Dead Wood In The Garden
All plants have finite lifespans. When looking at things from the perspective of human time, some trees may seem like permanent fixtures, as old as the hills. However, trees are not permanent and eventually, die they must - but that death is not the end - it is another important step in the recycling of nutrients and resources within the garden or forest environment.
The natural death of a great tree brings many benefits to the plants and animals in your garden. Fungi, lichen and moss will grow on decaying wood, while the wood itself provides habitat for creatures from microbes through to insects, small mammals and birds.
Many of us help and encourage wildlife by leaving areas of our gardens a little unkempt. It’s better to see it as your way of supporting the entire lifecycle within your garden, from which we all benefit. Where possible, I prefer to build in space for this process within the design and structure of the garden from the outset if starting a garden from new. In older gardens, the process happens under its own steam, particularly if left untouched.
Nature will out. It is important and beneficial to think about the whole lifecycle of your garden and build decay into your garden planning as an advantage. The compost heap is the the most active vehicle for decay and processing in your garden, but there are other opportunities to allow natural cycles to take place.
A dead tree might be a place to start, but it should be noted - if leaving a dead tree in your garden, you must ensure it is safe to do so. While such a tree can be visually striking, there is a danger that tree limbs break and fall to the ground, potentially causing injury or worse to anything or anyone beneath it. I strongly encourage you to get your trees, both living and dead, evaluated by a qualified arborist, to be certain of safety. If there is any doubt, take it out - but the logs and branches that remain can be utilised more safely closer to the ground.
While whole trees, or large pieces of dead timber are perhaps best, for many people, they simply dont have the space. However... log piles are excellent for life in the garden too. If a literal pile is too unkempt for you, then logs can be used to create more ordered ‘log walls’ of pretty much any size - from a little border edging through to architectural structures and dividing walls. Take a tip from the dry stone wallers and make sure the log wall is thicker at the base than the top to help ensure stability. Again, be careful of going too high and do consider the people in the space - children climbing on untethered wooden structures isn't always the best idea - as ever in the garden, use good care and good sense.
If it’s not safe to leave a tree in place, or if you don’t have one, then no matter - a woodpile will still provide an excellent environment to support wildlife in your garden or green space. you can use logs and branches from friends or those you’ve picked up while winter walking - but don’t remove them from living trees as this rather defeats the point.
I regularly use pieces of split logs, as you would for firewood, and dot them into small piles and nooks and crannies within the garden to create miniature habitats for wildlife. These decay slowly and age beautifully, after a few years they become more gnarled, have been bored by beasts, and develop a lovely patina and textures alongside emergent mosses, lichens and fungi.
In small gardens, I’ve noticed a significant increase in apparent health and biodiversity within the space after including dead wood in the environment. Decaying dead wood, replicates the wood drop found naturally in forests, and thus brings many of the benefits to creatures, soils, plants, and ourselves.
/// KGC
