How to Level Dirt for a Rock Border on a Flower Bed

Walk to the edge of the flower bed and lay a long piece of string or rope on the ground to designate the shape of the border. You can simply create a straight border along the bed, or you can curve it. Readjust the string or rope as needed until you are pleased with the shape of the border.

Open a can of spray paint and shake it up for 10 seconds. Spray a line along the entire length of the string or rope to designate the location on the ground and then move the string aside.

Insert a shovel into the ground at one end of the paint line and dig down between 4 and 6 inches deep. To determine the width of your trench, measure the width of one of the rocks. Continue digging until you have a trench along the entire length of the paint line.

Walk to one end of the trench and insert a level into the bottom of it. Kneel down and look at the level to see if the air bubble is centered in the liquid. If it is not level, determine which area of the soil is too high and dig some out from under that area using the shovel or a hand spade.

Place the level back into the same location and test it again to see if the bubble centers.

Repeat the process along the entire length of the trench to level it out, removing soil as needed.

Pick up a hand tamper tool and place it in the trench. Hit the bottom of the trench repeatedly with the flat bottom of the tool to compact it and level it out further.