[Jimquist]

I have had a 6' x 25' garden area next to my driveway for many years. Hibiscus and roses are the main plantings with a few annuals.
There is a Aus tree (willow) about 30' from this garden area and I think the roots from this tree are invading the garden and stunting the growth of the plantings.
This Fall I want to build a 2 foot high raised block planter, but need to exclude the roots from this tree but still allow drainage. My first thought was to use some fine mesh galvanized screen to fully line the planting area - including under the block walls. A second thought was to use the dreaded landscape fabric, but have no idea as to the life of those materials or the effectiveness.
I really want to keep the Aus tree which is kind of a 40' high x 40' wide "bush" and provides a lot of privacy.
Do you guys have any suggestions?
Thanks a bunch, Jim

[Greensmith]

The Architects who did a local main street planting lined the tree islands with this Biobarrier® Root Barrier and Weed Control made of nonwoven, polypropylene geotextile fabric with nodules containing trifluralin so that the roots would not push up the sidewalk.