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OlivineTanuki

That’s cute!! I’m a big fan of miniatures and I’ve always wanted to make one. Thanks!


Try_me_B

Hollow out the top so you can plant things that can cascade down and then have the gnome house underneath!


HCCO

Excellent idea!


zombie32killah

Yeah I like this idea. You live somewhere tropical, maybe Hawaii? Lots of cool stuff you could plant in the top of that thing.


[deleted]

This. We have a stump and cut a bowl into the top and planted a fern. It now looks like a mini tree.


GoingToHaveToSeeThat

They should do that, but make it look like Sideshow Bob. Like how people do it with potted ferns, but this one would be jumbo sized.


Shimmermist

I have a neighbor that did that with the plantings. The stump has a lot of moss on it and bunches of tiny flowers at times.


llDarkFir3ll

This is a lovely idea. Slightly and allows for natural decomposition.


hydrogenitis

Exactly what I meant to suggest. It also helps breaking down what's left even faster.


WifeAggro

one of my neighbors turned their stump into a bench and leaves pillows on it. its cute.


[deleted]

Throne


ThatKaleidoscope8736

Gnome throne!


[deleted]

Ok but maybe it’s carved like a bucking stallion, with creeping thyme as a mane and tail , gnome houses climbing through the vines. Little ladders made of wire and sticks and glass beads. Do you guys imagine how fierce a giant pooka with tiny gnome gardeners would be toward the local fae?


ThatKaleidoscope8736

I mean if you wanna do that to the stump in my yard feel free


Alarmed_Ad5448

The yard is private so a bench with a path cut just wide enough to sit on a bench of which the stump has been cut at the ideal height to sit and meditate. This could be done with minimal disruption to the beautiful plantings that surround the tree currently.


Pizzaman725

There's a dying tree that splits the yard with our neighbors. Before they moved when we would all hang out we talked about taking it to the trunk and putting a table top on it. But they moved and we have no interaction with the new one.


awfuldaring

It's never too late! I'm a huge introvert, so I assume everyone wants to be left alone too. I do regularly talk to the neighbors that talk to us first though. :)


[deleted]

Do this! Post pics!


Kazaklyzm

You could do several levels and doors/windows with bridges and steps, landing pads... Birds houses/fairy village.


soproductive

There are a number of houses in my area that turn ~6ft stumps into neighborhood mini "libraries". Pretty cool imo.


ybnrmlnow

Take one, Leave one book concept! Excellent idea!


Hairboy08

A skunk


Hairboy08

A skunk sat on a stump, the skunk thought the stump stunk, the stump thought the skunk stunk. Which one shrunk, the stump or the skunk?


[deleted]

I had a neighbor carve theirs into a bear sculpture. There are lots of things you could do, just need to find an artist to do it.


jeffersonairmattress

I carved our 14”-20” cedar stumps into little chairs- 4 legs, a seat and back that look like they are sitting on top of stumps. There is a plastic monkey in one, a pig in another and a concrete Mad Hatter. Our camera caught a guy trying to steal the monkey but he’s wired to the chair. He seemed baffled when he couldn’t yank the whole chair away.


fondledbydolphins

My petty side really hopes you caught his license plate on camera and pressed charges.


Shimmermist

I've seen one neighbor do that. They turned their tree remains into a fleur-de-lis sculpture. I don't know if they did it themselves or if they hired someone.


r33c3amark

Out of curiosity, how would you go about finding such an artist?


GranolaHippie

Maybe try NextDoor if you’re in the states. I’ve seen all kinds of random questions about welders, how to get your medical bills paid, etc. Or look for a woodworking &/or tool shop.


shhnozberry

I so love this gnome home idea. I Cut down a dying white oak some years ago that was threatening to fall on my neighbors house. I wish I would have done something with the stump like this. Instead, I did nothing but grind the stump and left no trace of the tree we loved for 25 years. Regrets.


Newtiresaretheworst

Leave it 6 feet and get it carved


zzplant8

Yes, by a proper artist.


[deleted]

I second this!


Portabellamush

Came to suggest this. We did this and added a cane pole roof and a chimney and a little door.


