I've used rock, here its sandstone, and old cedar fence posts for building material. And a lot of rail road ties, but those, I have to buy.

I'd sure go for some kind of root barrier - it doesn't take long before the roots are in the bed and nothing much else grows. Maybe the polypropylene weed barrier, doubled? I didn't do that, and about the only thing that can hold its own again tree roots are big shrubs, planted when the trees were small.

Spring bulbs do ok as well, because their life cycle is about over before the trees start up.

Michelle, I'm still trying to make my "stone retaining wall" look appropriate using the keyboard. (Tried it a few months ago and think I only generated confusion. ;o)

So here it is:

--O--
-O-O-
O-O-O

Think of the dashes as nothing, okay . . .

I took stones about the same size as you have and laid them in 3 rows directly on the ground. Then placed premixed concrete on top and set 2 rows of stones on top of the mix. Then more concrete and 1 row of stones. The result was a low retaining wall that has held together for 10 years. I'd take a picture but the soil has built up to the point where you can't see much more than that top row of stones . . .

The bagged premix seemed more appropriate than mortar since the spaces between the irregular stones were so great. Further, they used pea gravel (not crushed rock) in the premix that I bought. The mix formed a nice firm bond.

I've used various types of wood for raised beds - those 3X5 landscape timbers, hardwood salvaged from a cabinet shop, cedar fence boards, etc. What worked best was the hardwood but I wouldn't be able to tell you the species. Cedar was NOT very impressive in terms of its longevity - the landscape timbers worked better.

What they were treated with - haven't a clue. Dad did a pretty good job preserving a pine board fence with pentachlorophenol. (I was surprised - pine?!?) We used copper naphthenat for various uses when I worked in the greenhouse.

digitS'

Here is a link that might be useful: Selecting Preservative Treated Wood

Thanks for the ideas. It sounds like rock would be the first choice. It's sort of fun to drive the Kubota around the farm's back 160 and look for rocks.

Digits, the only concern I had with building a triangular wall is the width of it - how wide were the beds, and any idea how wide the lowest level of the wall ended up? I could try something like big stones on the top and smaller ones on the bottom? (Note: capitalized o on top of diagram)

--O
-o o
o o o

If I use even 4" stones at the base, the wall would be minimally 12" wide. That's a good sized bite out of a 3-4' wide bed.

I could put in a row of big stones at the base, fill with soil, then set another row of stones just inside the base stones at the second level...

Having a box of rocks for a brain isn't helping me.

Cheers,
Michelle

I have one of the few places in Montezuma County that doesn't have Anasazi artifacts all over the place, so I have to make my own 'ruins' to stay hip with the community. I've built several 1 and 2 foot high stone walls on the place, artistically placed pseudo archeology, with flowers.

Big trick: start with the smaller rocks on the bottom, and lay the big ones on top. More stable.

Well, if we ever meet in person, remind me that I am going to give you a nice pot for your archeology. My neighbor is a potter, and while he doesn't make Anasazi replicas, his reject pieces are beautiful garden ornaments!

I sure wish you'd get a camera, I'd love to see those walls you've made.

Cheers,
Michelle

ps. I just made a run on rocks and got scolded by a redneck for picking up a rock off HIS side of the county road (I was picking one up out on a very remote road, the rock was in the bar ditch between the road and his fence). Good grief!!