Continuing planting The Tree. To keep the burrow ceiling from collapsing during the landscaping process, I cut a dome of Activ-Wire Mesh supported by a wood pole. Grahame has a degree in structural engineering, apparently. :D Here the pole is glued in place though the mesh is still loose so I can paint inside the burrow.
I primed the foam and stucco with gesso. I did try to keep the amount of gesso on the roots to a minimum, but it wasn’t especially important. There would be more layers of paint as well as landscaping materials to cover any wayward marks.
The burrow for Grahame needed some preliminary finishing before creating the top and sealing off access to it. I stippled on layers of brown paints inside and around the burrow until I achieved a good base color. I painted the rest of the area with a mix of brown and black, wiping the excess from the roots as I worked. The paint is thick and will need to dry overnight.
The foam slivers under the front roots look like rock. Something to keep in mind for future landscaped settings.
The Tree looks well planted but somewhat precarious, as though it might uproot and chase after trespassers. :O