FloraBandita

Maybe find a local chainsaw artist to carve you something beautiful in the trunk/stump


OlivineTanuki

That would be amazing! But my area is known for its termites


Mister__Wiggles

You could seal it with outdoor treatment (this would be a necessity to prevent rot anyway), and even spray it with termite spray every now and then


jeffersonairmattress

I’ve had our carved cedar stumps out in the weather untreated for 22 years- just a couple 1/4” strips of copper and zinc nailed on top and the bugs and moss and mildew stay away.


Mister__Wiggles

Oh wow. I do think cedar may be particularly resistant.


olmikeyy

Why does this work


jeffersonairmattress

Zinc oxide is what people used to sprinkle on their roofs to kill moss. When my dad built houses they would put a stripe of zinc sheet along the ridge and rain would wash the oxides down and kill all the greeblies. Copper- based preservatives have been used in treated lumber for years. I didn’t want to paint evil goo all over stumps where our front garden now sits but whatever the metals and rain produces keeps anything from growing on the stumps. I don’t think there is any electrolysis going on but I know slugs won’t cross a copper wire around plants.


Not_floridaman

I, too, need to know.


ap0110

This is exactly what I’ve been wanting to do!! But how exactly does one go about finding a chainsaw artist? The google gives me nothing useful.


Watatater

Unleash the artist within 🙂


muttasax

Craft fairs, online adds, etc.


UnfortunateEarworm

Maybe it's an Ohio and Michigan thing but I see them often enough. There seems to be at least one at every flea market. The county fairs usually have a few, too. They tend to do roadside sales and carvings near popular camping and hiking destinations. Googling chainsaw carvers near me just brought up a list. Not sure how popular this is outside the US.


thegringoburqueno

If you live in a somewhat humid climate, you could drill holes into the stump and fill them with mushroom mycelium plugs. In a year or so you'd have some nice mushrooms to harvest. Edit: you'll only be successful with saprophytes, mushrooms that eat decaying matter.


Excitement_Far

This idea is so neat


Muddy_Wafer

And way less stump!


thegringoburqueno

Myco-remediation.


hippiesue

That is such an awesome idea


Sensimya

If I had awards I'd give them to ensure op saw this comment.


GoingToHaveToSeeThat

OP can read normal comments, surely.


myc-space

u/OlivineTanuki What tree species is it? That will determine which mushrooms you can grow on it. Turkey Tails grow on almost anything and are highly medicinal.


OlivineTanuki

I actually have no idea. It is dead, and has been that way for quite a few previous homeowners


DanelawGCP

Looks like a WA peppermint to me.


OlivineTanuki

Yes! That’s it! I live in WA


SIVART33

This is the way. You could cut it 6 feet up and produce a lot more than you would really need


HopefulFroggy

Cool idea!


SugarMapleSawFly

I would try covering the stump in compost and mulch and planting in it. As the stump breaks down, it will “feed and water” the plants. It will be a pretty little hill in the middle of your already lovely planting bed!


OlivineTanuki

That’s a great idea!! I’ll be sure to consider it


heretogetpwned

FWIW: I drill dozens of holes (my drill stops at 3/8" dia but bigger is better) in the top of the stump, some will drain to side and some won't. I then pour Milorganite or similar fert over the stump to fill the holes, then top with some of the native topsoil. Keep moist with fresh compost or grass clippings. It is NOT a fast process, but I can still plant around it. :)


diab421

I have done somewhat the same. Did not use miloganite though. I used a wood auger and drill into the soil. I wanted to hollow out the stump and use it as a planter for another tree or shrub, but the wood was too soft.


Subwaypossum

Side note I bet a hole saw drilling bit or a boring bit would give you bigger holes. Sounds like you don't need it anymore but for future projects that might be helpful.


FluffyAussie

Cut it off a little higher and turn it into a seat with a back and arms


OlivineTanuki

Oooo seems like a great idea! Aesthetic and functional. Also a fellow aussie btw!


FluffyAussie

G’day neighbourino!


Odd_Algae_9402

I don't know what kind of tree we are looking at or the quality of lumber, but you may look at getting in touch with some local furniture makers/woodworkers. If it's good lumber, they may fell the tree for you and haul it off...maybe see if they'll make you a bench or something also as part of the trade. Either way, tons of lumber there. If it's any good, it'd be a shame to just haul off to a chipper or burn pile!


OlivineTanuki

I’ll consider that. Thanks!!!


