You may have a dead tree in your garden and not know what to do with it! Sometimes, it can be complicated to bring in machinery to uproot or grind the stump. And removing the stump manually? What a hassle! So, how can you give a second life to these trees that have passed away?

  1. A SUPPORT FOR CLIMBERS

Indeed, a dead tree can seem perfect for hosting a climbing plant like a rambling rose or a wisteria. But... Yes, there’s a “but,” it’s not that simple… It may seem like a good short-term solution, but what about the long term? It’s important to consider that this tree will eventually fall, especially since a climbing plant on this tree offers a better grip in the wind. We must also remember that the fall of a tree can be potentially dangerous.

However, if you don’t have the courage or time to fell your tree and there’s no risk of damage nearby, you can disguise it under a fast-growing annual climbing plant like an ipomoea, sweet peas, or even a Mina lobata. Simply surround the trunk with chicken wire for the plant to climb freely.

Flowering cascade of ipomoeas.

LAND ART TREND

And why not play with paint? It’s the kind of thing that doesn’t have unanimous support; you either love it or hate it! During a visit to the garden “Le sous-bois” in Belgium a few years ago, I was surprised to discover a dead tree painted blue. With the yellow leaves of the Catalpa bignonioides ‘Aurea’ on either side, it creates a rather pleasant curiosity for the eye, doesn’t it?

RECUP’ IDEAS

At Michael’s, the old dead apple trees that have succumbed to time make fantastic playhouses for children… A word to the wise!

You can also cut your tree into sections, carving cavities into the logs if needed to plant some vegetation. You can use a log as a pedestal for a garden decoration or a flowering pot. Hollowed-out sections make lovely birdhouses or feeders as well. The more hands-on among you can try your hand at wood carving.

Ideas for recycling old dead tree trunks (Pinterest images)

FIREWOOD

And if none of this suits you, you can always cut the tree for cosy evenings by the fire. The remaining stump can become an improvised table leg or host a flowering pot or even a sculpture while waiting for its decomposition.

(Pinterest image)

All that’s left is to let your imagination run wild...