How To Landscape Around A Tree With Exposed Roots – Your Guide To A

ByRimon Chowdhury Updated on

Ah, the majestic, mature tree. It’s the centerpiece of your yard, a provider of shade, and a home for birds. But as you look down, you see the problem: a tangled web of gnarled, exposed roots making mowing a nightmare and creating a barren, bumpy patch where lush grass refuses to grow. Sound familiar?

If you’re nodding along, you’re not alone. This is one of the most common challenges gardeners face. You want to make the area look beautiful, but you’re worried about harming your beloved tree.

I promise you, there is a solution! It is entirely possible to create a stunning, low-maintenance garden bed around that tree. You can turn that tricky spot from an eyesore into a gorgeous, thriving feature that actually benefits your tree’s health.

In this complete guide on how to landscape around a tree with exposed roots, we’ll walk through everything you need to know. We’ll cover the crucial do’s and don’ts, the best plants for the job, and a step-by-step plan to create a beautiful, sustainable garden you can be proud of. Let’s dig in!

Understanding the Challenge: Why Tree Roots Become Exposed

Before we grab our trowels, it helps to understand why those roots are making an appearance. It’s usually not because the tree is sick! In most cases, it’s a perfectly natural process.

The main culprits are often simple and straightforward:

  • Soil Erosion: Over many years, wind and rain can slowly wash away the top layer of soil, gradually exposing the shallowest roots. This is especially common on slight slopes.
  • Soil Compaction: Heavy foot traffic (from people and pets) or the weight of lawnmowers can compact the soil. This makes it harder for the tree to get the air and water it needs, so it sends some roots closer to the surface to breathe.
  • Natural Growth: Some tree species, like maples, beeches, and poplars, are simply genetically programmed to have shallow root systems. As the tree grows and the trunk and roots thicken, they naturally push up and out of the ground.

Knowing this helps us approach the problem with the right mindset. Our goal isn’t to “fix” the roots, but to work with them to create a harmonious and eco-friendly how to landscape around a tree with exposed roots solution.

The Golden Rules: What NOT to Do Around Exposed Tree Roots

Okay, friend, this is the most important section of this entire article. Before we talk about what to do, we have to cover the things that could seriously injure or even kill your tree. Following these how to landscape around a tree with exposed roots best practices is non-negotiable for the health of your tree.

Please, I beg you, do not do the following:

  1. DON’T Bury the Roots in Deep Soil: The number one mistake people make is dumping a thick, 6- to 12-inch layer of topsoil over the roots and planting grass. While it seems like a quick fix, this suffocates the roots, which need oxygen to survive. It can lead to a slow, painful decline for your tree.
  2. DON’T Build a Raised Bed Against the Trunk: Building a raised bed or retaining wall and filling it with soil seems like a neat solution, but it’s a death sentence for the tree trunk. Piling soil and mulch against the bark traps moisture, which invites rot, disease, and pests. This sensitive area is called the root flare, and it must remain exposed to the air.
  3. DON’T Cut Major Roots: It can be tempting to just sever a big, problematic root to make a level surface. Don’t do it! Cutting a large root (anything thicker than your wrist) can destabilize the tree, making it a hazard in a storm. It also creates a massive wound that is an open door for diseases.
  4. DON’T Use Heavy Machinery or Till the Soil: Avoid using a rototiller or heavy equipment near the tree. These machines will rip up the delicate feeder roots just below the surface and compact the soil even further, compounding the problem.
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Avoiding these common problems with how to landscape around a tree with exposed roots is the first step to success. Now for the fun part!

Your Step-by-Step Guide on How to Landscape Around a Tree with Exposed Roots

Ready to transform that space? This simple, step-by-step process ensures you create a beautiful garden bed while keeping your tree safe and happy. This is the ultimate how to landscape around a tree with exposed roots guide.

Step 1: Assess and Plan Your Design

First, take a moment to observe. How much sunlight does the area get throughout the day? Is it deep shade, partial sun, or dappled light? This will dictate your plant choices.

Decide on the shape of your new garden bed. A gentle, curving line often looks more natural than a perfect circle. Use a garden hose or rope to lay out the border on the ground until you find a shape you love.

Step 2: Gently Clear the Area

Remove any existing grass or weeds from your planned area. Do not use a shovel or spade, as you risk damaging the roots. Instead, clear the area by hand or use a garden fork to gently loosen the turf.

Another great, no-dig method is “sheet mulching.” Lay down a layer of cardboard (with tape removed) over the grass. This will smother the grass and weeds, and the cardboard will decompose over time, adding organic matter to the soil.

Step 3: Add a Thin Layer of Quality Soil & Compost

This is the key! We want to add just enough soil for new plants to get established without harming the tree roots. The magic number is no more than 2 inches.

Spread a 1- to 2-inch layer of a 50/50 mix of high-quality compost and topsoil over the entire bed. This mixture is light, airy, and full of nutrients. Gently work it into the pockets and crevices between the large surface roots.

Step 4: Choose and Position Your Plants

Now it’s time to plant! Look for the natural pockets of soil between the gnarled roots. These are the perfect spots for your new plants.

Pro Tip: Buy plants in smaller pots, like 4-inch containers or even “plugs.” They require a much smaller planting hole and are far easier to tuck between roots than a large 1-gallon plant. Gently tease the roots of your new plant and settle it into its new home.

