The Herb Spiral

Jane Thrall

Photos by Jane Thrall

An herb spiral is a raised circular bed designed to provide various herbs with an assortment of growing conditions. They've been around since the Middle Ages and are once again in vogue among gardeners, especially those who practice permaculture.

Building an herb spiral takes a certain amount of sweat and toil, but it's a fun and creative project. The best location for your herb garden is just outside the kitchen door where you'll be more tempted to pop out for a handful of fresh leaves while cooking.

Herb spirals vary in size from a few feet across to as much as 6 ft. in diameter. Anything larger proves difficult for accessing the plants near the center. Elevation should reach between 2 and 3 ft. above ground level to maximize the distinct micro-climates.

Herbs preferring drier conditions are placed near the top of the spiral, while those preferring more moisture are placed near the bottom. Micro-climates allow for some plants to have access to more heat and others less. Shadier spots on the north side favor herbs that prefer less direct sun, while heat loving plants such as sage and thyme are placed on the south side of the herb bed.

In Edmonton, hardy herbs include chives, thyme, oregano and sage, as well as spearmint if buried in a pot under a protective layer of mulch. Mint is easily propagated from cuttings, but should be grown in its own pot as it tends to spread like crazy. Mint does well under the partial shade of other plants on the north side of an herb spiral.

Some herbs will self seed. Cilantro (coriander) and dill tend to appear on their own each spring.

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These leggy herbs can spoil the ordered look of your herb spiral if left to their own devices, so watch for them and transplant or pull the ones that emerge in the wrong spots.

Garlic, a culinary necessity as far as I'm concerned, should be planted in the fall but can be successful if planted early in the spring. An assortment of different garlic bulbs, from the milder elephant variety to the more pungent purple stripes, will each find their way into your kitchen.

Parsley, basil and peppers are easily started from seed, but need to be sown as much as eight weeks before last frost. For those not up to the task of starting herbs from seed, the garden centres are more than happy to sell hardened-off plants which can be placed out any time after last frost.

Rosemary, a woody shrub in warmer climes, is challenging to start from seed in Alberta. To have a plant of any significant size it's best to head to the garden centre.

Historically, herb spirals are made from reclaimed stones and bricks—whatever is available to work with—to give the spiral a whimsical look. For those who prefer something more formal, the edges can be marked out with pavers or more costly materials.

There are great designs and examples of herb spirals on the Internet to inspire the culinary gardener. Or check out Toby Hemenway's book, Gaia's Garden, which has lots of great advice for the novice permaculturist.

 

(Originally published in Gardener's Gate, June 2011.)

How to Make an Herb Spiral

Creating an herb spiral can be lots of fun, but it takes a little bit of work and planning.

• First: Lay out the size and pattern on the lawn (or wherever you plan to put it) and dig up the grass if necessary. I wanted an area of mulch around my spiral, so I dug that part out.
• Second: Put down a growth barrier to prevent grass from returning and/or use cardboard boxes to smother the lawn. I used a combination of both techniques and it saved me having to dig up the lawn directly under the spiral.
• Third: Build up a large pile of dirt or growing medium with lots of organic material. I used some of the turf I had dug up, placing it upside down on the cardboard to start my pile. The fun part is using pavers, bricks and stones to make a spiral. I added some small stones and cedar mulch around the outside of the spiral to be consistent with other projects in my yard.

• Fourth: Plant your herb garden and enjoy the fruits of your labours.