leaving a a dead tree in your yard what to do with it
What practise you do when a beloved tree gives up the ghost? Or when several trees demand to be removed to make way for a new home or garden?
Or when you come home from holiday to find a giant oak tree fell over, seemingly out of the bluish (yes, that happened to me TWICE so far this summer! Yes, that's one of my copse in this photograph.)
If you're similar most gardeners, yous've probably shed a tear or two when this has happened in your garden.
I've been going through photos of gardens I've visited over the years and was amazed at how many of them incorporate, on some level, their own fallen trees. Basically turning lemons into lemonade.
And while none of my own felled trees could exist transformed into anything but mulch (which I'm grateful for), I wanted to share what others have done when faced with similar dilemmas.
i. Use the trunk as a decorative support
One of my favorite uses of a dead birch tree (above) is how Freeland Tannertransformed the sculptural tree trunk into a support for one of his custom birdhouses.
We should all be so lucky to have such a picturesque tree trunk, correct?
But his birdhouses to the left prove that simple branches can also be charming in the garden.
This WAS my wonderful, old 'Roger's Red' grapevine that up and died one summer.
While technically non a TREE, it'south thick and gnarled trunk was so sculptural I couldn't bear to remove it.
I ended upwardly using it as a support for an 'Amethyst Falls' wisteria. I remember the hawk appreciated the support, also!
And speaking of grape vine trunks, take a look at how P. Allen Smith, transformed his dead grape vines into wall sculpture!
Or, how he used a simple tree trunk to support his blackness rooster sculpture.
2. Artistically cutting and stack the wood
Remember my postal service most Lani Freymiller's monochromatic garden?
Well, what I didn't write near was the fact that when she moved there many years ago, dozens of trees had to be removed to make room for their home and garden.
But instead of hauling the dead copse away (I believe they might have been eucalyptus?) she transformed the trunks into this low garden 'wall' that winds its way throughout her garden.
The many nooks and crannies of the garden wall is the perfect home for hidden garden art, similar these bunnies.
While this photo isn't from a garden I've visited, I just have to share it with y'all.
Who knew there were people who created such magnificent art from stacking logs! You can see more than images here.
3. Transform a dead tree into art
With a unmarried can of spray pigment, a neighbor of mine transformed their dead Japanese maple into a twelvemonth-round piece of work of fine art.
Or, take 17,000 plastic assurance and wire them to a dead tree, like Claude Cormier did.
The result is The Blue Tree, found at Sonoma'due south Cornerstone Gardens.
Or, make a bottle tree! What'a a bottle tree?
One interpretation is that the bottles protect the abode and garden by catching evil spirits, who are attracted by the brilliant colors. In one case trapped inside, sunlight destroys the spirits.
If you happen to walk past a bottle tree and hear the wind blowing over the bottles, that's the audio of the raging spirits trapped inside!
This is a canteen tree created by Ben and Kate Frey's for The Late Show, again featured at Cornerstone Gardens.
4. Use branches to requite your garden personality
Several years agone my mother's ornamental carmine tree died and what did she do? She made these two plant stands for me to flank either side of my function door!
Click here to read more about this very meaningful souvenir.
While visiting the astonishing, artistic garden of Robert Bellamy, I savage in beloved with the simple garden gate and trellis he created from the branches of a tree.
You lot can read more almost my visit hither.
Again, accept a look below at the artistic genius of P. Allen Smith and how he used tree branches to decorate this arbor, welcoming guests to his downtown home.
Or how he turned elementary branches into a sturdy tuteur for this climbing rose. (Equally a side note, for whatever reason, the rose-covered tuteur is the about-pinned prototype I accept on my Pinterest page, with thousands and thousands of views!)
Just concluding week, while vacationing at Lake Tahoe, I walked by this elementary fence the homeowner had decorated with tree branches.
While it may non concluding long with Tahoe'southward heavy snows, it blends in beautifully with the surrounding forest.
v. Think Large with branches
Of course, if you were really creative y'all could e'er create a magnificent summer domicile, decorated with tree trunks and branches, like those at Lake Tahoe'south celebrated Valhalla Estate.
Which is exactly what Freeland Tanner made for his wife, Sabrina!
Click here for more images and t0 read virtually i of the almost touching displays of dear ever.
I was lucky enough to visit one of Patrick Dougherty's installations in Palo Alto, and since then I've been a HUGE fan of his.
Creating works of art from twigs and branches takes on a whole new meaning – take a look at his website and video about his work. It'south fascinating!
And finally, hither'southward a very old tree trunk that'south been a role of my life since I was a little girl.
Located in the garden of our Lake Tahoe home, information technology's domicile to my grandfather's simple home-made birdhouse, and a diverseness of squirrels and chipmunks.
While I hope none of yous e'er have to deal with the loss of a cherished tree in your own garden, chances are pretty high it's bound to happen at some signal.
And when information technology does, hopefully I've shown you a few inspirational ideas that you tin can utilize to assistance lessen the hurting!
Source: https://harmonyinthegarden.com/garden-inspiration-using-dead-trees-branches/
half dozen Comments
Rebecca – I always savour your posts and oft share them with my daughter in Santa Ynez Valley (a climate similar to yours with occasional fog). This was an inspiring take on usage of fallen trees & branches. I apply a ground level huge root from my pepper tree as a break between lawn and garden. In this weblog of yours, the wire fence at Lake Tahoe decorated with vertical tree branches of various heights reminds me of one at Deer Hollow Farm in Los Altos. Fences like that were used to continue deer out of gardens equally they cannot judge uneven heights.
ReplyThank y'all so much, Jackie! Oh, how I wish we had the occasional fog like your daughter has – we could apply some now as it's been SO hot! As I read your comment re: the fence at Deer Hollow Farm, I think I remember seeing i at that place years ago. What a fun flashback! I never thought of it as deterring deer – thank you for the insight!
AnswerWhen I see your mail service, I accept to read information technology immediately. You are such an inspiration and I am so glad I constitute you.
ReplyThanks so much, Judy, what a sweetness matter to say! Hope you lot're staying out of the smoke – it'southward and then bad today!
AnswerRebecca, I love this post–and I re-read the one nigh your mom. So special and touching. Great way to start my day. Stay well. Thank you for sharing.
RespondI'k and so glad you enjoyed information technology, Gigi! xoxo
Reply