A Stumpery? What's that? In a nutshell a stumpery is the use of fallen logs and stumps in your garden. Planting in and around these decaying logs with mosses and ferns is typical. The first garden of our second day was said to have a stumpery. Those of us who live in heavily wooded gardens like to see new or more ideas on how to artfully use the logs in our gardens.
The Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden and Pacific Bonsai Museum was our destination. Walking through the gardens on our way to find the stumpery we went through the Conservatory and gardens surrounding it. The flower below was in a mass planting and quite striking. I include it today because there is one that is similar in a later garden- so remember this one- Telekia speciosa, Heartleaf oxeye. The other one will be in the next post.
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| Telekia speciosa |
Outside the conservatory we see a tease of a stumpery. Huge ferns planted in and around a log.
Inside the Conservatory there were ferns and mosses. The begonia below was huge and its leaves were so unusual, hairy or spiny- with red veined undersides.
Walking through the gardens we enjoyed the sculptures and hoped to see some of the Rhododendrons still in bloom. Most had already bloomed but there were a few still holding on to their blooms.
Mosses and lichen held on to branches and trunks of trees, lending to the feeling of Jurassic Park environs.
Love how the light plays off the multi-trunk tree below.
We encountered a new to me tree, the seed pods reminded me of an Ash tree, but no-
It was a Pterostyrax psilophyllus var. leveillei , say that three times fast!
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| Look at these leaves- they are huge! |
Here are a few of the Rhododendrons in bloom, quite large white blooms.
But we were still on the lookout for the Stumpery. Every time I say the word 'Stumpery' I channel my inner Monty Python. It just makes me laugh. We asked everyone in our group coming from the opposite direction, "Have you been to the Stumpery?" Sometimes we got vague answers like- it's over there a ways or detailed answers like- turn left at the next path and go down and to the right then turn left....what???
Well, we finally found it!! What an enchanting part of this wooded garden. Sit back and enjoy the Stumpery photos.
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| I see a werewolf face in this one! |
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| It is not just ferns and moss that grow in the stumps |
Thanks for coming along on our quest to find the Stumpery (yes Monty Python). Stay tuned for more of day #2
I LOVE the concept of a stumpery. Are you going to add one to your garden? I have large branches lining my paths and a couple bigger logs, but haven't been able to get the requisite ferns going strong yet. I do have a hollow stump with a Virginia creeper growing inside it! It looks like you had a great time.
ReplyDeleteIt sure is something I am thinking about. It is so lush and green in this garden. Would love for mine to be likewise.
DeleteWow, that Pterostyrax is something else! Sorry I missed that one. Great work capturing the lighting that fine summer morning.
ReplyDeleteJerry, yes, I was awed by the Pterostyrax. Lighting is always a delight when it works out.
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