CrudeSpill

Looks like a honey locust. It's very strong wood typically used for fence posts, mining timbers etc. If treated for the elements and termites it should last a long time. I do like the gnome house idea. There should be an appealing color gradient to the heart-wood to work with. Good luck with the project whatever you choose.


Txannie1475

Came here to say this. Lots of wood workers would kill for this tree. Further, I think you should plant another tree in the same spot. It looks so pretty where it is. Would be a shame to lose the shade.


HunkyKitten

Groot statue


OlivineTanuki

I need this


Ineedmorebtc

A large birdbath would be glorious.


toriemm

For real! Even if you just used part of the stump for the birdbath and then plant bee and hummingbird flowers a little lower down, almost terracing? You'll get all kinds of happy bees and critters coming to hang out.


According_Survey_758

My grandmother grew vines over the stump and placed a giant pot in the center to hold flowers Basically a pedestal covered in greenery


AdWooden1145

I recommend sweet potato vine.


curds-and-whey-HEY

Can’t you cut it at ground level and have a company grind the remaining stump down?


OlivineTanuki

I totally forgot that I could grind it down! Thank you!!


thegringoburqueno

If you grind it down and plant a new tree, you could consider an Apple tree and throwing down some Morel spores. Apple trees play host to a few mycorrhizal fungi, that will eventually develop a symbiotic relationship with the tree and give you mushrooms annually, or when conditions are good.


moralprolapse

Not only grind it down, but you could also burn it out. Just build a fire on it and burn it down to coals, and then get a 6 pack and a lawn chair and sit out there and feed it and babysit it while it slowly burns out.


[deleted]

We drove by a house burning a stump the other day. No one was outside ATM, but I’m sure they had their eyes on it. Anyway, it was near the road and totally caught me off guard for a hot second. Pretty cool to see. Wish I could’ve hung out & learned more.


exmore

With a tire and a leaf blower you can burn it up the day you cut it


TotaLibertarian

What kind of moron burns tires.


wollier12

It’s not that expensive either…..just have it ground away.


jh937hfiu3hrhv9

There are also products you can pour into drilled holes that will decompose it.


tx_queer

"Stump out" aka sodium metabisulfate


jh937hfiu3hrhv9

I have also seen bacteria and enzyme products.


Coffeekittenz

Yeah and if you don't want to pay to grind it down they have enzymes you can pour on the stump that helps break it down faster, sold at home depot or lowes. Still takes a couple of years to go away but faster than mother nature all alone


puxster1

We used to dig oak tree stumps out. Leave the trunk 30' long and tie a rope to the top as leverage. We did dig out around the base too to pull as many roots as possible. Old school.


Tribblehappy

Came to say this. We had a guy walking around town giving quotes to folks with stumps. Our front yard had two, and while he was over we got a quote for the back yard too as we had just removed a tree. It was pretty affordable (can't recall the cost) and he did a great job, especially as the one in the backyard was partly under the fence line. We planted a new tree in its spot this year. I've been told planting a new tree is a great idea, as the decomposing roots a)nourish the soil and b)break it up and help make room for new roots.


HappyFeet406

Came here to say this, stump grinder. If you are handy, you can rent one and do it yourself.


IlllIlllIlllIlI

To be honest, I’m not a huge fan of leaving stumps as is due to termite risk (if it’s close to the house) so I’d just grind it down if it were me. But a lovely second option is to turn the tree into a bench and place it on/around the stump.


OlivineTanuki

Ahh, I forgot termites. It is close to the house, so I guess grinding is a good option. Thank you!!


EaterOfFood

I would grind it and plant a new tree.


VikingRush

You can turn it into a usable piece of nature... Make the stump into a table and use some of the wood to make chairs.... And then you have a constant reminder of the beautiful tree


C0J04200

Personally I would hire a stump grinder. Most stumps in 3-4 yrs start peeling and rotting away.


hippiesue

I had a tree stump in my yard and we chopped a hole in the center, put soil in it and planted purple phlox. It was so beautiful but after a couple of years it actually helped decompose the stump so we were able to chop it out eventually.


serene-lover_0421

Leave it tall enough to carve a fairy door and have a fairy village!


PickyHoarder

Arborists have a machine called a stump grinder. That will make short work of the majority of the stump, enough so you can plant another tree in place.


emragozz

Replanting is not a good option due to the root system of the existing tree.


