I'm so glad that the tree came down with no troubles. Looks like you had a great crew working on it.

I'd suggest a climbing rose on the tree, but I think you had to get rid of most of your roses last year because of the chili thrips didn't you?

Thanks Gail. Yes, a rose would be my first choice if it were not the chilli thrips. I'm hoping this last cold winter knocked them back, but there is no telling for sure or for how long.

Wow that's going to make a BIG difference! Sorry I don't have any plant ideas, but can't wait to see how it evolves. Have fun!

Lisa

Sixty feet tall... that's a lot of work. Glad you found someone so capable. Was that the tree where you had the water fountain? I don't have any plant ideas, either, but at Rainbow, they have a Dutchman's pipe growing up a telephone pole. Last year, it got quite tall and was really pretty.

Lisa, yes a BIG difference. I can't wait to see how it evolves either ... LOL! What few creative juices I have are working overtime. I"m going to be looking for a pretty pot. Would love to have a pumpkin shaped one with something flowing out and moving with the wind, but finding that in a resin material is not likely.

Irene, yes that's the tree with the water fountain. With a few things replaced around it it's starting to look a little better. I just need the 'right' pot and the 'right' plant. I like things out of the usual and with a little bit of a dramatic flare.

OR Bob could make a peaked roof for it and put a mysterious "green door" on the side sort of like one of these: http://www.pinterest.com/csagebrown/stump-decor/

OR I could place a cedar multi ap't bird house in a planting box that Bob could build. It would be kind of like one of these on the link. I already have the bird house which is a place where it's hardly noticeable.

Thanks for letting me brain storm with you as I attempt to make lemonaide out of lemons ... :-)

Here's the bird house ...

Here is a link that might be useful: Check out the fourth one on the page ...

This post was edited by roselee on Sat, May 24, 14 at 12:51

I'm sorry that tree had to go, but what a change! I love the birdhouse/planter idea the most.
I would grow a blooming vine there at the bottom, something red and stunning!

Thanks Pam! I leaning toward the bird house deal too Can't wait for Bob to pry it off the deck lattice and set it up there even before he starts on the planter to surround it. I'm not one to imagine what it will look like. I've got to see it in the spot.

The coral vine will be growing around the stump soon. It's going to be hard to keep it in check as it's used to growing to the top of the tree. I might have plant another vine, maybe the scarlet passion vine, or one of the Clematis texensis hybrids.

The fourth one down is really pretty. Love the idea of the bird house.

More tree ideas....

Tree with lights:

Tree with bird bath:

Tree with David bath:
(Maybe you could run a water feature up above?)

Whoo hoo -- we could keep our guys going forever on the ideas we pass around to one another! ... :-) I really like that David dancing under the rain tree one. Not practical, but that doesn't mean I can't dream about it.

Look how pretty the clematis pitcher is this year! I am pretty sure It came from Linda at a swap years ago. I don't know how it is propagated. If you want to try cuttings I will be happy to share.

Those are some very careful wood guys.

Mara, yes ... they were amazing.

Plantmaven Kathy, your green thumb is showing again!!! I have the climatis pitcher plant, but mine is not nearly that large and gorgeous. Not sure about propagating from cuttings, but I've had volunteers from seeds.

Thanks for showing us what this native climatis can do. I need to have a little talk with mine ... :-)

I read somewhere that propagation can be done by layering bottom branches or by dividing "bulbs"............don't have any experience with this clematis, so can't really give any advice.

Last year it grew into the brugmansia limbs. The brug froze to the ground this past winter. It is much happier with more sun.

Kathy, thanks for the additional photo. The flowers look bigger on yours than mine, It's good to see what it can do.

By the way, Bob is starting on making a shallow succulent planter for the top of the stump with the bird house in the middle ... :-)

This post was edited by roselee on Tue, May 27, 14 at 22:35

My native clematis is a slow poke too.

This is the best lemonade I could come up with in a short time. Use your imagination and see the succulents, dyckia, sedums, etc., tumbling over the side of the hexagonal box Bob built; including 'silver pony foot'.

All the plants I had on hand, are cold and heat hardy, were already rooted and will take the sun ... I think. The soil runs under the bird house so it should be enough. Soil is topped with lava rock to keep the squirrels from digging and keeps the soil from splashing out when watered.

Now to get on with finding a tree and getting some shade going ... :-)

I sprayed the top of the stump with a black tarry tree limb paint to help preserve it. I wonder how long it will last?

I really like this, Ragna, very well done. I would have had a "door" at the bottom and gnomes around it.

Wow, that is so cool. It will be fun watching the plants grow and spilling over. Have you always had that cute lil man head that you put in front?
Love it, you and Bob did good!

Carrie thanks. I can still do that and the door needs to be green, right? Bob is so going to appreciate this suggestion ... ;-) ... LOL

Jolana thank you and yes, the old man, a gift from a friend, was in the garden before. He just shows off better there. It's actually a bird feeder, but the squirrels were tearing it up to get at the seed so it's not used for that anymore.

Anybody know how long Az ash tree stumps last before disintegrating? Too long for some and not long enough for others I suppose ... :-)

Ash has long grain (with small holes running long with the grain) so one needs to cover the top, too extend life, either by waxing or by metal or something. Water will enter through the end grain holes , especially since the stump was cut off level. Ash is not a good exterior wood. I am unsure about ARIZONA ash, but since it is a fast growing ash, I bet that would make it worse. Nothing you do will make it permanent. As it rots it will be home and a great source of nutrients for plants. Drilling holes in it and packing it with arboreals might be interesting. It would hasten rotting but might be cool, but it might also become a target for wood eating critters. Better it than the house.

I look at that and think , hmmmm, Table, bench cut in half into lengthwise slabs or lengthwise half rounds. Cutting is a b*tch. One needs a sawmill. But , even here , Arizona ash is softer than regular ash and that makes it less desirable..

Mara, thank you! Interesting about the grain. With all that you do with wood you are THE expert. I did plaster the top with a couple of coats of tarry tree limb spray. It may not be the case, but I'd be happy to get ten years out of it.

Ragna, a few decades ago our neighbor cut down an ash, it was only half of what I think yours is (height) and I know it was still there almost 3 years after when we moved

You have so many treasures in your garden, I can be there and think I've seen everything and the next day or soon after, see something I missed in a photo you post, lol

Ragna, a few decades ago our neighbor cut down an ash, it was only half of what I think yours is (height) and I know it was still there almost 3 years after when we moved

You have so many treasures in your garden, I can be there and think I've seen everything and the next day or soon after, see something I missed in a photo you post, lol

Love your lemonade! Bob really put it together just right. Great job.

It will be good for awhile and that is all that counts. It will go through changes, The bark will shluff off and the smooth wood underneath will get silver and the different types of fungus might take root. Wouldn't it be nice to get some chicken in the basket fungus. That would be a real addition to your garden. You have how many feet of solid future humus that you might never see? Hahahaha. It will give you entertainment seeing it slowly change. Better than watching paint dry..

You did a great job with decorating your tree stump. It will be interesting to watch the changes.

I love it!

Thank you all for looking and commenting. Yes, changes are one thing that makes gardening interesting not to mention challenging! The garden never stays the same. How many times have we thought "I'll do this and then just sit back". That never happens ... :-)

I've brought out the beach umbrellas, but I can't keep doing that while waiting for a new tree to grow up. So what's next? "Only 'The Shadow' knows." LOL

Jim, if you read this; how are you managing your former shade garden?

One could Bend conduit in large arches and drill holes in the top of the tree and set them in for the vine to climb . It should create a large mushroom shape like a chanterel, a flower shape, a vase shaped tree shape.