It began innocently enough: an email followed by several pictures.
This led to a clandestine gathering of garden material in an undisclosed location. Of course, I recruited a partner in my crimes — I needed her trunk space, and, well, someone had to be on the lookout for danger.
Let’s start with the email I received four years ago from a reader. LC shared her quarantine garden project. She created a stumpery. I loved the idea and was hooked from the beginning, but she was clever and threw in Prince Charles and Monty Don to make sure I was paying attention.
A stumpery is a garden feature created by tree logs, root balls, and other gnarly garden items. Gnarly — what a great word — and for a stumpery, the gnarlier and knottier the woody matters, the better.
Start by picking a shady spot. This will add to the ambiance and be the right environment for plants added to the structure area. After gathering your logs, stumps, and limbs, think about your design. Let your imagination go wild. There is no rule about height, width or dimension.
Remember, if you decide to use tall logs or stumps, they should be anchored in the ground. Dig a hole deep enough to hold them steady as plants begin to grow and attach to them.
Root balls and other jagged edges should be exposed. Plant the smooth sides in the ground. The interest comes from the roots and the wear and tear nature has created.
Once your logs and roots are secured, fill in with soil and mulch. Begin placing your plants. Think about adding ferns, primrose, hellebores, woodruff and bluebells. Don’t forget about dwarf evergreens, ivy and moss.
As you can imagine, when working with natural materials such as logs, stumps and roots, they will change shapes and decay over time. This adds to the beauty and creates an evolving landscape.
Stumperies are a nod to Victorian gardens. First documented in 1856, the Biddulph Grange Gardens in Staffordshire, England, has inspired many gardeners. There is also a stumpery in the wooded gardens of Highgrove, King Charles’ home in Gloucestershire.
While these examples are much grander than what you or I could plant, it is nice to take inspiration from them.
That brings me back to the stumps and logs I may or may not have obtained from a public space. Well, to be honest, we asked permission and were told to ask for forgiveness if caught — another reason for my accomplice and lookout partner.
Once home with two trunk loads of stumps and such, I rolled them down the hill to the far side of my shade garden. I added them to the space and gradually tucked in a few ferns and shade-loving perennials to add blooms.
It is maturing and now feels like a natural part of the landscape, but I have always felt that it needs a few more structures added.
Be careful what you wish for. During the recent storms, a tree dropped a huge limb into my back yard. I’m lucky; the only damage is a few broken plant containers and herb pots.
A few quick snips with a friend’s chainsaw, and I have new logs to add to my stumpery. Again, I was very fortunate during this storm. Others were not. I have seen massive trees with exposed roots toppled in several gardens. The devastation is real, and I am so sorry for those dealing with serious construction issues. For others with minor damage, this might be an opportunity to create a new garden.
Adding a stumpery to your landscape will add dimension and depth and also create a home for wildlife and garden creatures. Who knows, you might even see garden fairies and gnomes move in and grace your garden with magic.
Speaking of magic and long-term wants and projects: I am sending a thank you to Andrew Weirick of Valley Renovations, LLC. Andrew is a talented craftsman who recreated a lost leaf for my dining room table — a small job for this award-winning business owner.
I’m not quite sure of the table’s age. My mom bought the table and China cabinet decades ago at an estate sale. It has been with me for many years and I finally decided to move it to my dining room. It was very small, and often where I sat to work and write. Now, it is truly the hub of my house, a place where I can comfortably gather friends and linger over delicious meals.
Andrew creates custom designs using methods he learned while attending a two-year apprenticeship program at the Vermont Woodworking School, where he studied traditional furniture design and construction. While in Vermont he also placed in the top three at the Woodstock Fine Furniture Show.
That education, combined with a mechanical engineering degree from Fairmont State University, gives him the background for success. We are lucky that he returned to ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä to practice his craft and start his business. His heirloom furniture is quite special, and I am happy to have his work in the little house on a big hill.
