Fallen Dead Willow Tree and Stump
What is Hugelkulfur you might ask? I'm not sure if I'm even pronouncing it correctly! But it turns out this is another really cool method of natural gardening using a form of permaculture. The word itself is actually German for "mound Culture." Let me explain further.
Here we were with a fallen dead Willow Tree, pretty much right at our back door, stump and all. It is also right smack dab in the lawn part of the yard. This might sound crazy to some, but I really hate the lawn and we've been working towards killing it as fast as nature will allow. This seemed like a perfect opportunity to do just that.
I started out by taking pictures of the mess, looking for some inspiration. I decided to post one of the photos on our Thyme Square Gardens FB page and see what kind of inspiration some of our fans might find with this Willow Tree. Everyone that posted had the same suggestion. Hugelkultur!! HA!! This is why we love all of our readers!! We just want to thank you for all of your support!!
My Mr. Garden and his artistic vision seen the curve of the tree as the perfect spot for nestling the stock tank. We use our stock tank as a swimming hole for the grand kids as well as a rain water collector.
We decided to create another natural habitat area by simply planting up around most of the trunk with Canna Lilies that will help improve the soil, a nice Castor bean tree that will make shade and will yield us more organic matter and a bunch of 4 O'clock plants for a slash of color.
We left the one end open where the kids are using it as a place to sit with their towels to dry off. By adding a couple of flat rocks in front it makes it easier for them to climb up into the tank.
So this isn't exactly burying the tree trunk in compost and soil. But then, we are not exactly the digging kind of folks. Especially in our hard clay soil. It will gradually decompose, but we can have fun with it while nature does its thing. The whole concept of permaculture is to work with nature instead of against it, right?
As for the tree stump, it is now a rock garden filled with moss rose.
I have to admit it is really becoming quite a jungle out here!! But think about all that organic matter we will have to put back into the earth! We are transforming our land that was once a piney wood forest, stripped of all its trees by ranchers and farmers years ago, back into the oasis it once was.
It takes nature time to heal, but by working with it instead of against it we can win in the end.
Happy Gardening!
Pammy
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Love this! My only thought was having Castor beans where kids would be....aren't they poisonous, or am I confusing it with something else?
ReplyDeleteLoving the stock tank as the pool! Going to have to work this in my yard!!
Hi Brenda, you are quite right on the Castor Beans. They are very poisonous. It is the seeds that are very dangerous. But like so many other things growing throughout the garden and in nature..they are poisonous as well. So we teach our kids. OH and where they were first native in India, the children use them as bean shooters. But I would be sure to keep a close eye on toddlers who tend to stick everything in their mouth. So glad you like what we've done!! xox
DeleteLove it!!! cannot believe how fast the castor bean and the cannas grew. Looks great and inviting!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Ruth! Now we have another tree that needs to come down on the other side of the house. Should be interesting xox
DeleteI love this concept. Kudos to you for implementing it.
ReplyDeleteIt is so much easier Dorothy =D and your garden is looking awesome with such lovely blooms!!! xox
DeleteWhat an inspired idea. It looks fantastic.
ReplyDeleteThanks Tracey!! It really was a fun project I think we will enjoy for awhile ;)
DeleteGood job, Pammy! Very creative! xxoo Nancy
ReplyDeleteThank You Nancy!! Your garden is looking awesome and inspirational as well!! ;)
DeleteHugelKulture is getting to be popular. I'm going to start a hugel garden this year with the piles of brush I have in the back yard. I'm planning to make narrow rows with it about 2' high and cover that with top soil and manure, then plant in it. I'd have to drag off the piles of branches otherwise, so I'll use them. Its good fill for raised gardens too.
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