High winds tend to blow through the patch of land in Meadowbrook, PA, that Patricia and Morgan Smith call home. When mixed with a big storm and resulting deluge, the consequences can be quite severe.

Such was the case in June 2008 when a storm bounded across the county. In the immediate aftermath, the Smiths assumed they endured it unscathed, but the next morning revealed they weren’t so lucky. Stepping out to walk the dog, Morgan and Patricia discovered that their beloved white oak—a prized focal point on their property—had fallen. While undoubtedly relieved no errant branches shattered their nearby greenhouse (although certain limbs fell within inches), the couple was crestfallen by the loss of such a beautiful specimen.  

In many ways, this giant tree was the epitome of majesty. The white oak was 18 feet around the base and its pillar-like trunk unfurled in at least a dozen long limbs. The Smiths would often stop and appreciate its beauty, be it bare branches in winter or loaded with leaves in summer. Seeing it splayed on the lawn like a fallen soldier, the Smiths were stymied as to what to do. “We couldn’t bear to chop it into pieces. I mean, this tree was the main reason we bought the home!” Patricia recalls.

After pondering the possibilities a little longer, the Smiths decided to make the most of their bad situation. “We thought, ‘what if we let the tree stay where it is?’ We could landscape around it and see what happens,” she says.

To convert the fallen tree into a garden showpiece, the Smiths went to Meadowbrook Farm. Longtime patrons of the retail nursery and garden center in their neighborhood, the Smiths were confident they would find the perfect plants for their new setting.

The family purchased a variety of native plants and used them to encircle the felled giant. Best of all were the vines, including fall clematis, climbing hydrangea, and native wisteria. In early spring the Smiths enjoyed bulbs and will continue with seasonal plantings through fall.

Patricia reports that everything from Meadowbrook has thrived and the setting has achieved cohesion. The local wildlife seems to approve—several species, including raccoons and snakes, have tried to occupy the broken-down bole. “Because of all the insects inside, the birds are all over the tree; it’s fascinating to watch,” Patricia says.

In addition to preserving the original, the Smiths have planted a new white oak just a few yards away. It has a long way to go before it compares to the first towering tree, but the Smiths have high hopes for the scrappy sapling. Patricia says, “As long as we live here, so will the trees.”

Find great plants at Meadowbrook Farm