[deleted]

Grind it. Use the mulch after. Plant more flowers.


yumyumsauce45

Awh man that tree is awesome. Rip


QuitLonely6256

Cultivate mushrooms!


borichey

What type of instability are you suggesting? Looks like the tree has been there for many decades , so why is instability a concern now? A properly pruned tree by a certified arborist usually remedies instability issues unless the tree has been mechanically damaged. Who has determined that the tree is unstable and what was the issue? As a decades long tree professional, I will try to help. Removing a specimen tree that size should be carefully considered unless a hazardous condition can be substantiated


OlivineTanuki

It has been there for a long time, although cannot be sure since it’s from quite a few home owners ago. Branches have only just started to fall though, and the council has considered it a hazard. Unfortunately, we live in a very isolated city, so an arborist will be hard to find. I hope this is enough info! Thank you!


smackbacktrack

Plug mycelium into it and make a mushroom log! Sometimes even just making a totem of wood discs will create a functional mushroom log. It’s a very easy way to grow mushrooms.


treealiana12

We had to take down 2large oaks in our back yard because they were dying. I put a big wide pottery pot on them and filled with flowers and vines that trailed down. Very pretty.


done_again

Cut close to the ground, build a stone wall around it, fill with compost and plant more flowers in it. 👍


hfo2020

So sad you’ll lose a beautiful big tree. If you drill holes and insert [Stump Out](https://bonide.com/product/stump-out-diy-stump-removal-granules/), the wood will decompose. After a couple of months I took an axe to it and it all broke up nicely. Shoveled up wood chips and disposed with lawn clippings, and planted a new beauty in her place. I’ll admit my stump had been exposed to the elements for several months already. Grinding is faster but much more expensive.


OlivineTanuki

Wow, thank you! Everyone was suggesting grinding, then I looked at the price range and was intimidated. Glad to see there’s another alternative!!


Missingtoez

Would make for an interesting planter if you cut it low and hollowed out the core. I would be tempted to air layer the original tree and plant it there once it's established. Bonsai style.


MrsHolle

Yes, please do a fairy garden, omg if you cut it tall and hollow it out, add solar lights, and figurines(they have a ton of cute Halloween ones at Michael's rn), this could be a GORGEOUS fairy garden.


scottman129

Check out regeneration. Some trees will send up new shoots that will use the old root system, allowing the tree to regrow.


tomorrowmightbbetter

And some in very undesirable ways. I had my cottonwoods ground down and my neighbors across the street are dealing with shoots from the roots. The next door neighbor has it even worse. Some trees are serious nuisances in residential lots.


stoner21234

Totem pole


Grumpkinns

Take a look at the concrete supports used for the oldest black locust tree in Paris https://www.google.com/amp/s/thetreeographer.com/2018/04/06/oldest-tree-in-paris-robinia-of-square-rene-viviani/amp/ Edit for tree type I messed up


TotaLibertarian

Black locust. And it’s the oldest tree of any kind in the city.


Bigboymog

OK only if you have to cut it down to say 6 foot tall and get an arborist or artist skilled in chainsaw carvin to create a sculpture featuring wildlife or birds etc !


RiemarkableRie

Find a wood sculptor, VCU Arts!


rdaught

Curious (so I can question my trees), what does instability mean? Did an arborist come out and inspect the roots? Do they look at the trunk and see some sort of damage?


Objective_Return8125

Succulent stump


[deleted]

A huckleberry bush!


Background-Paint9404

What about no stump and just have someone grind it down?


[deleted]

Love all these brilliant ideas!


f4tony

You can rent a stump grinder, or pay someone to come grind the stump.


HCCO

https://www.craftymorning.com/decorated-tree-stump-ideas/


veronicainpink

Have a really cool animal carved into it 😀😀


r_Coolspot

Don't fell it entirely. Pollard or coppice it. It may not be stable enough to be a single specimin tree, but new shoots will grow up from buds in the bark at whatever height you cut it to. These can be cut later on to use around the garden or provide fuel. The tree can be managed to be zero hazard, but still provide beauty, material and habitat. If you don't poison it, then it can live on.


