Transform An Old Tree Stump Into A Charming Yard Feature

When a tree in your yard has had to come down and only the base remains, you might want to look into other options besides safely removing the tree stump to get it out of sight. The opposite approach would be to transform it into an eye-catching landscaping feature. If that's what you choose to do, there are so many creative ways to repurpose an old tree stump, such as making it into a birdbath, a rustic chair, or a plant stand. Alternately, those who are looking for a fanciful element in the garden might consider turning that dead tree remnant into a cute gnome home.

Just like fairy gardens add whimsy to your backyard, gnome homes supply a touch of fantasy. Perhaps you'll want to take this approach because you take a childlike pleasure in the fanciful, or maybe you have kids or grandkids you're hoping to delight. Either way, creating a miniature dwelling for a creature from mythology, fairy tale, or folklore is a fun project that might just lighten your heart every time you notice it in your yard.

There are different styles you can use when transforming an old tree stump in your yard into a gnome home. You can make yours look like it's straight from an animated movie with bright and colorful accessories, such as miniature doors, fences, windows, lamp posts, and other ready-made features found at craft shops. Another option is to build and paint your own roof, doors, and windows out of wood scraps from other DIY projects. If you're skilled at woodcarving, you could even hand-carve features into the stump.

If you want to give the gnome home a more natural quality, arranging sticks, leaves, stones, and pebbles into patterns that suggest structures and features will make it even more charming, and also more subtle. And you don't have to include a gnome figurine near your gnome home — after all, maybe you'd like to imply the gnome is inside enjoying a meal or resting after a hard day's work. If you do include a figurine in your display, you might want to seek out an authentic gnome made of terra cotta from Germany, where the garden gnome craze originated.