The latest planting project, though so small in scale to barely register, was to complete planting of the stumpery. The grander part of this addition to the side garden was an accident of nature. The Bigleaf magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla) that was its centerpiece was felled by a sudden storm in late June. I hope to make the best of this tragic loss.

In the aftermath, the largest part of the tree was cut into manageable pieces that have been tossed aside until motivation is conjured to neaten the brush pile. The exposed roots and the section of trunk too large for my small chainsaw were left. Since this was too bulky to be easily disposed of, I was inspired to create the stumpery, similar, though on a smaller scale, to one I admired at the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden outside Seattle, Washington when I visited a few days before my last plant purchasing expedition to the Pacific Northwest prior to retiring. I hope to return to visit a second time as well as other splendid area gardens and to hike again in the Olympic Mountains.

Thankfully, the fallen magnolia caused little damage to the side garden, breaking only a few branches on a neighboring colony of sweetshrubs (Calycanthus floridus) and falling in an advantageous direction to showcase the new stumpery.

Irregularly sized logs that were cut from the trunk were dug several inches into the soil for stability and debris and soil filled the planting areas on each side of the trunk. In soil that clings to the roots I’ve planted a number of native Maidenhair fern (Adiantum pedatum) plugs. I envision the entire lower side of the exposed roots covered by the ferns, but this vertical planting is likely to require regular watering. If some survive, I’ll be happy since I’m unlikely to suddenly become a conscientious waterer.

To each side of the trunk I’ve planted a variety of ferns, hostas, evergreen Solomon’s Seals (Disporopsis pernyi), and brunnera (Brunnera macrophylla ‘Jack Frost’), but additions (or subtractions) are likely as I plan to overfill the planting. I hope to match the exuberance of the Seattle garden.