Making the most of a fallen tree - Colin and Christine Snape

Christinesnapegarden

'We lost a big greengage tree last spring during high winds. I got up one morning and the tree had blown down.

Needless to say, we were very upset as it was the biggest tree in the garden and attracted lots of birds, including a pair of bullfinches.

Coming back to life

When we looked at it there was very little in the way of roots and I suspect the tree had come to the end of its life (about 30 years I think). I did not want to lose it completely, so we cut the trunk back to about 4 ft and stood it back up again (it was still attached to a bit of root) and it has sprouted from the base. 

'We have let the grass grow around it and think we had hedgehogs hibernating there in the winter.'

Whether it will produce fruit, or not, we'll have to wait and see. We now use the cut off trunk as a bird table. We left the crown on the lawn and the birds still use it for shelter.

Hedgehog haven

We have also let the grass grow around it and we think we had hedgehogs hibernating there in the winter, although we didn't actually see them. It has now become our wild, untidy patch with bits of log laying around it.

We are also going to put in a pond this year (just as soon as the rain stops!), as we already have frogs and toads visiting from our neighbour's garden.'

Homes for Wildlife tips

This is an excellent example of how to make the most of an unfortunate situation to maximise its benefits for wildlife.

  • Dead and decaying wood is an important (but often overlooked) element of the garden. You can provide dead wood in any type and size of garden, from a bucket of hardwood chippings or woody cuttings to dead wood on shrubs and trees.
  • By retaining the trunk as standing deadwood and allowing the grass to grow, Christine and Colin have created a rich and diverse micro habitat, from hedgehogs down to the valuable insects, fungi and lichens which will inhabit the standing and laying dead wood.
  • Leaving the crown of the tree where it fell on the lawn replicates the natural process that occur in woodland.
  • The long grass growing around the crown exposes the wood through a range of conditions, from full sun to shade. Laying dead wood in dappled shade optimise the benefits to wildlifes.  In this example, the long grass growing around the crown helps achieve this by exposing the wood through a range of conditions, from full sun to shade.

What can I do?

Take part in 'Homes for Wildlife' and we'll provide you with all the advice you'll need to attract birds and other wildlife to your garden.

Transform your garden into a wildlife haven

Last modified: 21 July 2008