An old tree stump in your yard can be an eyesore, but with a little effort you can turn it into something beautiful. There are many unique ways to turn a tree stump into a tasteful, unique and useful garden treasure with a bit of ingenuity. Here are just a few ideas to consider whether you’ve got a rooted stump that is still in the ground or a few cut stumps lying around:

Make it a Planter

Tree stumps can make great planters! With just a bit of work, a stump can turn into a striking and natural potting container. All you need to do is chisel in a hole, fill it with potting soil such as Espoma Organic Potting Mix and add your favorite flowers. Voila! If you would like to take it even further, you can dress up the spot all around the stump planter with smaller flowers or low growing shrubs such as Dwarf Radicans Gardenia in a circular pattern.

Woodland Stools and Seating

Tree stumps can also come in handy if you are in search of extra seating. They can be the perfect spot for children or even adults to sit on and do some reading or enjoy a quiet scenic spot in the garden. You can give kids some chalk or markers and let them get creative with their very own tree stump by embellishing it. This is especially nice in warmer months, when kids want to be outside–and they’ll have their own special seat to call their very own. Try having them personalize their new seat by stenciling on their name with paint.

Stepping Stones for Your Garden

Tree stump slices can make wonderful stepping stones for any garden. Using a chainsaw, cut slivers off the top in varying heights. You can decorate each slab with paint to match your gardening décor or leave them in their natural state for a more woodland type appeal. It’s very simple to line them up and use them as inexpensive stepping stones.

Outdoor Dining Table

If you have a particularly large tree stump, don’t let it go to waste! Get some inexpensive chairs and a tablecloth and use it as an outdoor dining table where you can easily serve tea or lunch. You can even paint a checkerboard on the top if you want to create an inexpensive outdoor game table.

Fairy Houses

Kids can decorate tree stumps with lace netting, glitter, or whatever water resistant craft materials you may have around to create an inviting and magical home for a fairy (or even a frog!) to live. Drape these fancy new stumps with little white lights, so they twinkle and become an unusual garden element.

All in all, tree stumps can be a usual decorative tool in the garden. Even if you’re not very creative, with just a few tweaks they can become something much more than just an old stump in your backyard.

Send us your ideas for how to convert a stump into a fun and functional landscape object!