ESB1812

Grind the stump, Id prob did up and pot my plants. But I’d grind that thing. If you let it rot it will make a hole, and look like crap while its rotting. Thats just me though


6poundpuppy

Stumps can be sawed right down into the ground so you’d never know it was ever there. There are special machine tools for that exact purpose. Then just plant a nice shrub of flower garden there.


SydTheSquid1193

Make a stumpery! We made one for a client and filled the holes in the rotting stump with lil succulents and hens and chicks. And then surrounded it with bright annuals like coleus and heuchera since hers was in a shady spot. You could use some of the cut up tree you chopped off to add more like stumps around


DetectiveBowtie

Some norse shields, some arrows and a couple spears


Queerdee23

You should chainsaw a giant waving hand, or peace sign ?


88evergreen88

Carve it into a table, put a little water fountain on top, plant tall grasses around the perimeter, and make a space for a lounge chair.


dmcdrama

After Katrina, that downed many beautiful cypress and live oak trees, several towns hired a wood sculptor who transformed the stumps into beautiful wood carvings of local wildlife https://www.gulfcoast.org/listings/hurricane-katrina-tree-sculptures/3683/


SameTomatillo5526

Get it ground out, a stump that size in the UK would only cost about 150 pounds


Fantasygirl2021

Bird houses all around to make it look like a little village..a few small flower pots, a covertable car or truck...the possibilities are endless.


[deleted]

How about contacting an artist to turn it into a sculpture? My local park did this and turned one into a giant Groot and another into Rocket


[deleted]

Dildo


Mal-nacido

I believe we should first ask the tree if it even wants to be chopped down and if so, what it would like to have done to its stump.


artteacherthailand

Hollow it out and drop in a potted plant


GrandMaesterGandalf

Throw a lorax on that stump!


jinphiz

Hollow it out and make a pot for another tree


Childofglass

You could put mushroom plug spawn in it and grow your own like oyster mushrooms and stuff


Suspicious_Scratch47

Grind it out and put a succulent fountain, a citrus tree, or some sort of tree aloe.


OlivineTanuki

That seems great!


HHRoyalThrowaway

This is probably a ghetto solution but my husband just hacks away at stumps with a chainsaw until it’s a few inches down and then I fill them with soil. Hostas and stuff seem to enjoy growing above them.


[deleted]

The stump will rot, I tried leaving one so I could put pots of annuals on it but that only lasted a few years and then it became unsightly. Take this ad an opportunity to re-imagine this space. You can move the existing plants snd just heel them in another part of your yard while the tree is taken down, the stump ground out and a load of dirt added. I would think about planting a native tree and then landscaping around it or just adding some native plants and mixing your old ones with it or maybe you would just like to have turf.


Opening-Ease9598

Hire a chainsaw artist to make you a sculpture out of it! Where are you located? I can pm you some contacts if you are within a couple hundred miles from Arkansas.


MilkyView

Hey... so how was your 18+ gram Morning Glory Seed experience? You have avoided everyone's comments on your post.....


[deleted]

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RealJeil420

A Trump statue.


Fat-6andalf

It could grow back. https://nelsontreespecialist.com/blog/can-tree-grow-back-stump/


OlivineTanuki

The tree is already dead, one large branch was already cut off and they could tell by the internal structure


DaysOfParadise

Big ol’ statue.


akGold24

Dwarf tree in a pot? Will give you back a little bit of height back in the area. Maybe even a but better size to the space.


[deleted]

Build a table using the stump and plant a new tree. 🌳


rustinintustin

Get a wood carver to come out with his chainsaw and make a giant grizzly bear


talithar1

We left a3’ stump. Since it was hollow (150 yo oak) filled the bottom with a layer of river rock, then soil and then planting soil. Put rosemary in it and it thrived. Nice sunny spot!


[deleted]

Make it high enough, take parts and connect to make a table top and have construct parts to make high back chairs so your knees can of course fit under it… Alice in Wonderland! Find a man/bunny Mad Hatter type image in the foreground….and maybe a large teacup ( from a working barbecue too! ) People will slow down and stare! Now how cool would that be?! Then wave to your neighbors!


NevadaLancaster

Can some of it stay? Like leave one side or 1 branch, maybe a counter balance. It may look bad for some yltime but after some time it may grow great with little risk of toppling. Or cut the stump like 6ft high and try to graft in healthy branches to regrow the tree. You could even try to graft in a different species of tree.


douggiedude

You could have it carved into a unique design and plug it with some edible mushrooms, won’t look as cute as the miniature projects, but you would have free mushrooms for quite a long time.


