heartwood.

A Carolina Chickadee makes its nest in the tree sculpture.
Photo: Samantha Nestory

At Stoneleigh: a natural garden, a London planetree—close cousin to the native American sycamore—has towered over the Main House for more than 150 years. Its pale, mottled branches have shaded the gardens below, inspired artists and poets, and offered shelter to songbirds and other critters.

Sadly, the tree is dying. Weakened by both sycamore anthracnose and canker stain, the London planetree was no longer safe and had to be scaled back dramatically earlier this spring. It now stands as an example of the value of dying and dead trees to the environment, a tree sculpture that will be planted with native vines.

A tree’s death can serve a purpose as vital as its life. Beetles and other insects bore into the softening wood, creating openings for fungal spores and bacteria. Over time, the core of the tree—the heartwood—softens and more insects arrive. Woodpeckers, nuthatches, and chickadees tap holes into the crumbling wood as they feast on the bugs, creating cavities for other bird species and mammals to use as nesting space or protection from winter’s chill. Mushrooms sprout from the bark while, on the ground, new plant species emerge in the newly available sunshine.

Every gardener knows that change is part of tending a garden. We invite you to visit Stoneleigh to watch how the London planetree changes in this new phase of its existence.

Photo: Samantha Nestory