Last year we took down a very old invasive Princess Tree (Paulownia tomentosa). The logs had been stacked by the side of the river walk, that we affectionately named Stumptown. Our Tuckaleechee Garden Club member and TRWA volunteer extraordinaire Allison Pearson decided to turn trash into treasures - or at least try to!
Allison had recently seen a picture of a tree stump turned into a “fairy house”, so why not try the idea on the Princess tree logs? Allison along with her husband Rodney, selected one log that was beginning to hollow and brought it home for trial and error design. They began the process by further hollowing out the log with chisels. Rodney used a drill and a reciprocating saw to cut the doorway and window openings and a Dremel and chisel to further clean out the openings. The front door was purchased from a vendor on Etsy. The front porch and walkway are made from a red cedar branch - the same branch provided material for the window boxes and table. Rodney made the roof from scrap lumber, and hinged one side so there would be access into the stump ( the house!). The chimney for the house is a forked piece of cedar which doubles as the handle to open the roof. Pine cone scales were used for the roof gables and various bark form the shingles for the roof. Inside the fairy house is a mesh bag of small accessories - a rake, shovel, bench, etc.
The National Garden Clubs, National Wildlife Federation and a host of other organizations encourage organizations, parks, and families to find ways for children to play more naturally outdoors, stimulating their imagination and helping foster a love of nature. The fairy house at Stumptown, on the Townsend River Walk and Arboretum, is a fun way to engage in nature play. And, we hope it puts a smile on the faces of those that pass by.
A Big THANKS AND APPRECIATION to Allison and Rodney!