When faced with a tree stump after pruning, many homeowners are left wondering what to do next. While professional removal services can be costly, creative gardeners have found an innovative solution by repurposing the stump as a planter. By doing so, you’ll not only save money but also add a unique feature to your yard.
One of the most impressive aspects of tree stump planters is their versatility.
With proper preparation and care, you can grow a wide range of plants and shrubs that might not have been possible otherwise. To achieve the best results, follow standard gardening practices by considering factors like sunlight, soil quality, fertilization, and hydration.
To create an effective stump planter, look for stumps at least 16 inches tall and 10 inches wide. Hollow out the center to provide sufficient space for root growth.
If your plants require better drainage, drilling holes in the stump may be necessary.
With a little creativity and some basic gardening knowledge, you can turn an eyesore into a beautiful feature that adds character to your garden.
Introduce a Contrasting Color to Your Garden
To add a pop of color to your garden, incorporate vibrant plants like Flirt Nandina, Red Twig Dogwood, or Coleus in the center. As the plants grow and mature, their vibrant hues will create a stunning focal point. Additionally, when these plants eventually decompose, they will release moisture and nutrients back into the soil, providing sustenance for future plant growth.
Fill out a Planter With Hanging Baskets
Creating a stunning display with petunias is a breeze when using them in hanging baskets. One creative homeowner took advantage of a unique opportunity to showcase these charming flowers by securing a planter filled with petunias atop a large tree stump, then suspending hanging baskets on either side. The result was a lush and vibrant garden that cascaded beautifully from the tree trunk, drawing the eye upwards and adding a touch of elegance to the surrounding landscape.
Keep Fungi for Color and Texture
For those who adore Marigolds but are faced with warmer climates, consider opting for Mexican Marigolds instead. This compact shrub thrives in regions with a more tropical climate. Alternatively, you might also explore Common Chinchweed as a similar alternative. Both species offer culinary uses, making them excellent choices for gardening enthusiasts. Notably, the addition of fungi can greatly enhance the overall aesthetic appeal.
Aging Stumps Fuel Trailing Flowers
When selecting flowers for hanging baskets, keep in mind that many varieties that thrive in these containers can also do well in tree stumps. One such example is Begonia Firewings, a trailing plant that will fill out and add vibrant color to the space. This hearty variety produces long trails that can extend up to 15-20 inches, making it an excellent choice for adding depth and visual interest to your outdoor or indoor spaces.
Bouquet of Petunias in Three Stump
In the heart of this garden, a circular border of weathered brick guides the eye to a once-majestic tree, now reduced to several sturdy stumps. Yet, these remnants have been repurposed into charming planters, each one showcasing a vibrant array of petunias in an ever-changing kaleidoscope of colors.
Tree Stumps Are Perfect Home for Succulents
When it comes to providing a suitable environment for succulents, one often overlooked option is repurposing an old tree stump. These natural planters can be ideal for low-maintenance plants like succulents, which actually benefit from loose soil and well-draining conditions. This particular stump appears to have been relocated from its original location, but it’s now ready to support a new crop of flora.
In fact, consider planting low-growing varieties like the flowering October Daphne Stonecrop, which will add a pop of color to your unique planter.
Old Favorites Work in Tree Stumps
To add visual appeal to your flower bed design, incorporate blooms like begonias, nasturtiums, and violets around the tree trunk’s base. This thoughtful touch not only adds color but also creates a seamless transition between the lush grass and the natural stump, making for a harmonious and inviting outdoor space.
Add Flowers to Base of Tree Stump
For a pop of color in your landscape, consider incorporating flowering plants like Calibrachoa Superbells Lavender or Summer Wave Blue Torenia around your tree stump. Alternatively, you could opt for low-maintenance options that thrive at the base of your tree, such as Dwarf Caladium bulbs. As an added bonus, these bulbs are doing particularly well in this area.
Turn a Tree Stump Into a Small Bog
For those residing in regions characterized by abundant annual precipitation, consider cultivating a compact bog garden that showcases the unique charm of ferns and trailing perennials. The likes of Swingtime Fuchsia and Lobelia can thrive in such an environment, adding a touch of serenity to your outdoor space.
Tulips Stand Tall in Tree Stump
Bring some whimsical charm to your outdoor space by planting tulips directly into the crevices of an old tree stump. As the seasons change, the vibrant petals will burst forth, creating a delightful surprise each morning as you step out the door.
Build Fairies a New Home
Transforming an ordinary stump into a whimsical world is within reach, minus the physical labor of excavation. Instead, use miniature figurines and accessories from a hobby shop to craft your fantasy realm. As you build your wonderland, consider surrounding it with a charming picket fence that not only adds visual appeal but also protects your lawnmower’s blade from potentially damaging exposed roots.
This clever approach will have you enjoying the fruits of your creative labor without breaking a sweat.
Two Stumps Bring Double the Fun
In what was once a seemingly ordinary landscape, two trees now thrive in harmony, their proximity having given rise to a lush and vibrant ‘tree garden’. As the plants grow and flourish, the soil beneath them transforms into a nutrient-rich haven, nourished by the decomposition of roots. This natural phenomenon serves as a testament to the beauty that can emerge when life’s complexities are allowed to unfold.
Add Colorful Fungi to Tree Stump Planter
When it comes to growing Chicken-of-the-Woods fungi, the stump of an oak tree provides an ideal foundation. This natural starting point allows you to cultivate this unique fungus with ease. While the top portion of the stump can still be used as a planter for your favorite flowers, such as tulips, its primary function is to support the growth of the fungi.
