Stumped

Since June 2015 we have had two huge coniferous tree stumps in the garden which we have tried lots of methods of breaking down.  We have used an axe, a log-splitter, a wood grenade, and attempted to set them alight out of sheer desperation.

They are far too heavy to lift and have been dragged around the garden as we have progressed through the design.  

Having enjoyed 3 series of Big Dreams Small Spaces we watched an episode where an area of a community garden was turned into a log garden.  They used pieces of wood in a pile that were planted up with shade-loving plants.  

Using this as inspiration we have dug out shallow dips in the soil and dragged the two root structures onto an empty bed.  This area is about 4 meters wide and 4 deep with the old Apple tree to the left and ending with the native hedge to the right.  It will eventually become a shady pocket within the garden.

We have added a little soil and homemade leaf mould into the smaller stump on the left which forms a natural bowl shape and planted a Holly fern into it.

With the larger stump to the right, we have faced the roots outwards to the edge of the border and added a small amount of soil planted up with some flowering alpines.

We think it looks great and is a solution to a big problem that we have had for a long time. The area around the stumps need to be planted up but the spreading habit of the Acanthus mollis and the Euphorbia purpurea are a good start.

We have also planted the back of this area with a traditional purple Budleja and Berberis x Goldilocks.