I can sympathize with you on losing your old tree. I had to have my pecan tree removed just last month. Hurricane Ike took out about a third of the large limbs, then last summer I noticed a lot of dead wood in the top. I had an arborist come check it. He said all the remaining limbs had splits long ways, nearly all the way to the top. He said these were probably twisted by Ike and just now opening up, and that there was no saving it. It was the shade for my shade garden, so I am now struggling to find places to relocate all my shade plants. I had the stump ground out, but don't know of any reason why you couldn't leave it.

I am confident that which ever way you go with it, that when you are finished, it will look great.
Jim

Lossing a tree that plays a major part in your garden/landscape is a hard pill to swallow. But we often have no choice and must get on with what needs to be done. More WORK! :(

Roselee, I hope there wasn't much damage to your garage. My hubby would never leave a stump in the ground. His fear of termites won't let him, therefor I'm not allowed to do it either! :)

Jim, I hope you find safe spots for your shade plants and they make the transition easily.

Lossing a tree that plays a major part in your garden/landscape is a hard pill to swallow. But we often have no choice and must get on with what needs to be done. More WORK! :(

Roselee, I hope there wasn't much damage to your garage. My hubby would never leave a stump in the ground. His fear of termites won't let him, therefor I'm not allowed to do it either! :)

Jim, I hope you find safe spots for your shade plants and they make the transition easily.

Jim, losing a pecan tree is hard. We expect them to live a long time. We thought we might keep our tree, but I've limbed it up so much the top towers way up there and if it went it would be taking the roof with it. Only a few shingles are messed up this time.

Yes, what to do with the shade plants will be the challenge here too. Also wondering what to do with the huge coral vine that would travel to the top of the tree every year.

Gail, I knew this time might come someday and have planted a few small ornamental trees around the yard to hopefully take up the slack when the A. ash finally bit the dust, but they haven't had time yet to grow much so I'm planning to plant a Lacey oak for posterity.

We had to laugh at our poodle, Sport. With the noise he went running outside with us, looked up at the limb and uttered one soft 'woof'. I've never known him to woof only once. It was like he was saying "Dang!" ... pretty much my thoughts too ... LOL

Oh geez, glad that didn't end up as bad as it looks! So that is the tree the coral vine climbs, you will miss that! Ragna, you will have something even better, I know it

Jim, I am so sorry to hear about your pecan tree. As bad as I want one, I can't imagine having one and losing it
Hope you find a new homes for your shade plants soon

Well, now the shoe string acacia will have more sun in which to grow ... :-) . I had just got done planting it and arrangind the area so nicely when the limb fell. Then the tree guy suggested I dig it up and repot it so it wouldn't get damaged ... :-(.

Oh, by the way, in an email Jolana suggested poodle dog Sport was trying to say "Roof!" when he looked up at the limb on the roof and went "Woof". Yes, smart dogs those poodles. Smart alec some would say ... LOL

Been studying on this site:

Here is a link that might be useful: Things to do with a tree stump ...

That link reminds me of the Galveston Tree Sculpture Tour. It was after Hurricane Ike when a lot of trees were destroyed. There were dolphins, angels, different birds, etc.