The glyphosate will mainly just target the trunk, so it would be easy enough to plant up the surrounding area. Good suggestions already, and ferns are another, as well as some spring bulbs for next year. Those can be slotted in among perennials later in the year when they become available. Snowdrops would be lovely, and you can get those in the green, from around March usually, and you could pot them up in the meantime until you have the site sorted out. I'd do as @Dovefromabove outlines, and just be a bit careful near the plugs for the next few months, but I also agree with @Plantminded that a bit of rock moving will be good as it will give more scope, and you could then make a real feature of it, rather than trying to hide it. It will also depend on what else you have planned for the garden, and how you can fit it in with other planting or hard landscaping etc It'll be a nice project though @dbhattuk. Good luck with it
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@tui34, yes indeed, patients seems to be the key. Decided let nature take its course. The ecoplugs contain glysophate, so will not bother drilling holes. Thanks, appreciate your comments.
@nick615, no kidding, monster for sure is. Even the tree surgeon was surprised. Yes will look at anything that will hasten the rotting process, but mindful of chemical use, as i intend to plant around the stump. The roots are widespread sadly, hoping they will decay with time. Ecoplugs seems to have 'killed it' both stump and roots, not seen any shoots which are common with Laurels. thanks for the comments.
@Pete.8, ohh i have a massive Eucalyptus tree next door. It sheds its bark all over the garden, not to mention fallen leaves. Interesting about rotting roots causing depressions, 30 feet away, wow. I wonder if i will have the same issue with my chopped Laurel tree. Good that the your tree stump has rotted down. Thanks for the comments, appreciate it.
@Uff, the tree surgeon said it will take a several months. Ecoplugs deals with not just the stump but the whole root system. The success rate appears to be on the high side. i believe its the main option if a stump grinder cant be used. So far so good. not seen any shoots yet. thank you.
@Dovefromabove, thanks for the information. Yes i plan to leave the stump alone and plant around it. I was concerned about planting around the stump but the tree surgeon said it was okay to do so. thank you again.
bédé, you have a point. thank you
@JennyJ, yes was thinking hardy geraniums too, perhaps lavender and grasses too. I plan to remove all the stones before planting. thank you appreciate your help.
@Plantminded, Once i have decided on the stump issue, will then think about the area around it. Stump even if its hidden will form a structure/feature which needs to incorporated into the design plan, which is a blank page at the moment. As the stump is a fixed element, i will need to plan around it. So i need to work on simple design but for sure based on a color scheme with all perennial plants. Yes certainly plan to remove the circle of stones. Thank you, appreciate your ideas.
@CrankyYankee, thank you, yes need to consider ground cover plants. A carpet of creeping phlox sounds interesting. thank you.
@B3, how interesting, ants aided the rotting process, thanks for the comment. Well i plan to plant around the stump, may get lots of creepy crawlies to decimate the stump.
Thank you everyone. Such pleasure to learn from great folks here. Thank you.
You could bury it by mounding soil above. Yes, it will rot in time but i expect it would be so slow (laurel!!!) that you'd barely notice. I often think most gardens are far too flat and 2D as people focus too much on plants and not enough on landform.
Yes but some additional planting with shrubs and columnar evergreens like yew, will give a variation in height, as well as year round interest, depending on how big the site becomes. As I mentioned earlier, what @dbhattuk intends to do with the rest of the space is also a factor, as well as budget, of course
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
If you can supply details of your soil type, an idea of whether your bed/border is likely to get morning or afternoon sun and any plant likes or dislikes, I'm sure you'll receive lots of helpful advice here @dbhattuk. A new project is always welcome!
@McRazz, yes for the stump to decay will awhile. I intend to have a degree of structure in the area i am working in. The stump has a natural mound around it, and a rockery on the other side. I will also use planters and shrubs of various sizes. so hopefully not too flat. Thanks
@Fairygirl, thanks, like the idea of column, will certainly consider Yew. I am at the planning stage at the moment. The area i am working in is 10x10 meters, its not too big. Thank you again, appreciate it.
@Plantminded, thank you for the encouragement and support. I started last March, it was a jungle at the back of the garden. Thanks to folks here, was encouraged to take bite size workloads. which I did. I am not sure about the soil PH but the texture is loamy I would say. Its easy to work with and drains well. Its north facing garden but get amount of sun during the day and partial during late and early hours. The constraint I have which impacts the planning. I have a massive Eucalyptus mid garden next door Plus a Confer on both sides of the fence at the back of the garden. I am constantly clearing bark and leaves, the confer foliage is covering the ground at back and sides too. Something I need to think about when planning the area. Right at the back is concrete area which is covered in confer foliage. The area i am working the bare ground you see in the pic, about 10x10 meters.
