what to do with tree roots Break them for firewood, take them to the tip, crush the stumps? A more stylish and eco-friendly alternative is becoming increasingly popular in gardens large and small.
What is Stampy?
Stumps both recycle and upcycle at the same time, transforming unwanted tree root stumps into beautiful, relaxing, tranquil and great for wildlife. This trend marks a revival of his trend in Victorian gardening, which began when a gardener asked for a place to showcase his fern collection.
Biddulph Grange gardens in Staffordshire have come up with the perfect answer. visited the gardens in 1856, gardener’s chronicle “A stump consists of a very picturesque assemblage of old roots, craggy trunks and tree stumps. […] Stacked 8 to 10 feet high on either side of a winding, swooping walkway.Arranged irregularly enough to protrude forward […] It even joins into rustic arches in some parts. In others, a small collection of selected herbaceous plants, bulbs, or miniature shrubs is set back just enough to make room at its base. “
In a short time, countless other gardeners and estates like Ickworth followed. More than just sculptural, these stampers are designed to act as scaffolding for vigorous plants such as cotoneaster, ivy, virginia creeper, and honeysuckle, allowing them to climb high into nearby trees to create a lush create a forest environment.
Why are stampers popular again?
In recent years, stampers have been revived by clumps of tree roots left behind after rainstorms. Countless landscapers have incorporated stamper elements into their designs.
Highgrove House was one of the first companies to install a stamper using 180 sweet chestnut tree roots sourced from the property. Seeing all these tree roots rolling, Prince Philip was reported to have commented, “When are you going to set this lot on fire?” Bare roots didn’t look very attractive after all. Soon the roots were planted with hosta, ferns, euphorbia and hellebore. In a blink of an eye, his rugged appearance began to change.
Today, the atmospheric, lush green stump is one of the most admired areas by visitors to Highgrove Gardens, with eye-catching sights such as the two-metre-high stone tower crowned with the giant Gunnera Manicata. It has an attractive feature. Elsewhere, sculptures of forest goddesses peek through the vegetation. It makes for an incredibly rich wildlife environment.
New stampies have also appeared in places such as Sisarg Castle in Cumbria and Barnby Hall Gardens in Yorkshire.
Stumps of oak, yew and sweet chestnut trees blown away in a major storm in 1987 were used to redevelop an area within Sussex’s Arundel Castle Gardens. The added colors came from the butterbur tree group.
The original stumps of Biddulph Grange are steadily maturing, and in some places the stumps meet overhead in winding paths to form tunnels.
At Ickworth House, a Victorian stump has been extended with new features such as a 10-foot-tall stump wall that marks the path and a stunning root-like fan on the side that marks the fork in two paths has been added.
Glacier Gardens in Alaska, USA has adapted the Stampy Concept to new heights by transforming both the trunk and root into taller versions. The results are truly spectacular, attracting countless visitors each year. Owners Steve and Cindy Bowhay live in a temperate rainforest area that allows for very lush plantings.
Glacier Gardens
Steve Bowhay explains how he achieved it. “Use a blown tree with an intact root system. Trim and clean the roots before rooting. I lift the stump with a chain, insert it into the hole, cover the base with a fancy fish net, place live moss on top of the hanging net, cover the base of the moss with potting soil, and plant the flowers.”
How to Make a DIY Stamper in Your Garden: 3 Easy Steps to Follow
Providing a home for countless insects, frogs and other wildlife, stampers are easy to make and fit in the tiniest shaded spot in your garden. They look great near ponds.
If you remove trees or large bushes from your garden, simply reuse the roots. Alternatively, contact an arborist, building site, or managed forest area to see if they have tree roots available.
Other than roots, all you need is a shade-loving plant, mulch, and perhaps some interlocking logs. Any kind of root can be used, but oak, yew and beech are especially suitable.
Step 1: Prepare
Fork the area and remove perennial weeds.
Step 2: dig
Dig a hole at least 3 feet deep for the stump so that the roots point up. You can link them together or keep them separate.
Step 3: plant
Make sure they are firmly fixed to the ground. In addition to mulch, add shade-loving plants and bulbs like hellebore, dicentra, woodruff, ferns, dwarf evergreens, spurge, primrose, bluebells, lily of the valley, and ivy. Allow moss and lichen to grow on the stump.
Transforming a shady spot into a small stump takes just a few hours, as Norwich-based landscaper Rajul Shah discovered when he found the stump being taken to a landfill. I dug next to the cherry tree and the roots were quickly put into place, surrounded by bulbs and small plants.
As Arundel Castle’s chief gardener, Martin Duncan, explains, the result is magical. The garden changes with the seasons and is always full of colors and life, not just plants, and is a paradise for wildlife such as bees and beetles. Often sharpened, not to mention the garden cats Tilly and Pippin. Their claws on ancient stumps.
“Some people call it ‘The Hobbit’s Garden’ or ‘Harry Potter’s Garden’ because it seems to be fun for children and adults, and you can use your imagination to disappear into another world.”
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