How to Build a Wall Around a Tree

Low walls installed around trees can increase the aesthetic appeal of a yard or garden. A variety of materials are suitable for these walls, including special trapezoid-shaped stones designed for this purpose. These stones allow you to create a circular wall around your tree. This project is labor-intensive because of the digging required, and is easier if you plan to do it when the ground has recently been softened by rain.

String
Spray paint
Shovel
Plate compactor
Bedding sand or gravel
Wall stones
Level
Mallet
Masonry cement
5-gallon bucket
Trowel

Instructions

- 1
  Tie one end of a string loosely around the tree.
- 2
  Measure out 3 feet from the tree along the string, then spray-paint a ring on the ground around the tree, using the string to maintain a consistent distance from the tree.
- 3
  Measure out the width of your wall stones from the first ring, then spray a second ring on the ground around the first ring.
- 4
  Dig a 4-inch-deep hole between the two rings with a sharp shovel. The sides of this hole should be as vertical as possible.
- 5
  Tamp the ground within the hole flat with a plate compactor.
- 6
  Fill the bottom of the hole with 2 inches of wet bedding sand or small gravel and tamp it again.
- 7
  Place wall stones into the hole, filling the ring around the tree.
- 8
  Use a level to ensure that the stones are horizontal. If they are not, tap individual stones with a mallet to drive them deeper into the sand until the entire wall is level.
- 9
  Mix a small batch of masonry cement with water in a 5-gallon bucket, following the mixing ratio provided on the package.
- 10
  Trowel a ¼-inch layer of cement on top of the first layer of stones.
- 11
  Add a second layer of stones on top of the first, staggering the joints just as you would with bricks.
- 12
  Add more cement and a third layer of stones.
- 13
  Allow the cement to cure for 24 hours.

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