Page 97 - Designing Ways 271

TAIL OF
THE DOG

Stumperies and Rooteries
A to stumperies, or Custard Cream biscuit is known for part of the eco trend to allow things to
Victorian garden was often
its ‘ferny’ design with curly fronds
regenerate naturally. With the fallout
home
rooteries. This was an area
everything ‘from christening presents
Ash trees did fall and decompose
of a large Victorian garden where on the top. Ferns were seen on in England from Ash Dieback, some
tree stumps were placed with the to memorials and gravestones’. quickly, others stayed standing and
roots facing upwards, and delicate have been left. The smaller branches
plants were grown in the nooks Back to stumperies – they are fall off, and the main trunks and
and crannies. Some gardens had currently popular in gardens today, larger lower branches remain, stark
pathways between stumpery lined as a way to use a tree stump: reminders of the interconnectivity of
edges, and most often, they were move it (if possible) to a shady diseases not only between humans,
planted with ferns. corner, and then plant it with ferns, but plants as well. We are well
and other shade-loving plants like aware of this in South Africa, with
This was linked to the craze for ferns strobilanthes. I have seen stumps the horrifying results of the shot hole
– known as pteridomania – at the left on pavements (rather carelessly, borer invasion from the Far East a
time. Ferns were collected, fronds I thought), with haphazard planting few years back, where tiny beetles
pressed and drawn, plants displayed surrounding them. I now realise this lodged in the palettes supporting
in little glass houses in the entrance was obviously intended, as part of imported furniture, escaped into the
halls of people’s houses. These glass the current stumpery revival. air and rehoused their larvae into
houses were called Wardian cases, the life systems of the established
a precursor to terrariums. They There is probably a practical reason street trees of Johannesburg, with
were designed by a Mr Nathanial too – these stumps are large and disastrous results. Multiple victims
Bagshaw Ward to protect his ferns extremely heavy, so why move them? were the magnificent London Plane
from the polluted air of 1829 London. Also, there is a new acceptance of trees, a lot of them now Standing
The craze spread to ferns being used ‘standing deadwood’ – this is to leave Deadwood.
as a decorative item on textiles, as tall dead tree stumps where they are,
botanical drawings, on ceramics, and and not to ‘tidy them up’ – they create
later, even on biscuits. The English homes for insects and birds, and are Gill Butler

FALCON

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BALI
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www.seatsahead.co.za
Tel: 011 434 0444, Email:Shantelle@chairexpress.co.za
44 Hulbert Rd Cnr Rosettenville Rd, New Centre, Johannesburg
PO Box 39799, Booysens, 2016
Tel: 011 434 0444, Email:Shantelle@chairexpress.co.za
44 Hulbert Rd Cnr Rosettenville Rd, New Centre, Johannesburg
www.seatsahead.co.za
PO Box 39799, Booysens, 2016