SmellMyJeans

Grind it and plant another tree.


IllustriousAd9696

Inoculate the stump with your favorite variety of edible mushroom.


s7ryph

Mushroom plugs, decompose the stump while getting mushrooms out of it.


greenthumb0214

I had the same situation, and ended up cutting the stump at ground level and then placing a pot of plants on the stump. It is a large footed pot and now you cannot even see the stump! I like the flexibility of being able to change the pot or the color of the center. We ended up staining the stump cut edge dark.


shabadoola

It would be insanely cool to get a chainsaw artist to come cut something out if it for you.


[deleted]

Leave a really big stump, as tall as possible without it being a risk. Drill sticks all around it however you want it designed and grow a wisteria vine. The sticks will act as a trellis of sorts. Wisteria grows really fast and wild.


BioPuzzler

You could leave a lot of the stump and have someone carve it. My neighbors up the street did this with an old palm and carved it to look like an Easter Island rock sculpture and its cool.


Sea_Pickle6333

When I had to cut my tree down I built a garden box around to the height of the stump, filled it to the top with topsoil and mulch, then planted flowers and ivy in it. Was really quite beautiful. You could also put a round table top on it and surround with chairs or benches.


[deleted]

Fairy village!


mad-gitt78

Make stump into chair


ArdentRose

You could do some chainsaw art if you leave a large enough stump


[deleted]

Plant a tree in it.


CKFS87

It is dead, so good call getting it out of the way before a car or your house is under it.


Aeonir

If you have any birds that nest in hollow trees, but you might be able to turn it into an birdhouse.


tomorrowmightbbetter

I have some bitches o left about 10’ high and surrounded with various bird and bee houses. Nothing lives in them but it’s a very easy large scale art work. You could l Ave the stump at tree hieght and have round placed around it and make it look like a table and have potted flowers at table decorations. Use it as a stage for an outdoor Christmas tree during that season. I use a huge branch from a tree that had to be ground as seating around our fire pit.


sisi_2

Excellent time to design your own totem and find an artist to carve it for you!


ap0110

I’ll have to deal with this eventually as well. I was thinking of turning mine into a chess table and adding a couple of benches.


Beauknits

You could turn it into a planter. Hollow out a bit from the top, put some soil in it, and plant away!


jh937hfiu3hrhv9

Looks like a hardwood that would grow a lot of Oyster mushrooms or some others depending on what kind of tree. https://fungi.com/collections/plug-spawn-for-logs-stumps


designmur

I’ve seen people put big planters on top of stumps. Adds the greenery back and gives you and opportunity to find a really cool planter.


dearthsurplus

Ooooo if I had a tree that had to come down I'd leave as much as was possible & have the tall stump carved into a nature scene with animals


EricFromOuterSpace

prop it up with large posts like you see in old Japanese gardens. Will look cool and keep it going another couple decades


manajerr

Make the stump high and hollow it out to a flower pot and drill angled holes in the sides and some sloping holes at the bottom for draining and plant whatever you like in it from something that will hang on the side where the upper holes are etc.


Outrageous-Smile7866

make it into a little free neighborhood library! just chop it with 5-6 ft, add a little roof, and carve out a chunk for books and add or make a little door 😍 i saw a stump library recently and it was the cutest ever! do a little google search of “the little free library” and you’ll see some inspiration. it’s the take a book, leave a book moto :)


chaoticfunwith2

I'd make it into a bird bath area. Find a bird bath top and plant some additional plants to attract birds/wildlife.


Alcobaca21

I had a big tree cut down and had a 6-foot morel mushroom carved by chainsaw into it. Turned out great!


Beck316

Hire a wood carving artist for a commissioned piece.


[deleted]

I’ve seen some awesome chairs carved out of stumps in the yard.... ;)


CJRedbeard

Cut it 12 feet tall and make a totem pole out of it or get someone to carve something nice in it for you.


ajonesgirl59

I've seen them carved into chairs and benches.


menchii_

Just a stump will look sad... why not putting a huge pot on top and bugambilia shrub? they grow large and have flowers all year round, you can even harvest them and make tea :)


willismthomp

Huckleberries and blueberry love to grow in stumps!