Building retaining wall around existing tree?

Question

My front yard has about a 3-4 foot slope from house to street. The old owners put in a couple of trees and planting beds, but nothing of real interest. I would like to add a partial retaining wall about halfway down to create some "flow" and interest. Problem is, there is a 10-year-old ornamental plum tree about where I want to put the wall. My preference would be to place the wall about 2 feet in front of the plum tree, but then I would need to backfill with soil (basically building up the soil around the tree by about a foot). Will that damage the tree?

Answer 1

Yes, adding this much soil will eventually kill the tree. Maybe you could place the wall behind the tree, creating a "well" effect by wrapping it around the tree, keeping it 2-3 feet away from the trunk of the tree..

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Answer 2

No, don't do that. Trunks are not meant to be surrounded by soil and moisture, they are above ground tree parts. Also the extra soil depth could smother roots underneath, tho only with a smaller tree. Also the retaining wall will damage the roots underneath plus the roots do get bigger each year thus cracking any wall on top. I've seen far too many trees killed and retaining walls crack and heave by the retaining walls. You'd be better off, taking the grass away from the trunk a good 6 feet or more, putting down a landscape mat and then adding a decorative bark or stone and then placing a nice bench with several larger flower pots for color.

Answer 3

If you could build your wall about 4 - 5 ft in front of tree and then use boulders/rocks to sit around the tree about 2 ft out from the trunk you can build up the soil without touching the tree
Or
Build the wall behind the tree

or
Wait till winter and have tree dug up and replated at higher level. Check with a qualified contractor

Answer 4

Yea, it isnt good for the tree when you do that. It can really hurt the trunk and the roots. I'm trying to picture what you are wanting to do in my head. Is there any way you can build the wall and then let the soil settle naturally over time? Then the tree can gradually adjust?
Over time, it will all level out anyways, so maybe filling in with vines or some kind of nice ground cover will hide the unlevel ground.

Answer 5

Adding more than about 6" of depth will kill the tree. You could put the wall behind the tree or build a well for the tree. See link below for how to construct a well.

Otherwise, remove the tree to another location if it isn't too big to transplant.

Answer 6

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