need the exercise??

just move the rock.. and let it do its own thing .. imo ... getting lazier as i get older.. lol ... maybe move just enough earth to fill the holes the rocks left ...

the greatest experience i had moving from flat earth suburbia to 5 acres in the country ... was the 8 feet of undulation i have across the property ... should i have graded it flat???

ken

btw.. without a list of plants.. its hard to come up with a short answer ...

if you insist ... let everything JUST leaf out.. so you know where they are ... get a load of soil.. wheelbarrow it back there ... bring the soil around the plants to the height you want ... then lift each plant.. throw some soil under it.. then replant ... to height ...

then go visit the dr or chiro of your choice.. lol ..

bulbs might be a bigger problem ... timing wise ...

ken

As ken says... remove the rocks, fill in any holes that may result from removing the rocks and then let it be. At most, I'd smooth the slope a bit so there isn't an abrupt step down, but 7" or so is not a big change in elevation in the bed. Over time it would likely erode on its own to naturally blend with the lower portion.

Thanks for the advice you two. The total area that must be raised is probably 12 square feet (all by about 7"). (The plants in question are 2 ligularia, an anemone, 3 foam flowers and a couple of thalictrum).

dude.. you've got a hill.. lol

ken

ps: mark the anemone in case you want to dig them.. when they go dormant ... i presume its a bulb ...????

I am leaning to doing the work in late Fall (rather than now), as I don't want to negate the wonderful display that this 12 sq feet of garden provides.

(No the anemone are japonica).

I've moved rock and added soil where the rocks were several times over the years with no resulting problems. Did it again yesterday; )

Sherry

Thanks Sherry. The stones you see in my pics serve to separate the 2 different 'elevations'. (It will be about 12 square feet that will get soil to raise it by about 7")

You don't have to totally fill the area, at least that's my experience. I've taken my shovel to the affected area and gently moved the existing soil around, no problems with this method either. Like Ken says, Mother Nature does most of the work over time.

Sherry