We have a horrible so-called rockery that we would like to dig out but there is a lovely mature birch tree that lives in the corner of it. The rockery is just a rectangular area, shored up by broken paving slabs. At the base of the tree, it raises about 1 to 1.5 feet from the rest of the garden. Will digging this out disturb the roots? If so, how much room around the tree do we need to leave?