Step 5: Mulch Like a Pro (The Donut Method)

Once your plants are in, it’s time to mulch. Mulch is fantastic—it retains moisture, suppresses weeds, and regulates soil temperature. Apply a 2- to 3-inch layer of organic mulch, like shredded bark or leaf mold, over the entire bed.

But here’s the secret: create a “donut,” not a “volcano.” Pull the mulch back a few inches from the base of the tree trunk, leaving the root flare completely exposed to the air. This prevents the moisture-related rot we talked about earlier.

Choosing the Right Plants: Your Best Bets for a Thriving Under-Tree Garden

Gardening under a mature tree presents a unique challenge known as “dry shade.” The tree’s canopy blocks sunlight, and its vast root system greedily drinks up most of the available water. The secret is to choose tough, shade-tolerant plants that don’t mind a little competition.

Here are some of my favorite, nearly foolproof choices. Don’t worry—these flowers are perfect for beginners!

Shade-Tolerant Perennials

  • Hostas: The undisputed kings of the shade garden! They come in endless varieties of leaf colors, shapes, and sizes. They are incredibly tough and reliable.
  • Coral Bells (Heuchera): Valued for their stunning foliage in shades of purple, lime green, and bronze, they add a fantastic pop of color all season long.
  • Ferns: Nothing creates a lush, woodland feel like ferns. Japanese Painted Ferns or Ostrich Ferns are beautiful and well-behaved choices.
  • Astilbe: If you want flowers, Astilbe is your plant. It sends up feathery plumes of white, pink, or red flowers in early summer and thrives in shady, moist spots.

Tough and Beautiful Groundcovers

Groundcovers are one of the best how to landscape around a tree with exposed roots tips because they spread to fill in the area, suppressing weeds and creating a living mulch.

  • Periwinkle (Vinca Minor): A tough, evergreen groundcover with glossy leaves and pretty blue or purple flowers in the spring. It’s very tolerant of dry shade once established.
  • Bugleweed (Ajuga): Forms a dense mat of colorful foliage (often deep bronze or purple) and sends up spikes of blue flowers. It’s a vigorous spreader that fills in gaps quickly.
  • Japanese Pachysandra (Pachysandra terminalis): A classic, elegant choice that creates a uniform, deep-green carpet in even the deepest shade.
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Spring-Flowering Bulbs

Don’t forget bulbs! Spring-flowering bulbs like daffodils, crocuses, and snowdrops are perfect for planting under deciduous trees. They pop up, bloom, and store their energy for the year before the tree has even fully leafed out, taking advantage of the early spring sun.

Long-Term Care: Keeping Your New Garden Bed and Tree Healthy

Congratulations, you did it! Now, maintaining your beautiful new garden is easy. This simple how to landscape around a tree with exposed roots care guide will ensure everything stays healthy for years to come.

Watering Wisely

For the first year, your new plants will need regular water to get established. Remember, they are competing with a very thirsty tree. Water deeply once or twice a week during dry spells. After the first year, most of the tough plants we recommended will be quite drought-tolerant.

Annual Mulch Top-Up

Each spring, check your mulch level. Organic mulch decomposes over time, enriching the soil (which is great!). Plan to add a fresh 1-inch layer each year to maintain the 2- to 3-inch depth, always remembering to keep it away from the tree’s trunk.

Minimal Maintenance

One of the benefits of how to landscape around a tree with exposed roots this way is that it’s very low-maintenance. The plants are tough, the mulch suppresses weeds, and there’s no more awkward mowing. Simply enjoy the view!

Frequently Asked Questions About Landscaping Around Exposed Tree Roots

Can I just cover the exposed roots with soil and plant grass?

Please don’t! This is the most common mistake and the most harmful. Adding more than 2 inches of soil will smother the tree’s delicate surface roots, which need oxygen to survive. This can lead to the tree’s decline and eventual death.

Is it safe to build a small retaining wall around the tree?

It’s generally not recommended. Building a wall encourages you to pile soil deep against the trunk to level the bed. This trapped soil and moisture will cause the bark to rot, inviting disease and insects. It’s much safer for the tree to create a gentle, mulched bed on the existing grade.

How much soil is too much to add over tree roots?

The golden rule is a maximum of 2 inches. Anything more than that can start to interfere with the oxygen and water exchange the roots need. A thin layer of a compost/topsoil mix gives new plants a place to start without harming the tree.

What’s the easiest groundcover to plant around exposed roots?

For a truly low-maintenance, set-it-and-forget-it option, Periwinkle (Vinca Minor) or Bugleweed (Ajuga) are excellent choices. They are tough, spread nicely to fill in gaps between roots, and are very tolerant of the dry shade found under large trees.

Your Tricky Spot, Transformed!

See? That challenging spot in your yard wasn’t a problem after all—it was an opportunity. By understanding the needs of your tree and working with nature instead of against it, you’ve learned how to turn an eyesore into a beautiful, thriving woodland garden.

You’ve protected your tree’s health for the long term, created a habitat for pollinators, and added a stunning new feature to your landscape. You’ve replaced a mowing headache with a peaceful, low-maintenance oasis.

Now you have all the knowledge and confidence you need. Go forth and create something beautiful. Happy gardening!

Rimon Chowdhury
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