How to Build Stone Wall Borders for Flower Gardens

A stone wall border can add functional and aesthetic value to any flower bed. With the right materials, a stone wall can be completed in the space of an afternoon. It is easy to customize your own design with the variety of stone materials available at many home and garden stores.

Things You'll Need

• Stone
• Plastic
• Spray paint
• Plastic garden dividers
• Shovel
• Wheelbarrow
• Gardening gloves
• Measuring tape

Instructions

Preplanning

1. Decide where you will build your stone wall border. Prioritize the functions of the wall (i.e. retaining, decorative) and its basic shape and dimensions.

2. Measure out the dimensions of the flower garden so you can figure out how much material you will need. Outline in spray paint where the stone wall border will be built.

3. Decide what type of stone you will use. Harvest stones locally or buy stone material in bulk at a home and garden store. If harvesting your own materials, look for stones similar in weight and size. If buying materials, you may need to rent a truck to haul the stone home, depending on how much you need.

Creating the Stone Wall Border

1. Use a shovel to remove all of the grass, stones, and weeds where the wall will sit. Level the ground by adding or subtracting existing soil.

2. Lay down a plastic sheet to prevent grass and weeds from growing up between the rocks. Make sure to cut off any extra so it will not show once the rocks are in place.

3. Install the plastic garden divider by digging a small trench along the front side of the stone wall border area. Bury it so that the top edge is level with the ground.

4. Place the first layer of stone, fitting the pieces together tightly. Add the second layer. Overlap the stones so that the cracks between layers are not lined up.

5. Fill the bed with dirt and potting soil. Plant your flowers.

References

• Backwoods Home