Thank you again for your steer, appreciate it.
Dilip
PS will post in the Garden Design category when I start the design stage
That second photo is very helpful @dbhattuk, it makes the trunk easier to consider in your future design, along with your other constraints. Those trees have one good feature in providing your garden with some privacy. Once you decide what you want to do there’ll be many here willing to give you some recommendations and suggestions. It does look like it has the potential to be an attractive garden. It all depends on how much time you have to develop and maintain it, whether you enjoy it, and your budget. I look forward to seeing your future posts.
Another option is to build a low wall around it, and fill it with soil to make a raised bed.
You beat me to it! I was going to say a raised bed with the stump hidden inside maybe built from sleepers, or 2 beds either side then a walkway in the middle to a seating area at the back of the garden by the fence?
Posts
I'd do as @Dovefromabove outlines, and just be a bit careful near the plugs for the next few months, but I also agree with @Plantminded that a bit of rock moving will be good as it will give more scope, and you could then make a real feature of it, rather than trying to hide it.
It will also depend on what else you have planned for the garden, and how you can fit it in with other planting or hard landscaping etc
It'll be a nice project though @dbhattuk. Good luck with it
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@nick615, no kidding, monster for sure is. Even the tree surgeon was surprised. Yes will look at anything that will hasten the rotting process, but mindful of chemical use, as i intend to plant around the stump. The roots are widespread sadly, hoping they will decay with time. Ecoplugs seems to have 'killed it' both stump and roots, not seen any shoots which are common with Laurels. thanks for the comments.
@Pete.8, ohh i have a massive Eucalyptus tree next door. It sheds its bark all over the garden, not to mention fallen leaves. Interesting about rotting roots causing depressions, 30 feet away, wow. I wonder if i will have the same issue with my chopped Laurel tree. Good that the your tree stump has rotted down. Thanks for the comments, appreciate it.
@Uff, the tree surgeon said it will take a several months. Ecoplugs deals with not just the stump but the whole root system. The success rate appears to be on the high side. i believe its the main option if a stump grinder cant be used. So far so good. not seen any shoots yet. thank you.
@Dovefromabove, thanks for the information. Yes i plan to leave the stump alone and plant around it. I was concerned about planting around the stump but the tree surgeon said it was okay to do so. thank you again.
bédé, you have a point. thank you
@JennyJ, yes was thinking hardy geraniums too, perhaps lavender and grasses too. I plan to remove all the stones before planting. thank you appreciate your help.
@Plantminded, Once i have decided on the stump issue, will then think about the area around it. Stump even if its hidden will form a structure/feature which needs to incorporated into the design plan, which is a blank page at the moment. As the stump is a fixed element, i will need to plan around it. So i need to work on simple design but for sure based on a color scheme with all perennial plants. Yes certainly plan to remove the circle of stones. Thank you, appreciate your ideas.
@CrankyYankee, thank you, yes need to consider ground cover plants. A carpet of creeping phlox sounds interesting. thank you.
@B3, how interesting, ants aided the rotting process, thanks for the comment. Well i plan to plant around the stump, may get lots of creepy crawlies to decimate the stump.
As I mentioned earlier, what @dbhattuk intends to do with the rest of the space is also a factor, as well as budget, of course
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@Fairygirl, thanks, like the idea of column, will certainly consider Yew. I am at the planning stage at the moment. The area i am working in is 10x10 meters, its not too big. Thank you again, appreciate it.
@Plantminded, thank you for the encouragement and support. I started last March, it was a jungle at the back of the garden. Thanks to folks here, was encouraged to take bite size workloads. which I did. I am not sure about the soil PH but the texture is loamy I would say. Its easy to work with and drains well. Its north facing garden but get amount of sun during the day and partial during late and early hours. The constraint I have which impacts the planning. I have a massive Eucalyptus mid garden next door Plus a Confer on both sides of the fence at the back of the garden. I am constantly clearing bark and leaves, the confer foliage is covering the ground at back and sides too. Something I need to think about when planning the area. Right at the back is concrete area which is covered in confer foliage. The area i am working the bare ground you see in the pic, about 10x10 meters.
Thank you again for your steer, appreciate it.
Dilip
PS will post in the Garden Design category when I start the design stage