We bought a few "dwarf" conifers, in 1986 and planted them around the waterfall of our former koi pool Around 1990 we got rid of them except for this one which I replanted on top of the rockery Over the years it grew, but I'd wired it to stop it spreading out too much. Here it is in 2015. But it was starting to "get away from me." By last year it was no longer controllable and wasn't attractive looking any more. So we had it taken down. But it was like an "old friend" so I kept the stump which was quite attractive. But this year it's steadily dying off, so sadly it's time for it to go. A man is coming tomorrow with a chain saw to cut it right down to the level of the top of the rockery. I'll be able to re-train that big euonymus along the fence to fill the gap.
Job done. He was over the road yesterday cutting down a load of conifers at the end of a neighbour's back garden. I just happened to see him with a chainsaw, so I asked him if he could cut our stump down. He had a look at it and said he'd be coming back on Wednesday to finish the job over the road, so he'd bring his big chainsaw and do it then. I was amazed when he said he'd do it for twenty quid including taking away the stumps. Presently the council tips are closed so if he didn't, I'd be stuck with them. In the end as it was a multi-trunk tree it took him three trips with my sack truck to get the stumps round to his wagon they were that heavy. He has the tenancy of a farm a couple of miles away so he can stick the trees in a field, let them dry out then burn them. I was that pleased to get it done. In the end by the time he'd swept up the worst of the debris off the patio it had taken him half an hour. Where could you get a tradesman for £40 an hour? So I gave him £30. I've re-arranged the euonymus. I use horizontal wires strung between hooks in holes drilled into the concrete fence posts with which to tie stuff. I never attach anything to the wooden panels It doesn't look too bad, it will spread out more over time. There wasn't too much sawdust and the phlox on the rockery wasn't damaged. There was a bit of a gap in the rocks next to the stump. I had a large rock that I was storing at the end of the narrow bed between the shed and the tea-house. I remember moving it there and had to use my sack truck to shift it. But I decided it was ideal for the rockery. So I just picked it up and carried it over. As they say "needs must." It must be at least six inches thick. I had some spare compost to bed it in. I might get some more phlox to fill the gaps. The trunk of the euonymus is to the left of the new rock.
Over the years many evergreen and deciduous trees have come and gone on our property. Same goes with neighbors trees. The landscape is forever changing here.
