Lilly wrote:

On Fri, 4 Apr 2003 17:49:37 -0500, "JNJ" wrote:


I'd be interested in seeing the picture to use as a backdrop for your
posting -- something's not quiet meshing in your description. On the one
hand you're talking about 10 feet across, then you're talking about
building rings...?

I'm not sure what you're not sure of.
It's a circular mound about 10 feet across, with a tree in the center.
Planted around the tree are rhodies that have been there for years,
and are way to big for under that tree.

FWIW, I would not recommend building a retaining wall out of stone. I have
a few of them here -- not fun, not fun at all. From your description, it
sounds like you might find it better to terrace the area a bit instead. I
also noted in your other post that the tree is in the middle of a mound of
dirt -- you start building retaining walls you may damage the root system
either directly or indirectly. Remember that the mound is a fully function
ecosphere of its own -- including the rhodies.

I realize it may be a lot of work, but then I consider that kind of
stuff fun. Go figure. I'm sure that the rhodies that are already there
are damaging the trees roots. My idea was to replace the rhodies with
very small shallow plants.

More likely the other way around - the tree roots are probably stressing out the
rhodies. Rhododendrons have extremely shallow root systems, but lots of surface
feeder roots, as does the tree. Root systems are proportional to the size of the
plant - the large tree will have a far larger and more widespread root system
than the rhodies and also much more aggressive in terms of removing moisture and
nutrients from the soil.

If the rhodies are already well established, I wouldn't move them. The disruption
to both them and the tree from root disturbance could be severe. From a design
point of view, tiering down from larger plants - the tree to rhodies to
hellebores to gorundcovers, etc - to smaller plants is more visually appealing.
Also, neither the callas or hellbores will be happy in this dry shade situation.

pam - gardengal