Autumnal decay

The old copper beech was infested with honey fungus, a particularly unpleasant disease that rots it from within. Eventually, we were left with no choice but to fell the tree, leaving us with some lovely planks of wood for projects, two years' worth of firewood - and a huge stump...

So we asked a local chainsaw carver, Simon O'Rourke, to make us something wonderful, which he did. The resulting garden seat is not only an outstanding piece of art but also gives commanding views across the valley to the mountains beyond.

The attention to detail is astounding, as you can see from the seat detail here: the cuts in the wood stop it getting slippery when it's wet and drain the water away to prevent pooling that would encourage rot.

The cuts also increase the surface area, allowing the honey fungus to thrive. I'll need to remove it soon, but for now it serves to remind me that autumn is primarily a season of decay, albeit one that can provide unexpected moments of genuine beauty.