way?

2
Alta Toler on Sep 05, 2016
Love your cottage garden. What is the name of the reddish tall grass? It stands out because of the height and the color contrast.

4
Catherine Godwin on Sep 06, 2016
Is AT&T okay with this? I would hate to get charged for a satellite dish.

3

Comments

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6 of 61 comments

Jane R. on Sep 06, 2016
I never heard of a satellite dish being installed on the ground. Where I live they are always on the roof.

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- Barbara Stanley on Sep 06, 2016
  We are in a narrow mountain valley with limited options as to where the dish can be put to receive the signals. Also, our roof is very steep and 3 stories up, so I don't think the tecnician relished going up there!
  
  1
- Meri on Sep 07, 2016
  I'm in the flat mid-west prairie but putting the dish on posts is done here so we can reach it to brush the snow off when needed. A house or two past I had no reception for a week cuz I couldn't get to the roof due to a lot of snow. Ground level is better for me!
  
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- Barbara Stanley on Sep 25, 2016
  We have the same problem sometimes, so ground level makes for much easier snow removal.
  
  1
Martha Hinkle on Sep 25, 2016
You did a good job! My problems is a septic tank system that is just out in the yard and I have no way to hide it!

1 Reply
- Barbara Stanley on Sep 25, 2016
  I have the same issue! We have 3 large concrete pipe collars in our back yard and I've yet to figure out a way to hide them.
  
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