Remove Outer Bark From Stumps
One of the best aspects of utilizing logs in your garden is their versatility. By stripping away the outer bark, you can easily relocate them to any area of your outdoor space. This adds a pop of color and texture as you can plant a variety of flowers, succulents or ground cover like Tricolor Jade or Hosta right into the natural planting beds.
Both tree stumps and logs offer an abundance of possibilities for creative garden design, allowing you to repurpose them in ways that add visual interest and create unique focal points throughout your yard.
Tree Stump Looks Like a Broken Bowl
The charm of utilizing a stump lies in its timeless appearance, never appearing weathered or worn out. Moreover, you can introduce vibrant colors the very same year you harvest the tree. This unique feature makes stumps an attractive option for landscaping purposes. For instance, a cluster of Easy Wave Burgundy Star Petunias, planted within a stump, can thrive and stand tall in the middle of a beautiful flower bed.
A Buffet for Pollinators
For a unique and thriving display, consider planting Coppertips (Crocosmia) within the nooks of tree stumps. This bulbous perennial will flourish in areas receiving full or partial sunlight. Opt for a vibrant red variety such as Lucifer or Fire King, which will draw in an array of pollinators like hummingbirds and butterflies with its striking crimson blooms.
Mix Sweet Potato Vines With Flowers
Adding the Marguerite Ornamental Sweet Potato Vine to an oak tree stump injects a significant amount of lush greenery, effectively reviving and revitalizing the space.
Garden Stump Beautifies Landscape
As the seasons pass, a repurposed stump can evolve into a stunning centerpiece in your outdoor space. The unique texture and character of ornamental grass can transform a weathered stump into a work of art, resembling a crown that’s been carefully cultivated over time.
Make Your Tree Stump Portable
The rugged, bark-free stump stands poised for adventure, its versatility now unmatched. Meanwhile, the vibrant Purple Phlox blooms take center stage when accompanied by the warm, sunny hues of yellow flowers like Dahlias or Pfeniflora, creating a visually stunning union.
Palm Trees Make Great Planters
Three logs, once a part of a felled tree, were transformed into planters by being cut and bored out. This creative solution allows for the growth of a variety of plants, such as peppers and herbs like basil and rosemary. As seen in the inspiration via The Crafty Tulip, these logs can be used to cultivate a range of flavors and textures, making them a versatile and eco-friendly alternative to traditional planters.
Low Stump With Pansy Collection
In a unique display of natural artistry, a cluster of pansies has transformed a large stump into a kaleidoscope of colors, showcasing the vibrant hues of purple, blue, yellow, and white. The delicate flowers have woven together to create a stunning visual tapestry that celebrates the beauty of simplicity.
Tree Stump Bouquet of Marigolds
While gray stumps may seem dull, marigolds bring a pop of vibrant color to the space. When selecting flowers for your garden, consider choosing varieties that thrive in conditions with limited space.
Try Purple Tulips in a Stump
For garden enthusiasts, tulips offer an excellent option for adding visual interest to pots and containers. The humble tree stump can be transformed into a picturesque display with just a few strategically placed tulips, showcasing the versatility of these elegant flowers.
Petrified Tree Stump Planter
A charming incorporation of tiny flora and lush greenery enlivens this ancient, fossilized tree trunk, which has been cleverly integrated into the pathway. The juxtaposition of natural beauty and petrified form creates an intriguing visual experience.
Sealing Stump Extends Its Usefulness
When trees are felled or pruned, the outer bark can quickly become brittle and prone to breaking away. This natural process sets decomposition in motion as soon as the cutting is complete. To prevent the stump from gradually disappearing into the landscape, applying two to three coats of polyurethane forms a durable barrier, allowing the tree trunk to remain a permanent feature on your lawn.
Flowering Ground Cover Becomes Trailing Foliage
When it comes to flowering ground covers, Creeping Thyme is a standout option that can even thrive in unique spaces like tree stumps. Its natural inclination to spread out and grow results in a beautiful display of color, often resembling a cascading effect.
A Home for Elves and Plants
As whimsy and creativity know no bounds, garden enthusiasts are now crafting intricate miniature worlds within tree stumps. This enchanting trend has taken the DIY community by storm, with many opting to repurpose tree stumps as planters for their own fairy gardens. For those without a natural stump at hand, purchasing one is always an option.
Among the most sought-after designs is a concrete planter, carefully crafted and topped with a luscious spike moss Selaginella, a member of the fern family – its delicate fronds adding a touch of mystique to this tiny, yet captivating, landscape.
Whitewash an Old Stump
The landscape is dotted with Little Quick Fire Hydrangeas, which have chosen to make their home amidst the ancient gnarls of an old tree stump, as if seeking shelter from the world beyond
Decorate With Driftwood and Red Flowers
Transforming an ordinary stump into a breathtaking work of art is as simple as combining it with some thoughtfully selected flowers and decorative elements. In this case, the addition of driftwood and red blooms has elevated the stump’s aesthetic appeal to new heights. For instance, pairing petrified driftwood with vibrant red flowers like Supertunia Black Cherry or Surfinia Red can yield truly stunning results.
Plant a Wildflower Garden
For those who adore wildflowers but worry about their spread, a clever solution lies in utilizing tree stumps to contain the roots. This approach allows for the beauty of these blooms while maintaining control over their growth. In warmer climates, varieties like Angelonia and Gazanias can thrive, offering a lovely compromise between aesthetics and practicality.
