I’m Stumped – gardeninacity
In late July, I took a six-day journey to the Pacific Northwest, to the 2024 Backyard Fling (it was once the Backyard Bloggers Fling, however a few of us are utilizing Instagram and even TikTok, and so we’ve got a brand new title).
After which I received Covid (for the primary time!) and was completely out of it for awhile — nothing alarming, simply sick after which very drained.
All of which explains my very gradual responses to feedback on the final put up! Sorry!
Now that I’m lastly recovering, I actually wish to inform you all about Stumperies.
I’ll come again later within the fall and winter and inform you extra methodically concerning the numerous marvelous gardens we noticed in three days of vast ranging excursions based mostly out of Tacoma. However my coronary heart was stolen by a bunch of tree stumps, and it’s actually all I wish to take into consideration proper now, and share with you.
I’m smitten, so I’ll get straight to the purpose: look how magnificent these outdated stumps are within the Rhododendron Species Botanical Backyard!
It could be that in an effort to totally recognize this stumpery it’s important to be standing within the woods with timber towering over you. (Have you ever been to the Pacific Northwest? The timber SOAR!) To not point out the scent of the woods and moss and forest ground compost in your nostril. Our eyes are really wondrous as a result of we are able to modify and select the main points in each shadow and lightweight in ways in which pictures struggles to duplicate. And stumperies are all about shadow and lightweight and ambiance.
Let me again up and inform you a bit about stumperies. To start with, they’re obscure sufficient that WordPress is kind of irritated with me and retains attempting to autocorrect to Stumper or Stumped, for my very own good, I’m certain. The Missouri Botanical Backyard says that “A stumpery is a backyard that re-purposes logs, driftwood and the foundation wads of lifeless timber to create a singular backyard show.” Roots wads?? If they are saying so. “These wooden components additionally present a structural counterpoint to ferns, mosses and different woodland crops that are planted on, in and across the stumps and logs to ‘soften’ them.”
Somewhat dry and technical, for those who ask me, however okay so far as it goes.
I used to be barely horrified to be taught that stumperies first arose in Victorian England (not the time or place that a lot of Backyard in a Metropolis is patterned round). However I can‘t actually say I’m shocked. The primary one, apparently, was established within the 1850s. I’m simply relieved that they don’t seem to be, apparently, associated to the vogue earlier in that century for cemetery gardens.
One of the well-known stumperies was created by then Prince Charles at Highgate in England. The web site calls it “tranquil” and “other-worldly” and notes that Victorians preferred to develop ferns in tree stumps. Not everybody agreed with the Prince’s style, apparently, as a result of the Gardens Belief weblog notes that Prince Charles’ father, upon seeing the stumpery at Highgate for the primary time, requested his son, “When are you going to set hearth to this lot?” I do like the concept maybe Prince Charles put in the entire thing to bother his father; rather more attention-grabbing than a Victorian restoration undertaking. (Sure, I do know he’s the King now, however he was the Prince when all this occurred.)
The stumpery the place I took these photographs, part of the Rhododendron Species Botanical Backyard, is the most important public stumpery on the planet, in accordance with their web site. The stumpery is one small a part of a a lot bigger Pacific Northwest woods. We have been, after all, there at solely the mistaken time to see any rhododendrons blooming (there might need been a couple of), however it was fairly a effective woods, significantly for a Midwesterner unaccustomed to timber of such top.
Additionally on the identical grounds is the Pacific Bonsai Backyard, which I solely received an opportunity to have a look at briefly. I’m not fairly certain how these areas got here collectively. However flingers who did handle to have a look at the bonsais have been very impressed.
I’m going to make this right into a two-part put up on Stumperies, as a result of amazingly sufficient, there was one other stumpery the subsequent day! Splitting the put up will give me house to indicate you extra photographs — and the second stumpery was fairly totally different. It’s referred to as the Renaissance Backyard, and is a stumpery with a narrative and a goal.
Additionally, as an added incentive to learn the subsequent put up: I’ve been daydreaming about including a stumpery to Backyard in a Metropolis, and I’ll inform you all about that, too. You possibly can assist me determine whether it is simply post-Covid fever desires.
So: Have you ever been to a stumpery? Are you with me in admiring them, or with Prince Philip, able to burn all of it down?
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In late July, I took a six-day journey to the Pacific Northwest, to the 2024 Backyard Fling (it was once the Backyard Bloggers Fling, however a few of us are utilizing Instagram and even TikTok, and so we’ve got a brand new title). After which I received Covid (for the…