An innovative use for a hollow log

@JudyEv (382853)
Rockingham, Australia
April 25, 2025 2:20am CST
My cousin’s garden on the old family farm is full of quirky bits and pieces. The photo isn’t very clear but supported on two chains is a large, hollowed-out tree trunk. My father would have carved out the hollow to make a pig trough. It’s now filled with plants and bits and pieces. Towards the entry gate is a much larger hollowed-out log which was once in the stable as a feed trough for the draught horses. They were tied in individual stalls and the trough ran across the front and would have held feed for perhaps three horses.
17 people like this
14 responses
DE
@DaddyEvil (174885)
• United States
25 Apr 25
Some people have really good imaginations for stuff like that. I'd never think to use a hollow log for a planter or a feeding trough.
4 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382853)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Apr 25
When my father started farming, there was very little spare money. They were very clever with how they'd use various things.
1 person likes this
DE
@DaddyEvil (174885)
• United States
26 Apr 25
@JudyEv I understand... We were poor growing up, too. Dad and mom did a lot of things I'd never think of to save money.
1 person likes this
youless
@youless (114117)
• Guangzhou, China
25 Apr 25
I like this idea to take advantage of the hollow log. Perhaps it can be grown some orchid flowers on it
3 people like this
Heather Echola
@GardenGerty (169603)
• United States
26 Apr 25
That would be pretty.
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382853)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Apr 25
I think it is a great idea too. I'd love something like this.
1 person likes this
youless
@youless (114117)
• Guangzhou, China
27 Apr 25
@JudyEv Lately I have orchid flowers and I found they are easy to grow. But it may take time for them to have flowers again I'm still learning it.
1 person likes this
snowy
@snowy22315 (209341)
• United States
25 Apr 25
That's neat like a natural planter. I think I have seen similar things before.
2 people like this
snowy
@snowy22315 (209341)
• United States
26 Apr 25
@JudyEv Yes they do.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382853)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Apr 25
Plants look good in natural surroundings.
1 person likes this
Judy Story
@jstory07 (148831)
• Roseburg, Oregon
25 Apr 25
Those are good uses for the hollowed out logs.
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382853)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Apr 25
I think they make a lovely container for plants.
B
@pitsipeahie (5758)
•
25 Apr 25
That’s so creative! And also really resourceful, right? Instead of just discarding the log or letting it rot, it was given a new life
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382853)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Apr 25
It's natural so plants look good in it. I'd love to find one for myself.
1 person likes this
M Cheung
@Beestring (15372)
• Hong Kong
25 Apr 25
That's very innovative. Using a holow log as a planter.
2 people like this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382853)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Apr 25
It's a good use for them.
1 person likes this
Heather Echola
@GardenGerty (169603)
• United States
26 Apr 25
I would really like something like either one of them.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382853)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Apr 25
I'm thinking we could perhaps 'go bush' and find a hollow log for here.
rebelann1949
@rebelann (117291)
• El Paso, Texas
25 Apr 25
That's so kool. The few tree trucks around my place are so small not much can be done with them outside of mulching them which I hope to do if I can afford a mulcher.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382853)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Apr 25
My BIL has mulched a couple of trees that he had removed. I think he employed someone to do it.
1 person likes this
OceanTiara
@RebeccasFarm (91297)
• United States
25 Apr 25
How imaginative.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382853)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Apr 25
It's not a good photo but it does look good in real life.
1 person likes this
Four Walls
@FourWalls (86999)
• United States
25 Apr 25
That’s an amazing thought! The only thing I would wonder about would be any bugs in the old wood that might injure the newer plants.
1 person likes this
Four Walls
@FourWalls (86999)
• United States
26 Apr 25
@JudyEv — I would imagine the “natural” components of the wood slowly deteriorating would be great for the flowers, too (assuming there’s no bugs in the wood).
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382853)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Apr 25
I guess it's possible but after a few years I guess it's just like a normal garden bed.
1 person likes this
Anna
@LadyDuck (503025)
• Italy
25 Apr 25
This is something that I have often seen in Switzerland, up in the villages in the mountains. They plant geraniums in the hollow logs.
1 person likes this
Anna
@LadyDuck (503025)
• Italy
26 Apr 25
@JudyEv I loved those mountain houses with plenty of geraniums on the balconies and in the hollow logs.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382853)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Apr 25
@LadyDuck I remember seeing them in Austria. The bright red geraniums were really lovely and the houses in Bavaria were often painted with scenes.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382853)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Apr 25
The hollow logs make lovely planters. Geraniums would be an ideal choice.
1 person likes this
RasmaSandra
@RasmaSandra (98215)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
25 Apr 25
That is a great idea. Good ways to put hollow logs to use,
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382853)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Apr 25
I'm thinking a couple would be lovely in my garden.
1 person likes this
Ron Rybs
@Ronrybs (21492)
• London, England
26 Apr 25
I like that! Fits in very well. I used to have the drum of an old tumble dryer in the garden, left by a previous owner, which was used as a planter.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382853)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Apr 25
My mother had several lovely camellias in those. Here's another wooden trough at a nephew's place.
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382853)
• Rockingham, Australia
29 Apr 25
@Ronrybs I really like bits and pieces made from natural materials.
1 person likes this
Ron Rybs
@Ronrybs (21492)
• London, England
27 Apr 25
@JudyEv Excellent recycling and arty too
1 person likes this
Nature_Lover
@Mshafeeq (2746)
• Kuwait, Kuwait
25 Apr 25
You turned that place of junk in useful one. Such creativeness is good to make place worthy.
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382853)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Apr 25
The trunk looks very effective placed like this.
1 person likes this
Nature_Lover
@Mshafeeq (2746)
• Kuwait, Kuwait
26 Apr 25
@JudyEv yeah by seen the pic it would.
1 person likes this